Appointment of King's Counsel in Scotland 2025

Nominations

The Lord Justice General is nominating nine advocates and two solicitor advocates. The overall success rate of 39% is below the success rate last year, when 18 of 32 applicants (56%) were recommended. In 2023, 15 of 25 applicants (60%) were nominated and in 2022 it was 64%.

Of the seven applicants who applied in 2024, five are being nominated; and of the two further applicants I am aware have applied previously, one is being nominated.

Of the seven female advocates who applied, five are being nominated (71%) and of the sixteen male advocates who applied four are being nominated (25%). Of course, these percentages are based on small numbers and there are many factors which can influence success rates. As noted earlier, there were no female solicitor advocate applicants this year.

Figures collated in the office of the Lord Justice General show that over the most recent ten-year period, including this year’s round, the average success rate amongst members of the Faculty of Advocates has been 56% for female applicants and 47% for male applicants.

From the latest Faculty of Advocate numbers (2024), of 135 practising King's Counsel 31 are female (23%). The percentage of practising advocates that are female is 29%. Based on the information available for this year’s round and taking account of figures from recent rounds, I am satisfied that there is no obvious bias for or against male or female applicants. There is insufficient information for conclusions to be drawn in relation to other protected characteristics.

Written feedback is provided by the Lord Justice General to all unsuccessful applicants. This is intended to be constructive for any applicant who may wish to apply again.

The Lord Justice General consults with the Dean of the Faculty, the President of the Law Society and the Lord Advocate before submitting his nominations to the First Minister. This principally is to ensure that no issues relating to the professional conduct of the nominees have been missed in the assessment process. No such issues were raised.