Terra Firma Chambers’ Vice-Chairman Ralph Smith QC has been appointed as a full-time Member of the Lands Tribunal for Scotland.

Ralph called to the bar in 1985, taking silk in 1999.  He has been a Deputy Judge to the Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber) since 2012 and is Chairman of the Scottish Planning, Local Government and Environmental Bar Group.  He has previously held appointments as Junior Counsel to the Lord President and Standing Junior Counsel to the Department of Environment.

The appointment to the Lands Tribunal for Scotland was made by the Lord President, Lord Gill, and has effect from 24 March.  The Tribunal has a president, Lord McGhie, and three members with recognised expertise in the fields of law and surveying.  Ralph will join existing members Douglas Gillespie FRICS and Andrew Oswald FRICS.

Chairman of Terra Firma Chambers, J. Gordon Reid QC said:

On behalf of Terra Firma Chambers I congratulate Ralph on his appointment as a full-time member of the Lands Tribunal for Scotland.  He is well versed in all the areas of law over which the Lands Tribunal has jurisdiction; highly skilled in property, planning and valuation law, he is an excellent Advocate who possesses a balanced temperament that is ideally suited to judicial decision making.  Ralph was a founding member of Terra Firma Chambers and has been instrumental in its success. The very talents and skills which have led to his appointment will be sorely missed by both Terra Firma and the practitioners who regularly instruct him in difficult and complex cases.