Morag Wise, Lady Wise

{{short description|Scottish judge}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable

| name = Lady Wise

| honorific-suffix = PC

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| office = Senator of the College of Justice

| term_start = 2013

| term_end =

| nominator = Alex Salmond
As First Minister

| appointer = Elizabeth II

| office2 = President of the Scottish Tribunals

| term_start2 = 1 May 2023

| term_end2 =

| nominator2 =

| appointer2 = Lord Carloway
As Lord President

| predecessor2 = Lord Woolman

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|01|22|df=y}}{{cite web | url=https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-results?search_type=people&dl_cat=statutory&dl_rec=statutory-births&surname=wise&surname_so=exact&forename=morag&forename_so=exact&record_type=stat_births | title=Search results }}

| birth_place = Scotland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| restingplace =

| birthname =

| spouse =

| children =

| residence =

| alma_mater = University of Aberdeen
McGill University

| profession = Advocate

| religion =

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| website = [http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk Judiciary of Scotland]

| footnotes =

}}

Morag Barbara Wise, Lady Wise, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|PC|}} (born 22 January 1963) is the President of the Scottish Tribunals and a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the Scotland's Supreme Courts.

Early life and education

Wise was born on 11 January 1963 to Barbara (née Gillies) and Leslie James Wise.{{Citation |title=Wise, Hon. Lady, (Morag Barbara Wise) (born 22 Jan. 1963) |date=2007-12-01 |work=Who's Who |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-59868 |access-date=2024-03-03 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u59868|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 }}

She studied law at the University of Aberdeen graduating in 1985 with an LLB with first class honours, followed in 1986 with a Diploma in Legal Practice. In 1995, she received her LL.M. from McGill University, Montreal.{{cite web |url=http://www.advocates.org.uk/stables/advocates/00000530.html |title=Morag B. Wise, Q.C. |publisher=Faculty of Advocates |accessdate=9 February 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402191816/http://www.advocates.org.uk/stables/advocates/00000530.html |url-status=dead |archivedate=2 April 2012}}

Legal career

Wise became a solicitor in 1989 and joined Morton Fraser LLP. In 1993, she was called to the bar, joining Westwater Advocates, and specialised in family law. Wise became a Queen's Counsel in 2005, and was appointed a Temporary Judge of the Court of Session in 2008. On 6 February 2013, she was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice, taking the judicial title Lady Wise.[http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/rolls/supreme/lists/r130131_108.htm Roll of the Court of Session for 31 January 2013].

In 2005, Wise became a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Faculty of Advocates{{cite web |url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2013/01/senators |title=College of Justice |publisher=Scottish Government |date=22 January 2013 |accessdate=9 February 2013}} She became chair of the Advocates' Family Law Association in 2007, having served as vice chair since 2000.{{cite web |url=http://www.chambersandpartners.com/uk-bar/Firms/99999999-73388/211628 |title=Morag Wise QC |publisher=Chambers and Partners |accessdate=9 February 2013 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130407215929/http://www.chambersandpartners.com/uk-bar/Firms/99999999-73388/211628 |url-status=dead |archivedate=7 April 2013}}

On 7 December 2021, it was announced that Wise had been appointed to the Inner House of the Court of Session with effect from 5 January 2022.{{cite web |url=https://judiciary.scot/home/media-information/media-hub-news/2021/12/07/three-judges-appointed-to-the-inner-house |title=Three Judges appointed to the Inner House |publisher=Judiciary of Scotland |date=7 December 2021 |accessdate=7 December 2021}} She was sworn of Her Majesty's Privy Council on 12 April 2022 allowing her the honorific The Right Honourable.{{cite web |url=https://www.royal.uk/court-circular?text=Lady+wise&mrf=&date%5Bmin%5D%5Bdate%5D=15%2F04%2F2021&date%5Bmax%5D%5Bdate%5D=15%2F04%2F2022&id= |title=Court Circular 12 April 2022 |website=The Royal Family |date=12 April 2022}}

On 5 April 2023, she was appointed President of Scottish Tribunals, succeeding Lord Woolman.{{Cite web |title=New President of the Scottish Tribunals |url=https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/about-the-scottish-court-service/scs-news/2023/04/05/new-president-of-the-scottish-tribunals |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=scotcourts.gov.uk}}

Publications and honours

Wise has contributed to several editions of the legal works The Law of Scotland by Gloag and Henderson and A Practical Guide to Human Rights Law in Scotland edited by Lord Reed.

In 2015, Wise received an Honorary LLD from the University of Aberdeen.

Personal life

In 1994, Wise married Alastair McEwan with whom she has two daughters and one son.

References