Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland Working Group: member biographies

Baroness Helena Kennedy QC – chair

Baroness Kennedy QC has previously undertaken judicial reviews, public enquiries and sex discrimination work, and as has extensive experience in the public sector and Scots Law. She led the 2004/05 Inquiry into Sudden Infant Death for the Royal College of Pathologists, currently the Char of the Human Genetics Commission, and Vice President of the Campaign for Homosexual Equity. Baroness Kennedy was awarded a life peerage in 1997.

Dr Chloe Kennedy – member

Senior Lecturer of Criminal Law at Edinburgh University, specialising in Criminal Law and Gender, and Law and Religion.

Susan Kemp – member

Scots lawyer with experience in international criminal and human rights law in Latin America, the United States, Europe and Africa. Commissioner with the Scottish Human Rights Institute Council (2015 to 2021) ad currently a member of the IBA Human Rights Institute Council.

Shelagh McCall QC – member

A leading Scottish criminal practitioner and appointment Queens Counsel in 2015. She as Prosecution Appeals Counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and was a founding commissioner at the Scottish Human Rights Commission. Shelagh is a part time sheriff and member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.

Professor John Devaney – member

Centenary professor of social work at the University of Edinburgh, awarded a fellowship to study work in Norway and Canada with those who are violent and abusive within intimate relationships. Specialist academic in child protections, welfare, domestic abuse and gender based violence.

Emma Ritch – member (up to July 2021)

The working group were deeply saddened by the passing of Emma Ritch. She was Executive Director at Engender, leading on strategic collaboration in the women’s, equalities and human rights sectors. Emma also sat on a range of external working groups, including the First Minister’s Advisory Council on Women and Girls. Her expertise, dedication and kindness will be sorely missed.

Eilidh Dickson – member (from September 2021)

Policy and Parliamentary Manager at Engender where she leads the organisation’s strategic policy engagement and advocacy work. Eilidh has a background in law and public affairs and undertakes policy research including developing materials on issues ranging from women and social security to health and reproductive rights. 

Mona Rishmawi – special advisor

Chief of the Rule of Law, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch in the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Jamie Lipton – special advisor

Principal Procurator Fiscal Depute, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, supporting the Group’s understanding of prosecutorial process of crimes in Scotland.