Sheriff Principal Anwar

Sheriff Principal Anwar, who replaces Sheriff Principal Abercrombie, was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen on the recommendation of the First Minister, based on a report by the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

She was appointed as a part-time sheriff in 2011 and a resident sheriff at Glasgow Sheriff Court in 2014. She is a designated family law and commercial law sheriff.

Sheriff Principal Anwar graduated from the University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons) in 1996 and from the University of Oxford (Bachelor of Civil Law) in 1998.

She joined Maclay Murray and Spens in 1998 as a trainee, was admitted as a solicitor in 2000 and became an associate in 2003. From 2009 to 2012 she became a partner and head of litigation for Scotland in a global law firm.

She co-authored the Civil Bench Book for Sheriffs on behalf of the Judicial Institute and was appointed to the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service Board in 2018.

In 2017, she provided a letter to the children involved in a contact dispute (Patrick v Patrick), which explained her decision in plain simple language. It was praised by those working in family law, and featured in a performance of Letters Live during the Edinburgh International Festival.