Meet Scotland's 10 new sheriffs appointed by the King including dyslexia campaigner and forensic medicine expert

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service has announced the appointment of 10 new sheriffs across Scotland by the King.

The new judicial appointees will serve the Glasgow & Strathkelvin, Grampian, Highland & Islands, Lothian & Borders, South Strathclyde, Dumfries & Galloway, Tayside, Central & Fife and North Strathclyde Sheriffdoms.

His Majesty has appointed Lorrain Glancy, Jonathan Guy, Helen McGinty, Alan Sinclair, Graeme Watson, Chloe Millar, Michael Meehan, David Bernard, Euan Gosney and John McElroy to the office of sheriff, on the recommendation of the First Minister.

First Minister John Swinney made his recommendation for appointment on the basis of a report by the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland is an independent advisory public body with the role of recommending individuals for appointment to judicial offices within the Board’s remit including judge of the Court of Session, chair of the Scottish Land Court, sheriff principal, sheriff, and summary sheriff.

The First Minister has statutory responsibility for making recommendations to His Majesty the King and is required by statute to consult the Lord President of the Court of Session before making his recommendation.

The salary of a sheriff is £167,167 per annum.

Lorraine Glancy KC studied at the University of Strathclyde before training with Ross Harper and Murphy in Glasgow. She joined COPFS in 1990 serving as a Procurator Fiscal Depute and Principal Depute in Glasgow, Stirling and Crown Office. She called to the Bar in 2005, practising principally as a criminal defence counsel, and was appointed King’s Counsel in 2022.  Since 2022 she has served as an Advocate Depute and Senior Advocate Depute before being appointed Assistant Principal Crown Counsel in 2024.

Jonathan Guy graduated from the University of Dundee with an LLB (Hons) Degree in 2000. He obtained a Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Edinburgh in 2001. He trained with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, prior to being appointed as a Procurator Fiscal Depute in 2003.  In 2006, he joined Anderson Strathern LLP and was made a partner in 2013, specialising in commercial litigation, child law and health and safety. He qualified as a Solicitor Advocate in 2017 and was appointed as a Summary Sheriff in 2020.

Helen McGinty graduated with LLB (Hons) from the University of Glasgow, where she also completed the Diploma in Legal Practice. She practised as a solicitor, first as a criminal defence agent, and then as a Partner in a Law Centre.  In 2015, she established her own firm.  Her recent practice has been primarily in the fields of Mental Health and Incapacity law, and Family Law.  Miss McGinty was a legal member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland from its inception, and a legal member of the Social Security Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland. 

Alan Sinclair graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science with Law in 2000 and an LLB in 2001.  He trained with Paull and Williamsons in Aberdeen before moving to MacRoberts in Glasgow and subsequently to HBJ Gateley, where he became a partner in 2014 specialising in commercial litigation.  He has been a partner with Addleshaw Goddard since a merger with HBJ Gateley in 2017.  Alan is an ambassador for Dyslexia Scotland and a trustee for Disabling Barriers Scotland.

Graeme Watson graduated with a BA in law from the University of Cambridge in 1995 and with an LLB from the University of Edinburgh in 1997.  He was granted extended rights of audience (civil) in 2007. He undertook his traineeship at Simpson & Marwick WS (now Clyde & Co. (Scotland) LLP) and became a partner in 2008.  He led their clinical negligence, professional regulation and historic abuse team. 

Chloe Millar graduated from the University of Glasgow with a LLB (Hons) degree, thereafter obtaining a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Glasgow Graduate School of Law.  She joined the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in 2007.  She has prosecuted in courts across Scotland and held a number of senior posts at Crown Office including the Legal Assistant to the Deputy Crown Agent and the Deputy Head of High Court Division.

Michael Meehan KC graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1986.  He worked in private practice and in COPFS and obtained extended criminal rights of audience in 1999.  He called to the Bar in 2003 where he engaged in criminal defence work.  He was an Advocate Depute from 2006 to 2009, and a Senior Advocate Depute from 2017 to 2023.  He took silk in 2019.  He has been a board member of SACRO and president of the Scottish Medico Legal Society.  He has been a member of the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society of Scotland, the Faculty of Advocates Law Reform Committee, the Criminal Court Rules Council and the Scottish Law Commission Homicide Project Advisory Group.

David Bernard graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 2008 with a LLB (Hons) degree, obtaining the Diploma in Legal Practice in 2009.  He joined the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service as a trainee solicitor.  As a prosecutor, he undertook a range of roles across Scotland including within the High Court and Policy teams and then as Assistant Procurator Fiscal in Lothian and Borders, Head of National Initial Case Processing and he was latterly appointed as Sheriffdom Procurator Fiscal for North Strathclyde in September 2024. 

Euan Gosney is a graduate from both the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow.  He trained with George More and Company Solicitors and qualified as a solicitor in 2010.  He was granted rights of audience as a solicitor advocate in 2022.  He was a Director at Thorley Stephenson Solicitors from 2016 before going on to establish CSG Legal in 2023.  He was appointed as a Legally Qualified Chair of the Scottish Social Services Council Fitness to Practise Panel and was appointed to the UK Athletics Disciplinary and Appeals Tribunal.  In 2022, he was appointed as Law Society Member of the Scottish Legal Aid Board Quality Assurance Committee.  He has been a tutor of Criminal Court Practice for the Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Edinburgh since 2021.

John McElroy KC obtained an LLB and Dip.LP, from Strathclyde University and completed his traineeship at Drummond and Co., Edinburgh.  In 1989 he began to practise criminal law in Paisley. He was a founding partner of McCusker McElroy and Gallanagh, Solicitors, Paisley.  He became a Solicitor Advocate (criminal) in 2000 and was awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Medical Sciences in 2003.  In 2013 he was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates and appointed King’s Counsel in 2022.  He has practised as a full time Advocate Depute since October 2021 and as a Senior Advocate Depute since October 2022.