Stephen Woolman, Lord Woolman
Encyclopedia
Stephen Errol Woolman, Lord Woolman is a Scottish
legal academic, and a Senator of the College of Justice
, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts
.
George Heriot's School
, Edinburgh
and studied at the School of Law
of the University of Aberdeen
(LL.B. Hons.). He was a Lecturer at the Faculty of Law
of the University of Edinburgh
from 1978 to 1987, serving as Associate Dean from 1981 to 1984, and published the first edition of his work on Contract
in 1987, being admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
the same year.
from 1991 to 1995, to the Procurement Executive
of the Ministry of Defence
from 1991 to 1995, and to the Inland Revenue
from 1996 to 1998. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel
in 1998 and served as Advocate Depute from 1999 to 2002. He was Keeper of the Advocates' Library
and a Trustee of the National Library of Scotland
from 2004 to 2008, and Chairman of the Scottish Council of Law Reporting from 2007 to 2008.
He was appointed Senator of the College of Justice
, a judge of the High Court of Justiciary
and Court of Session
, the Supreme Courts of Scotland, in 2008, as Lord Woolman. He sits in the Outer House
of the Court of Session.
.
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...
legal academic, and 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...
, a judge 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...
.
Early life
Woolman was educated at the independentIndependent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
George Heriot's School
George Heriot's School
George Heriot's School is an independent primary and secondary school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, with around 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff and 80 non-teaching staff. It was established in 1628 as George Heriot's Hospital, by bequest of the royal goldsmith George...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and studied at the School of Law
University of Aberdeen School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Aberdeen dates back to the University's foundation in 1495. Today, it is one of the largest law schools in Scotland, admitting some two hundred and fifty students each year, as well as over forty international exchange students...
of the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
(LL.B. Hons.). He was a Lecturer at the Faculty 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...
from 1978 to 1987, serving as Associate Dean from 1981 to 1984, and published the first edition of his work on Contract
Scots contract law
Scots contract law governs the rules of contract in Scotland.Contract is created by bilateral agreement and should be distinguished from unilateral promise, the latter being recognised as a distinct and enforceable species of obligation in Scots Law. The English requirement for consideration does...
in 1987, being 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...
the same year.
Legal career
Woolman served as Standing Junior Counsel to the Office of Fair TradingOffice of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading is a not-for-profit and non-ministerial government department of the United Kingdom, established by the Fair Trading Act 1973, which enforces both consumer protection and competition law, acting as the UK's economic regulator...
from 1991 to 1995, to the Procurement Executive
MoD Procurement Executive
The MoD Procurement Executive was the acquisition organisation of the Ministry of Defence.The Procurement Executive was established on 2 August 1971 as a single procurement agency for all three services with Derek Rayner as the first Chief of Defence Procurement...
of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
from 1991 to 1995, and to the Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
from 1996 to 1998. He was appointed a 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 1998 and served as Advocate Depute from 1999 to 2002. He was Keeper of the Advocates' Library
Advocates' Library
The Advocates' Library is a law library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, founded in 1682. Until 1925 it was the deposit library for Scotland, after which the role was taken on by the National Library of Scotland....
and a Trustee of the National Library of Scotland
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
from 2004 to 2008, and Chairman of the Scottish Council of Law Reporting from 2007 to 2008.
He was appointed 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...
, a judge 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 Supreme Courts of Scotland, in 2008, as Lord Woolman. He sits 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...
of the Court of Session.
Publications
- Woolman on Contract, 1987 (4rd edn 2010) W. Green & Sons. (ISBN 978 0 414 01647 7)
Personal life
Lord Woolman married Helen Mackinnon in 1977, with whom he has two daughters. 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...
.