Appointment of Queen's Counsel in Scotland 2016

Introduction

This is my second report to the First Minister for Scotland as Independent Observer of the appointment of Queen’s Counsel in Scotland. I was appointed in February 2016. I was asked to review the process of appointment and to provide a report of my findings and any recommendations to the First Minister at the end of the appointment round.

The 2016 round of appointments began in February 2016 after the Lord President and Lord Justice General, the Rt. Hon. Lord Carloway gave notice to the First Minister that he intended to invite applications for appointment. This is the first round of appointments since Lord Carloway was appointed Lord President.

Advertisements were placed in a range of media in March 2016. I was provided with all relevant paperwork. I was assisted by the Lord Justice General’s Private Secretary with any further information I requested. I met with the Lord Justice General in June 2016 to discuss the current appointments round.

Independent observers have been appointed for each round of appointment of Queen’s Counsel in Scotland since 2004. A summary of the appointments procedure was provided by the last independent observer in her report in 2012 and can be found at: - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/resource/0040/00401924.pdf

I was not advised of any substantive changes to the appointments procedure in the last year.