Neil Davidson, Baron Davidson of Glen Clova
Encyclopedia
Neil Forbes Davidson, Baron Davidson of Glen Clova, QC
(born 13 September 1950) is a Scottish
lawyer
and former Advocate General for Scotland
.
(BA
), the University of Bradford
(MSc
) and the University of Edinburgh
(LLB
, LLM
), and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in 1979. His private practice is in commercial and administrative law.
in 1979, and appointed Standing Junior Counsel to the Registrar General
in 1982, and the Department of Health and Social Security
in 1988. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales at the Inner Temple
in 1990, and appointed Queen's Counsel
in Scotland in 1993. From 1993 to 2000, he was a Director of City Disputes Panel, a private dispute resolution service, and on 24 February 2000 was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland
, which office he held until November 2001. He is a member of 11 King's Bench Walk Chambers
, founded by former Lord Chancellor
Lord Irvine of Lairg
.
On 21 March 2006, it was announced that the Prime Minister
, Tony Blair
, had appointed him to the office of Advocate General for Scotland
, which had been vacant since the resignation of Lynda Clark, Baroness Clark of Calton
on 18 January that year to take up office as a Senator of the College of Justice
. He was created a life peer
, as Baron Davidson of Glen Clova, of Glen Clova in Angus
, on 22 March, and sits on the Labour
benches. Following Labour's defeat in the 2010 general election, Davidson was succeeded in the post by Liberal Democrat Jim Wallace, former Deputy First Minister of Scotland
.
Davidson is the co-author of Judicial Review in Scotland (1986). He was the International Commission of Jurists
' chef de mission to Egypt on sequestration of the Egyptian Bar in 1998. He was the convener of the Human Rights Committee of the Faculty of Advocates
.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 13 September 1950) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and former Advocate General for Scotland
Advocate General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Advocate General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, whose duty it is to advise the Crown and UK Government on Scots law...
.
Background
Davidson was born to John and Flora Davidson, and was educated at the University of StirlingUniversity of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
(BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
), the University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
(MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
) and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
, LLM
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
), and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1979. His private practice is in commercial and administrative law.
Career
Davidson was admitted to the Faculty of AdvocatesFaculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1979, and appointed Standing Junior Counsel to the Registrar General
General Register Office for Scotland
The General Register Office for Scotland was a non-ministerial directorate of the Scottish Government that administered the registration of births, deaths, marriages, divorces and adoptions in Scotland. It was also responsible for the statutes relating to the formalities of marriage and conduct...
in 1982, and the Department of Health and Social Security
Department of Health and Social Security
The Department of Health and Social Security was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services.-History:...
in 1988. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1990, and appointed Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in Scotland in 1993. From 1993 to 2000, he was a Director of City Disputes Panel, a private dispute resolution service, and on 24 February 2000 was appointed Solicitor General for Scotland
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
, which office he held until November 2001. He is a member of 11 King's Bench Walk Chambers
11 King's Bench Walk Chambers
11 King's Bench Walk Chambers is a barristers' Chambers founded by Alexander Irvine QC.The chambers specialises in employment law, public and administrative law and commercial law. The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair was a junior tenant on its foundation in 1981 and appointed its founder, Derry...
, founded by former Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
Lord Irvine of Lairg
Derry Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg
Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg, PC, QC , known as Derry Irvine, is a British lawyer and political figure who served as Lord Chancellor under his former pupil barrister Tony Blair....
.
On 21 March 2006, it was announced that the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, had appointed him to the office of Advocate General for Scotland
Advocate General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Advocate General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, whose duty it is to advise the Crown and UK Government on Scots law...
, which had been vacant since the resignation of Lynda Clark, Baroness Clark of Calton
Lynda Clark, Baroness Clark of Calton
Lynda Margaret Clark, Baroness Clark of Calton, QC is a Scottish judge. She was formerly the Labour Member of Parliament for Edinburgh Pentlands...
on 18 January that year to take up office as a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
. He was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
, as Baron Davidson of Glen Clova, of Glen Clova in Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, on 22 March, and sits on the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
benches. Following Labour's defeat in the 2010 general election, Davidson was succeeded in the post by Liberal Democrat Jim Wallace, former Deputy First Minister of Scotland
Deputy First Minister of Scotland
The Deputy First Minister of Scotland is the deputy to the First Minister of Scotland.The post is not recognised in statute , and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Scottish Government...
.
Davidson is the co-author of Judicial Review in Scotland (1986). He was the International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
' chef de mission to Egypt on sequestration of the Egyptian Bar in 1998. He was the convener of the Human Rights Committee of the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
.