Robin McEwan, Lord McEwan
Encyclopedia
Robin Gilmour McEwan, Lord McEwan is a Scottish
lawyer and former judge
of the High Court of Justiciary
and Court of Session
, the country's Supreme Courts
.
, Renfrewshire
, to Ian G. McEwan and Mary McEwan. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School
, and the School of Law
of the University of Glasgow
, where he graduated with a First
in Law
. He held the Faulds Fellowship in Law at the University from 1965–1968, having been admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in 1967, and took a Ph.D.
in 1969, entitled The rights and liabilities of the undisclosed principal in the law of agency
.
From 1974-76, McEwan was Standing Junior Counsel to the Department of Energy
, and was appointed Advocate Depute in 1976, serving until 1979. He took silk
in 1981, and became Chairman of the Industrial Tribunals the same year, serving until 1982, when he was appointed Sheriff
of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
, first at Lanark but moving in 1988 to Ayr. He was a member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board from 1989 - 1996.
; the two would later be appointed to the bench in the same year. He has also contributed to the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia.
and High Court of Justiciary
, Scotland's supreme courts, and was appointed a permanent Senator of the College of Justice
in 2000, taking the judicial title, Lord McEwan. He sat in the Outer House
. He retired in 2008, his vacancy being filled by Valerie Stacey, Lady Stacey
.
, Edinburgh. He is an Episopalian
and Chancellor
of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway
. He has been Deputy Chairman of the Boundary Commission for Scotland and a member of the Scottish Civil Courts Review since 2007.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
lawyer and former judge
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...
of the High Court of Justiciary
High Court of Justiciary
The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland.The High Court is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. As a court of first instance, the High Court sits mainly in Parliament House, or in the former Sheriff Court building, in Edinburgh, but also sits from time...
and Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, the country's Supreme Courts
College of Justice
The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies.The constituent bodies of the supreme courts of Scotland are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, and the Accountant of Court's Office...
.
Early life
McEwan was born on 12 December 1943 in PaisleyPaisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, to Ian G. McEwan and Mary McEwan. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School
Paisley Grammar School
Paisley Grammar School, known for a period following 1896 as the Paisley Grammar School and William B. Barbour Academy, is a non-denominational state comprehensive secondary school in Paisley, the largest town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The school was founded in 1576 and was formerly a selective...
, and the School of Law
University of Glasgow School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Glasgow provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Law, and awards the degrees of Bachelor of Laws , Master of Laws , Master of Science , Master of Research and Doctor of Philosophy , the degree of Doctor of Laws...
of the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, where he graduated with a First
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
in Law
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...
. He held the Faulds Fellowship in Law at the University from 1965–1968, having been 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 1967, and took a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1969, entitled The rights and liabilities of the undisclosed principal in the law of agency
Agency (law)
The law of agency is an area of commercial law dealing with a contractual or quasi-contractual, or non-contractual set of relationships when a person, called the agent, is authorized to act on behalf of another to create a legal relationship with a third party...
.
From 1974-76, McEwan was Standing Junior Counsel to the Department of Energy
Department of Energy (United Kingdom)
The Department of Energy was a department of the United Kingdom Government. The Department was established in January 1974, when the responsibility for energy production was transferred away from the Department of Trade and Industry in the wake of the 1973 oil crisis and with the importance of...
, and was appointed Advocate Depute in 1976, serving until 1979. He took silk
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 1981, and became Chairman of the Industrial Tribunals the same year, serving until 1982, when he was appointed Sheriff
Sheriff Court
Sheriff courts provide the local court service in Scotland, with each court serving a sheriff court district within a sheriffdom.Sheriff courts deal with a myriad of legal procedures which include:*Solemn and Summary Criminal cases...
of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
Sheriffdom
A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland.Since 1 January 1975 there have been six sheriffdoms. Previously sheriffdoms were composed of groupings of counties...
, first at Lanark but moving in 1988 to Ayr. He was a member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board from 1989 - 1996.
Publications
In 1980, he published a textbook on Pleading in Court and co-authored A Casebook of Damages in Scotland with Ann PatonAnn Paton, Lady Paton
Ann Paton, is a Scottish lawyer and Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts, sitting in the High Court of Justiciary and the Inner House of the Court of Session...
; the two would later be appointed to the bench in the same year. He has also contributed to the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia.
The Bench
In 1991, McEwan became a temporary judge of the Court of SessionCourt of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
and High Court of Justiciary
High Court of Justiciary
The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland.The High Court is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. As a court of first instance, the High Court sits mainly in Parliament House, or in the former Sheriff Court building, in Edinburgh, but also sits from time...
, Scotland's supreme courts, and was appointed a permanent 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...
in 2000, taking the judicial title, Lord McEwan. He sat in the Outer House
Outer House
The Outer House is one of the two parts of the Scottish Court of Session, which is the supreme civil court in Scotland. It is a court of first instance, although some statutory appeals are remitted to it by the other more senior part, the Inner House...
. He retired in 2008, his vacancy being filled by Valerie Stacey, Lady Stacey
Valerie Stacey, Lady Stacey
Valerie Elizabeth Stacey, Lady Stacey is a Scottish lawyer, and a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts. She was the first woman ever elected Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.-Early life:...
.
Personal life
McEwan married Sheena McIntyre in 1973, with whom he has two daughters. He enjoys golf, and is a member of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and Prestwick Gold Club, and the New ClubNew Club
The New Club, established in 1787, is a private club in the New Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland.The Club originally met in Bayle's Tavern in Shakespeare Square at the east end of Princes Street. It then acquired its own premises in St Andrew's Square before moving to its present site at 86 Princes...
, Edinburgh. He is an Episopalian
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
and Chancellor
Chancellor (ecclesiastical)
Two quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway
Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway
The Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, Lanarkshire , Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and west Stirlingshire . The diocesan centre is St...
. He has been Deputy Chairman of the Boundary Commission for Scotland and a member of the Scottish Civil Courts Review since 2007.