Ronald Mackay, Lord Eassie
Encyclopedia
Ronald David Mackay, Lord Eassie (born: 1945) is a Scottish
lawyer and judge
of the country's Supreme Courts
, sitting in the Inner House
of the Court of Session
.
in Duns
, Scotland
, and studied at the University of St Andrews
(M.A. Hons.
) and the School of Law
of the University of Edinburgh
(LL.B.).
(the Scottish Bar) in 1972. From 1979 to 1982, he worked in Luxembourg
for the Court of Justice of the European Communities. Mackay was appointed Queen's Counsel
in 1986, serving as a prosecutor in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
until 1990.
In 1997, Mackay was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice
and assumed the judicial title of Lord Eassie. On July 15, 2002, Lord Eassie succeeded Lord Gill as chairman of the Scottish Law Commission
. He was a reappointed to a second three-yer term in August 2005.
Lord Eassie resigned his position on the Law Commission in order to serve on the Inner House
of the Court of Session
. He was appointed to the Privy Council on 19 October 2006.
.
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 and 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 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...
, sitting in the Inner House
Inner House
The Inner House is the senior part of the Court of Session, the supreme civil court in Scotland; the Outer House forms the junior part of the Court of Session. It is a court of appeal and a court of first instance...
of the 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....
.
Education
Mackay was educated at Berwickshire High SchoolBerwickshire High School
Berwickshire High School is a six year comprehensive school located west of the town of Duns, Scotland.-History:It was first opened in 1896, by Walter John Mabbott, who was the first Rector of the school...
in Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
, Scotland
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...
, and studied at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
(M.A. Hons.
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
) and the School of Law
University of Edinburgh School of Law
The University of Edinburgh School of Law, founded in 1707, is a school within the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, dedicated to research and teaching in law. Known today as Edinburgh Law School, it is located in the historic Old College, the original site of the University...
of 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...
(LL.B.).
Career
Mackay 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...
(the Scottish Bar) in 1972. From 1979 to 1982, he worked in Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
for the Court of Justice of the European Communities. Mackay was 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 1986, serving as a prosecutor in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service provides the independent public prosecution service for Scotland, and is a Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government. The department is headed by Her Majesty's Lord Advocate, who under the Scottish legal system is responsible for prosecution,...
until 1990.
In 1997, Mackay was appointed 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...
and assumed the judicial title of Lord Eassie. On July 15, 2002, Lord Eassie succeeded Lord Gill as chairman of the Scottish Law Commission
Scottish Law Commission
The Scottish Law Commission is Scottish advisory public body established by Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1965 to keep the law of Scotland under review and recommend necessary reforms to improve, simplify and update Scots law. It plays a leading role in developing the law for the people of...
. He was a reappointed to a second three-yer term in August 2005.
Lord Eassie resigned his position on the Law Commission in order to serve on the Inner House
Inner House
The Inner House is the senior part of the Court of Session, the supreme civil court in Scotland; the Outer House forms the junior part of the Court of Session. It is a court of appeal and a court of first instance...
of the 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....
. He was appointed to the Privy Council on 19 October 2006.
Selected publications
- Discussion paper on rape and other sexual Offences, Scottish Law Commission Discussion Paper, Stationery Office, ISBN 0108881806
- Discussion Paper On Land Registration Void And Voidable Titles, Scottish Law Commission Discussion Paper, Stationery Office, February 16, 2004, ISBN 0108881326
- Report On Registration Of Rights In Security By Companies, Scottish Law Commission Report #197, Stationery Office, September 8, 2004, ISBN 0102926298
Personal life
In 1988, he married Annette Frenkel, with whom he has one son, Colin. He is a member of 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...
.
External links
- Lord Eassie case reports, a listing of written opinions 2008/2009 for Lord Eassie