Lord Justice Clerk appointed

First Minister John Swinney 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.