Lord Carloway appointed as Lord President

Lord Carloway succeeds the Rt Hon. Lord Gill who retired from the post as head of Scotland’s judiciary on 31 May 2015.

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: “I warmly welcome the appointment of Lord Carloway as Scotland’s new Lord President.

“Lord Carloway has a wide breadth of experience in both the civil and criminal spheres and his commitment to continuing reform and modernisation of our justice system is clear. Under his leadership I am confident that the already substantial improvements to Scotland’s courts will continue.

“I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Lord Gill for his outstanding public service both in his role as a judge and as the Lord President. Lord Gill is an eminent individual of great stature and integrity who led Scotland’s judiciary with distinction.

“The reforms that were recommended by the Review which Lord Gill led on the Scottish civil justice system will be his legacy, and are seen as the greatest changes made to the system for over a century. Lord Carloway is a worthy successor in this important role.”

The Lord President is the senior judge in Scotland and the head of the judiciary. As presiding judge of Scotland’s supreme civil and criminal courts, he acts as both Lord President of the Court of Session and the Lord Justice General of the High Court of Justiciary. The Lord President also chairs the board of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service.

James Wolffe, QC Dean of the Faculty of Advocates (pictured right), said: “I warmly congratulate Lord Carloway on his appointment as Lord President. His appointment as head of Scotland’s judiciary is richly merited - having regard not only to his personal qualities but to his distinguished career of service, as an advocate before his appointment to the bench in 2000, as a judge since that date, and since 2012 as Lord Justice-Clerk.

“Lord Carloway becomes Lord President at an important time for our legal system as it responds to technological, social and institutional change. I look forward very much indeed to working with him.”

Christine McLintock, president of the Law Society of Scotland said:“I warmly congratulate Lord Carloway on his appointment. As one of our most senior and respected judges, and with a wealth of experience across both criminal and civil law, he has already made a substantial contribution to justice and the rule of law here in Scotland. I have every confidence he will make an even greater contribution as our Lord President.

“Lord Carloway assumes this role at a critical time for Scotland’s justice system, with major reforms to improve the efficiency of our courts but also pressures from reductions in public spending. We are also seeing a transformation in the legal services market, with new business models, changing expectations from clients and a greater internationalism amongst legal firms. Against this backdrop of change, we look forward to working with Lord Carloway, building on the excellent relationship we have enjoyed with him as Lord Justice Clerk.”

Lord Carloway was nominated by the First Minister taking account of recommendations made by a selection panel constituted under the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008.

He is a graduate of Edinburgh University (LLB Hons) and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1977.

He served as an Advocate Depute from 1986 to 1989 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1990. From 1994 until his appointment as a judge he was treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates.

Lord Carloway was appointed a judge in February 2000 and was elevated to the Inner House in August 2008. He became Lord Justice Clerk in August 2012.

He was an editor of Green’s Litigation Styles and contributed the chapters on “Court of Session Practice” to the Stair Memorial Encyclopedia and “Expenses in Court of Session Practice”.

Lord Carloway was the joint editor of Parliament House Portraits: the Art Collection of the Faculty of Advocates and is a former president of the Scottish Arts Club.

He is the author of the Carloway Review on key elements of criminal law and practice which was published on 17 November 2011. Many of the recommendations from this review have been taken forward in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, approved by Parliament earlier this week.

Lord Carloway is also currently leading a steering group overseeing the Scottish Court and Tribunal Service review into evidence and procedure, including options for improving how children and other vulnerable witnesses provide evidence in criminal cases.

The Lord President, who has an annual salary of £220,655, is one of the Great Offices of State in Scotland.