Sheriff Principal Eilidh MacDonald

Eilidh MacDonald was appointed Sheriff Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands in July 2025.

Prior to that she was appointed as Summary Sheriff at Peterhead Sheriff Court in 2016 and then as a Sheriff in 2017, initially based at Fort William Sheriff Court before moving to Inverness.

A graduate of the University of Dundee and following a traineeship with Macleod & MacCallum Solicitors, Sheriff MacDonald became a senior legal assistant with Forrest & Co in 1998 and then a partner with Simpson MacDonald Solicitors in 1999.

Sheriff MacDonald was the head of office and Solicitor for the Public Defence Solicitor’s Office in Inverness from 2004 and then became a fee paid judge for the First-Tier Tribunal, Social Entitlement Chamber in 2013.