Lord Sandison appointed as Chair of the Scottish Law Commission

The Scottish Law Commission is delighted to announce that Lord Sandison has been appointed as Chair of the Scottish Law Commission.  Lord Sandison succeeds Lady Paton who had served as Chair from 1 January 2019 and retired on 31 December 2026.

Lord Sandison became an advocate in 1996 and appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2009. He practised primarily in commercial law for 25 years before his appointment as a Senator of the College of Justice in 2021. Since then, he has presided over a wide range of cases, including serving for the past three years as a judge in the Commercial Court. He has a strong academic background in law, holding, among other qualifications, a doctorate in jurisprudence from the University of Cambridge.

Lady Paton, the former Chair of the Commission said:

"Many congratulation to Lord Sandison on his appointment as Chair of the Scottish Law Commission. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience which will be invaluable to the Commission.  I wish him all the best in his new post.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Neil Gray MSP, today announced the appointment of Lord Sandison as the Chair of the Scottish Law Commission. The Scottish Government’s news release can be seen here.

The appointment will be for five years, running from 5 May 2026 to 4 May 2031. The appointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.  The appointment will mean 50% of Lord Sandison’s time being spent on Commission business and the remainder of his time devoted to judicial functions. He will retain his judicial salary and receive no additional payment for this work. 

The Scottish Law Commission was established under the Law Commissions Act 1965 for the purposes of promoting the reform of the law of Scotland, and reviewing the law with a view to its systematic development and modernisation.

Further details on the Scottish Law Commission can be found on our website.