Scottish appeal judge will join the United Kingdom Supreme Court early next year
The Supreme Court has appointed Lord Doherty as its newest justice. He will take up the position in early 2026 following a judicial career that spans more than a decade on the Scottish bench. The announcement was made by the President of the Supreme Court, Lord Reed, who praised his new colleague as an exceptionally able judge with wide experience of the Scottish legal system.
Lord Doherty has served in the Inner House of the Court of Session since 2020. He first became a judge in Scotland in 2010, following a long career at the bar where he practised mainly in civil law. His work covered commercial disputes, property matters, public law issues and valuation cases. His practice also involved advising and representing clients in a wide range of regulatory and administrative matters.
He studied law at the University of Edinburgh, the University of Oxford and Harvard University. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1984. His early career involved several senior roles at the Scottish bar. Between 1990 and 1997 he served as standing junior counsel to a number of United Kingdom Government departments. He was elected Clerk of the Faculty of Advocates in 1990 and became a Queen’s Counsel in 1997. From 1998 until 2001 he held the post of Advocate depute, where he prosecuted cases on behalf of the Crown.
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Speaking about the appointment, Lord Doherty said that he was thrilled and honoured to join the Supreme Court. He stated that he looked forward to working with his fellow justices and with colleagues at both the Supreme Court and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
During his judicial career, Lord Doherty has sat in several specialist courts and tribunals. His work has included time in the Lands Valuation Appeal Court and the Upper Tribunal in the Tax and Chancery Chamber. He has also served in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. He held the post of Scotland’s principal commercial judge, presiding over complex commercial litigation and procedural matters. More recently he sat on the appeal in the case of Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited against Abrahams before the Privy Council.
Lord Doherty’s appointment means the Supreme Court will gain a justice with experience across multiple jurisdictions and specialised areas. His background in commercial law, valuation cases and public law is expected to contribute to the court’s work at a time when the Supreme Court continues to handle a broad and growing range of domestic and international disputes.
The appointment comes as the Supreme Court continues efforts to improve public understanding of its work. Last week the court announced that it will sit in Glasgow in May next year. The session will form part of a programme intended to increase transparency and accessibility. The court has occasionally sat outside London to allow the public in other parts of the United Kingdom to observe proceedings in person.
The Supreme Court stated that the Glasgow sitting reflects its commitment to being open and visible to the public. Previous visits have been positively received, and the court expects that the Glasgow hearings will provide further opportunities for engagement with legal practitioners, students and interested members of the public.
Lord Doherty will be sworn in during a ceremony early in 2026. Once sworn in, he will join a bench that includes justices from a range of legal backgrounds. The Supreme Court’s role as the final court of appeal for civil cases across the United Kingdom, and for criminal cases from Scotland, means that Lord Doherty will continue to work within the legal system of Scotland while also contributing to decisions with wider constitutional and legal significance.
His appointment marks the latest change in the composition of the highest court in the country, which continues to evolve as new justices are appointed to meet the demands of its workload.