The Right Honourable
Lord Woolman
Official portrait in 2008
Senator of the College of Justice
In office
March 2008 – May 2023
Nominated byAlex Salmond
As First Minister
Appointed byElizabeth II
Preceded byLord Philip
President of the Scottish Tribunals
In office
August 2020 – 30 April 2023
Appointed by Lord Carloway
As Lord President
Preceded byLady Smith
Personal details
Born
Stephen Errol Woolman

(1953-05-16) 16 May 1953 (age 70)
ResidenceEdinburgh
Alma materUniversity of Aberdeen
ProfessionAdvocate

Stephen Errol Woolman, Lord Woolman, PC[1] (born 16 May 1953),[2] is a Scottish legal academic, and a retired Senator of the College of Justice.

Early life

Woolman was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh[3] and studied law at the University of Aberdeen. He was a lecturer in the Faculty of Law of the University of Edinburgh from 1978 to 1987, serving as Associate Dean from 1981 to 1984. He published the first edition of his work on Contract in 1987, being admitted to the Faculty of Advocates the same year.[4][5]

Legal career

Woolman served as Standing Junior Counsel to the Office of Fair Trading (1991 to 1995), the Procurement Executive of the Ministry of Defence (1991 to 1995), and the Inland Revenue (1996 to 1998). He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1998[6] and served as Advocate Depute from 1999 to 2002. He was keeper of the Advocates' Library and a trustee of the National Library of Scotland from 2004 to 2008, and chairman of the Scottish Council of Law Reporting from 2007 to 2008.

He was appointed Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the High Court of Justiciary and Court of Session, the Supreme Courts of Scotland, in 2008, as Lord Woolman. He sat in the Inner House of the Court of Session.[4][5] He also served as President of the Scottish Tribunals, replaced by Lady Wise.[7] He was formerly deputy chairman of the Boundary Commission for Scotland (2009 - 2015).

He holds an honorary LLD from the University of Aberdeen[8] and was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2022.[9] He retired in May 2023.[10]

Publications

Personal life

Lord Woolman married Helen Mackinnon in 1977, with whom he has two daughters.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Privy Council appointment: 20 August 2020". GOV.UK. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Birthday's today". The Telegraph. 16 May 2013. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014. Lord Woolman, a Senator of the College of Justice, 60
  3. ^ Hutcheon, Paul (12 October 2008). "Male, white, middle-class, privately educated, Edinburgh resident". The Sunday Herald. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  4. ^ a b "Biographies - The Hon Lord Matthews". Scottish Court Service. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  5. ^ a b "New judge appointed". Scottish Executive. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  6. ^ "Eight new QC's appointed". Scottish Executive. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  7. ^ "New President of the Scottish Tribunals". Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Honorary Graduates | Students | the University of Aberdeen".
  9. ^ "Lord Stephen Woolman".
  10. ^ "New President of the Scottish Tribunals".
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