Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Scottish Law Commission

15/03/2005

The Minister for Justice today announced the reappointment of two members of the Scottish Law Commission.

The reappointed members are Professor Gerry Maher QC and Professor Joe Thomson.

was first appointed to the Scottish Law Commission in February 2000. He has held academic posts at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities, and is currently Professor of Criminal Law at Edinburgh University. His main research interests are criminal justice, international private law, legal process and diligence (execution of judgements).

Professor Joe Thomson was also first appointed to the Scottish Law Commission in February 2000. He has held academic posts at the Universities of Birmingham, King's College London, and Strathclyde. He is currently Regius Professor of Law at the University of Glasgow. He is the author of text books on family law, delict and contract, and his main research interest is in the field of Scots private law.

Professor Maher's reappointment will run from 6 February 2005 to 31 August 2008, while Professor Thomson's will run from 31 January 2005 to 30 January 2010.

Both posts are full-time and attract a remuneration of £95,064.00 for a time commitment of 5 days per week.

Neither Professor Maher nor Professor Thomson holds any other public appointments.

The Scottish Law Commission, along with its counterpart for England and Wales, was set up by the Law Commissions Act 1965. Its function is to recommend reforms to improve, simplify and update the law of Scotland.

These Ministerial public appointments were made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.

Professor Maher and Professor Thomson declared no political activity within the last 5 years.