Lady Poole joins Court of Session bench

Anna Poole QC was installed today as a Senator of the College of Justice, taking the judicial title of Lady Poole.

The new Court of Session and High Court judge, the second to join the bench this week, was sworn in at a ceremony in Parliament House by Lord Carloway, the Lord President.

He commented: "It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the College of Justice to welcome Lady Poole as one of our new senators.

"A graduate of Oxford University, Anna Poole practised first as a solicitor in London and then in Edinburgh before passing advocate in 1998. She developed a busy practice especially in the administrative law field; being standing counsel to the Scottish Government. She became a QC in 2012 and appeared in many of the recent high profile challenges to governmental acts. In 2014, Ms Poole became a part time First-tier Tribunal judge in the Social Entitlement Chamber, and in 2018 became an Upper Tribunal judge in the Administrative Appeals Chamber.

"I am confident that, especially with your skills in administrative law, you will prove to be a major asset to the bench, especially in the expanding field of judicial review. I have no hesitation, therefore, in advertising your forthcoming co-authored book on the subject."

But he did add, to amusement, a reminder in the interests of fairness that other books on the subject were also available at all good bookshops.

Lord Carloway concluded: "We all wish you well in your new career."

Three further appointees will take up their places in the coming months.