Lord Pentland to serve as head of Scotland’s judiciary

First Minister John Swinney has welcomed the appointment of Scotland’s new Lord President by His Majesty the King.

The Rt Hon Lord Pentland will succeed the Rt Hon Lord Carloway when he retires as the head of Scotland’s judiciary on Monday 3 February 2025.

Lord Pentland has been one of Scotland’s Supreme Courts judges since 2008. He has presided over a number of high-profile criminal trials as well as significant civil cases, has been an appeal court judge since 2020, and was previously Solicitor General for Scotland as well as Chair of the Scottish Law Commission.

In line with the statutory process for appointing a Lord President, the First Minister nominated a candidate for appointment by the King based on the advice of an expert selection panel.

The First Minister said:

“Lord Pentland’s contribution to the Scottish legal system over several decades has been exemplary, so it is a great pleasure to offer my congratulations on his appointment as Lord President. I am confident Scotland’s judiciary will benefit greatly from his abilities and experience.

“The Lord President is one of the Great Offices of State in Scotland, making the holder a significant figure in our public life. Such an important appointment requires careful consideration, so I am grateful for the advice I received from the selection panel before nominating Lord Pentland.

“Finally, I thank Lord Carloway for his outstanding leadership over the past nine years and for his own dedicated career of service to the law in Scotland. I know he will work collaboratively with Lord Pentland to deliver a smooth transition and I wish him well as he prepares to leave office.”

Lord Carloway said:

“I very much welcome the appointment of Lord Pentland as the next Lord President. Having presided over a number of high profile criminal and civil cases in recent years, he brings with him the skills and valuable experience required, and I have no doubt the judiciary will thrive under his leadership.

“He is a former solicitor general for Scotland and, more recently, he has been at the forefront of promoting open justice, which included chairing a working group to establish livestreaming of the Inner House. This will be expanded in the near future to the criminal appeal court as part of the innovations to allow courts to become more accessible and transparent.

“I would like to thank the appointment panel for all their work and I anticipate a seamless transition to the new Lord President.”The Society has offered congratulations to the Rt Hon Lord Pentland on his appointment to become the next Lord President.

The Society's President Susan Murray said: “On behalf of the Law Society of Scotland and the solicitor profession which it represents, I offer my sincere congratulations to Lord Pentland as he is appointed to become Scotland’s next Lord President.

“As head of the Judiciary in Scotland, the role of Lord President is prestigious and carries great importance for our legal sector and justice system. Lord Pentland’s experience, skills, and the esteem in which he is held are well reflected in this appointment.

“The Law Society looks forward to working constructively with Lord Pentland, as we have with Lord Carloway during his near decade long tenure as Lord President.”