Sheriff Principal Stephen appointed Queen's Counsel

Sheriff Principal Mhairi M Stephen of Lothian & Borders has been appointed a Queen’s Counsel, it was confirmed today.

The appointment was made by the Queen on the recommendation of former First Minister Alex Salmond, following a nomination by the Lord Justice General, Lord Gill.

Sheriff Principal Stephen has held her present office since May 2011. Formerly a practising solicitor, she was appointed a temporary sheriff in 1995 and became a resident sheriff in Edinburgh in 2000. She was a member of the board of the Scottish Civil Courts Review (the Gill review) from 2007-2009. She will be President of the new Sheriff Appeal Court, which is expected to come into operation later this year.