30 August 2016, Abu Dhabi, UAE: Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the international financial centre in Abu Dhabi, today announced the appointment of The Honourable Lord McGhie as a Judge to Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts (ADGM Courts).

Lord McGhie will preside over cases in the Small Claims Division of the Court of First Instance. Utilising his extensive expertise and experience in modernising court procedures and enhancing litigants’ access to all forms of dispute resolution, Lord McGhie will ensure that cases before the Small Claims Division are dealt with fairly, efficiently and economically and in accordance with the streamlined and simplified procedures that apply in that Division. Lord McGhie will also have the support and assistance of innovative technology to implement ADGM Courts’ policy of maximum use of electronic services for all cases, including for case management conferences and, where appropriate, trials.

Commenting on the appointment, His Excellency Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Chairman of ADGM, said: “The appointment of Lord McGhie to ADGM Courts has again strengthened ADGM’s judicial capacity. The Chief Justice and Judges of ADGM Courts bring with them vast experience and expertise to the resolution of civil and commercial disputes, thus reaffirming ADGM’s commitment to instituting a world class and robust legal framework for the many organisations that are establishing a business presence in our international financial centre.”

The Right Honourable Lord David Hope, Chief Justice of Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts, commented: “Lord McGhie’s appointment is a very welcome development for ADGM Courts. His experience and background, particularly in reforming court procedures and assisting self-represented litigants and solicitor advocates in understanding dispute resolution before a court, will serve the needs of the community well and again demonstrates our commitment to providing a service for the resolution of disputes that is of the highest quality.”

Brief Biography of The Honourable Lord McGhie:

The Honourable Lord McGhie was appointed to the joint posts of Chairman of the Scottish Land Court and President of the Land Tribunal for Scotland in 1996, where he remained until his retirement in 2012. Since 2012, he has been sitting as a part-time judge in the Inner House of the Court of Session – the Scottish civil appeal court. Lord McGhie has always had an interest in the techniques of litigation. In recent times, he has run advocacy training courses for solicitors and acted as an assessor for the Law Society of Scotland in relation to solicitor-advocates. He has also been an instructor or facilitator on judicial training courses. In the Land Court, he took a lead in modernising the court, completely re-writing the rules of court, and providing a guide to the rules and a glossary of terminology designed to assist self-represented litigants.