His Honour Judge Mark Pelling KC grew up and went to school in North-East London, and studied law at the city’s King’s College. He was called to the Bar in 1979. Judge Pelling practiced from Monckton Chambers and then from 3 Verulam Buildings, and specalised in commercial and construction litigation and arbitration, both in England & Wales and abroad. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2003. He sat as an arbitrator, a mediator, and a Recorder, before he was appointed as a Specialist Senior Circuit Judge in 2006. In the first part of his judicial career, Judge Pelling was the specialist Judge responsible for Chancery cases in Birmingham, and also sat as an additional Judge of the Chancery Division in London. In 2019, he was appointed Judge in charge of the London Circuit Commercial Court, the part of the Commercial Court which deals with smaller cases. In addition to his responsibilities in the London Circuit Commercial Court, Judge Pelling frequently sat as a Judge of the Commercial Court, He left the full-time Commercial Bench in January 2025, but continues to sit in the Commercial Court from time to time in retirement. He also sits as an arbitrator, and as a Judge of the DIFC Courts in Dubai.

Judge Pelling is an outdoors enthusiast, and enjoys sailing, fishing, and shooting.