NEWS
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Published speeches reflect the individual judicial office holder's personal views, unless otherwise stated.
Queen's Counsel Appointments
Sep 15, 2020
The new appointees are: Alasdair Burnet, Advocate; Ruth Charteris, Advocate; James Dawson, Advocate; Amber Galbraith, Advocate; Lisa Gillespie, Advocate; John MacGregor, Advocate; Kevin McCallum, Advocate; Paul O’Brien, Advocate; Barry Smith, Advocate and Christine O’Neill, Solicitor Advocate.
Background
The rank of Queen’s Counsel is generally reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in practice in the Supreme Courts. Advocates and Solicitors with Rights of Audience in the Supreme Courts are eligible to apply to the Lord Justice General, Scotland’s senior judge. Before making nominations to the First Minister, the Lord Justice General consults other judges, the Lord Advocate, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and the President of the Law Society of Scotland.
The independent observer of the process, Jessica Burns, was appointed with the agreement of the Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway and approval from the First Minister. Ms Burns provided the First Minster with a separate report on her findings, which is available: Queen's Counsel Independent Observer's Report 2020.