Welcome to the Bench, Lord Summers

 

A QC who served the Faculty in two office-bearer posts has been installed as a Senator of the College of Justice.

Alan Summers took the judicial title of Lord Summers at the ceremony in the First Division courtroom in Parliament House.

Welcoming him to the Bench, Lord Carloway, the Lord President said: “You are the fifth Treasurer of Faculty to be appointed in recent years and follow an interesting, if not diverse, group in Lords Johnston, Hardie and Brailsford as well as myself. Your experience from that office and as Chairman of Faculty Services will prove useful in dealing with the day to day practicalities of work in the Outer House.

“You have degrees from Dundee and Oxford universities and spent some time as a lecturer at Edinburgh. You passed advocate 23 years ago and have had a distinguished career at the civil bar which has encompassed a very wide range of topics from company law, securities, employment, defamation and reparation. Once again, this breadth of experience will stand you in good stead when dealing with cases in the Outer House, as will your work as an ad hoc Advocate Depute for cases in the High Court.

“I am sure that we all wish you and your family well in this new chapter of your legal career.”

Mr Summers was admitted to Faculty in 1994 and took Silk in 2008. He was Special Counsel to the UK Government from 2007, and was Chairman of Faculty Services Ltd from 2008 to 2012, when he became Treasurer.

On his appointment as a judge, he was succeeded as Treasurer by Roddy Dunlop, QC.