New name added to list of Law Reform Committee luminaries

A key Faculty post, Convenor of the Law Reform Committee, has changed hands due to the General Election.

Joanna Cherry, QC, stood down as Convenor after being selected as a candidate in the election. She has been succeeded by Laura Dunlop, QC.

The importance of the Committee can perhaps be illustrated by the names of some of the previous Convenors - distinguished figures such as Lord Hope of Craighead (later Lord President of the Court of Session and Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court), Lord Hamilton (later Lord President of the Court of Session), James McNeill, QC, (currently a judge of the Channel Islands Courts of Appeal), Malcolm Thomson, QC, (later a Temporary Judge of the Court of Session) and Lord Doherty (later a Court of Session and High Court judge).

The Dean of Faculty, James Wolffe, QC - another past Convenor - said: "The Faculty's Law Reform Committee does a great deal of valuable work. By providing independent and expert comment on law reform initiatives affecting Scotland, the Faculty contributes to the quality of Scotland's laws."

He added: "I would like to thank Joanna Cherry for her outstanding work as Convenor of the Committee. Laura Dunlop was until recently a member of the Scottish Law Commission and has made a significant personal contribution to law reform in Scotland. I am very pleased indeed that she has agreed to succeed Joanna in this important role."

Laura Dunlop commented: "Responding to consultations on proposed law reforms is an important contribution the Faculty can make to the legal system of Scotland. In taking over as Convenor of the committee which oversees this work, I hope to maintain the high standard Joanna has set in her time at the helm. I hope, too, that I will be able to draw on the experience of the law reform process I have gained as a Scottish Law Commissioner for the past five years."

Joanna Cherry said she had greatly enjoyed her time as Convenor, and added: "I am delighted that my successor should be Laura Dunlop, QC. Her reputation goes before her and her experience as a former Scottish Law Commissioner will be invaluable to the Committee."