John is an advocate by profession, who commenced practice at the Johannesburg Bar in 1972. In 1986 he took silk. He was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court in Johannesburg in 1991. In 1996 he became Judge President of the Labour Appeal Court. He returned to private practice in 2001. In the past 19 years he has conducted a number of public enquiries, eg into the fall of Regal Bank and the rapid depreciation of the Rand and private enquiries, eg into the corporate governance of the five major banks. He also acts as mediator and arbitrator of disputes.