First Minister has welcomed the appointment
of Scotland's new Lord Justice Clerk by His Majesty the King.
The Rt. Hon Lord Beckett will succeed the Rt. Hon Lady Dorrian as
Scotland's second most senior judge after she retires on Monday 3
February. As Lord Justice Clerk, he will also hold the office of
President of the Second Division of the Inner House of the Court
of Session and serve as the Chair of the Scottish Sentencing
Council.
A former Solicitor General, Lord Beckett was appointed as a
Supreme Courts judge in May 2016, then elevated to the Inner
House of the Court of Session in July 2023. He has been involved
in work to review court procedures for sexual offence cases,
improve trauma training for judges and simplify the guidance
given to juries.
Lord Beckett was nominated for appointment by the First Minister
based on the advice of a selection panel.
The First Minister said:
“I offer my warmest congratulations to Lord Beckett on his
appointment as Lord Justice Clerk, reflecting a long and
distinguished career of service in Scotland's legal system.
“The Lord Justice Clerk is one of the Great Offices of State in
Scotland and the second most senior figure in the judicial
system, with a prominent role in the criminal appeals system. It
is a significant appointment that requires careful consideration,
so I am very grateful to the members of the selection panel for
their advice before I nominated Lord Beckett.
“Lady Dorrian was the first woman appointed to such a senior
judicial office in Scotland. Her legacy will be significant, not
only for that reason but as a result of her advocacy for
vulnerable victims and witnesses, and her commitment to making
court proceedings more transparent. Lady Dorrian leaves office
with my gratitude and best wishes for the future.”
Lord President Lord Carloway said:
“Lord Beckett is a very experienced judge who has presided over
some of the highest profile trials in recent times. He has been a
member of the judiciary, for over 17 years, first as a Sheriff
then as a High Court Judge. He was appointed to the Inner House
of the Court of Session in 2023. His extensive knowledge of
criminal cases, together with his work on evidence on commission
and on case management in the High Court makes him an excellent
appointment as Lord Justice Clerk. I wish him well in this
extremely important office.”
Lord Justice Clerk Lady Dorrian said:
“It has been a huge privilege to be Lord Justice Clerk and I am
pleased to be handing over to Lord Beckett. He is passionate
about improving the experience of complainers and witnesses in
court. He was part of the working group which I chaired on the
management of sexual offence cases which will stand him in good
stead for the reforms which will be coming in over the next few
years. His experience will also be valuable as he takes over as
Chair of the Scottish Sentencing Council. As a former Chair of
the Judicial Institute and someone who has been leading the way
on trauma-informed training for the judiciary, he is ideally
suited for this role.”
Background
Lord Beckett was admitted as a solicitor in 1986, working in
private practice before being admitted to the Faculty of
Advocates in 1993. In 2003, he was appointed as an advocate
depute and he became a Queen's Counsel in 2005. He served as
Solicitor General for Scotland in 2006, became a sheriff in 2008
and was appointed as an appeal sheriff on the establishment of
the Sheriff Appeal Court in 2015.
Process for selecting the Lord Justice Clerk is set out in the
Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act 2008. In line with those
provisions, the First Minister established a panel and invited
recommendations for individuals suitable for appointment. The
members of the panel were:
- Lindsay Montgomery CBE, Lay Chairing Member of the Judicial
Appointments Board for Scotland
- The Rt. Hon Lord Carloway, the Lord President
- The Rt Hon. Lord Matthews, Inner House Judge of the Court of
Session
- Elizabeth Burnley CBE, lay member of the Judicial
Appointments Board for Scotland
Lord Beckett will be sworn in as the Lord Justice Clerk by Lord
Pentland at a ceremony on Tuesday 4 February.
