Two new Judicial Commissioners appointed

Two new Judicial Commissioners have been appointed to support the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, Sir Brian Leveson.

Sir Nigel Davis and Lord Menzies will serve for three years. They join the team of existing Judicial Commissioners, responsible for providing independent oversight of the use of investigatory powers.

Sir Brian Leveson said:

“The robust nature of our oversight is crucial to the lawful use of investigatory powers; we can only ensure this with the expertise and experience of senior judges like Sir Nigel Davis and Lord Menzies. I am delighted that they are joining the team and welcome these appointments.”

A Judicial Commissioner is a serving or retired member of the senior judiciary in the UK. Appointments are made by the Prime Minister, having consulted with Scottish Ministers, on the recommendation of the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Lord President of the Court of Session and the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.

Sir Nigel and Lord Menzies will begin their role as Judicial Commissioners on Monday 19 September 2022.

Biographies:

Sir Nigel Davis

Sir Nigel Davis was called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1975. In 1992, he became a Queen’s Counsel. He was appointed a Recorder in 1998 and, the next year, was named a Deputy High Court Judge. In October 2001, he was appointed to the High Court of Justice and assigned to the Queen’s Bench Division. He served as a Presiding Judge for the Wales Circuit from 2006 to 2009 and, in2011, he was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal. He retired from the Court of Appeal with effect from 10 March 2021.

Lord Menzies

Lord Menzies (Duncan Menzies) was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh in 1978. From 1984 to 1991, he was the Standing Junior Counsel to the Admiralty. He took silk in 1991. Between 1996 to 1997 he served as a Temporary Sheriff and, from 1997 to 2001, Chairman of the Scottish Planning, Local Government and Environmental Bar Group. In 1998, he was appointed an Advocate Depute and became Home Advocate Depute in September that year, serving until December 2000. He was appointed to the Inner House of the Court of Session, and sworn of the Privy Council, in 2012. He served as Inner House Administrative Judge, Disciplinary Judge, Vice Chairman of the Scottish Civil Justice Council, and on the Judicial Council for Scotland. He retired as a Senator of the College of Justice in 2021.