New sheriffs appointed in Grampian, Highland and Islands

Her Majesty the Queen appointed Mr Dickson and Mrs Pasportnikov on the recommendation of the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who nominated them on the basis of a report by the independent Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland (JABS).

Mr Dickson is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and was admitted as a solicitor in 2004. Between 2009 and 2015 he was a partner and head of the Advocacy Unit at Anderson Strathern LLP. He is a dual qualified solicitor advocate (civil 2008; criminal 2011).

Olga Pasportnikov is a graduate of the University of Dundee and was admitted as a solicitor in 1991. After training at Balfour and Manson, she worked mainly in private practice before joining the Law Society of Scotland in 1998.

She has been with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) since 2003. She is the current convenor of the Fife Young Carers Management Committee.

The salary of a sheriff is £132,184 per annum.

JABS was established by ministers in 2002 and became an independent advisory non-departmental public body on June 1, 2009. The board has statutory responsibilities under the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008.

Its role is to recommend individuals for appointment to judicial offices within the board’s remit including judge of the Court of Session, chairman of the Scottish Land Court, sheriff principal, sheriff, and part-time sheriff.

The First Minister retains the statutory responsibility for making nominations to Her Majesty the Queen and is required by statute to consult the Lord President of the Court of Session before making her nomination.