Queen's Counsel Appointments

Fourteen new Queen’s Counsel have been appointed by Her Majesty the Queen on the recommendation of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The new appointees are Jonathan Barne, Advocate; Lynda Brabender, Advocate; Almira Delibegovic-Broome, Advocate; James Findlay, Advocate; Anthony Graham, Advocate; Gavin MacColI, Advocate; Stephen O'Rourke, Advocate; David Parratt, Advocate; Martin Richardson, Advocate; Thomas Ross, Advocate; Michael Stuart, Advocate; David Thomson, Advocate; Gavin Walker, Advocate; and Antony Jones, 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, Heather Baillie, was appointed with the agreement of the Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway and approval from the First Minister. Ms Baillie provided the First Minster with a separate report on her findings which is available here Queen's Counsel Independent Assessor's Report 2017.