Introduction to the Inquiry Team

Lord Brailsford, Chair to the Inquiry.

Chair

Lord Brailsford has been Chair of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry since 28 October 2022. 

Lord Brailsford was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Courts in 2006.

He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1981 and took Silk in 1994. His private practice was almost entirely in the civil courts. He was an Advocate Depute in 1999-2000. In 2000 he was elected Treasurer of the Faculty of Advocates, a post he held until his elevation to the bench of the Court of Session.

Between 2003-2006 he was part-time Chairman of the Discipline Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He served as a member of the Court of the University of Stirling between 2003-2006.

In February 2006 he was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland. He was appointed by the Lord President to be the judge in a family court within the Court of Session in 2012 and fulfilled that role until October 2022. Between 2013 – 2016 he was chair of the Family Law Committee of the Civil Justice Council and a member of the International Hague Network of Judges between 2012 – 2022.

Secretariat

Ian Duddy

Chief Executive and Secretary

Ian Duddy was appointed Chief Executive and Secretary to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry in July 2023. He is responsible and accountable for the overall administration and management of the Inquiry.

Before joining the Inquiry, Ian was Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and has more than 20 years’ experience in leadership, advocacy and human rights, having worked in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Ian served as a senior diplomat, UK Ambassador, and led the Human Rights and Rule of Law Department, working on issues including war crimes, international justice, religious freedom and modern slavery.

During his diplomatic career, his overseas postings included Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and leading the UK Team at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Before joining the diplomatic service, Ian worked in the financial services sector and as an English language teacher in Japan.  

Claire Soper, stands in front of a plain background.

Policy and Engagement Director and Deputy Secretary

Claire Soper is Policy and Engagement Director and Deputy Secretary to the Inquiry. She is responsible for the development and implementation of policy and external engagement.

Claire worked in local government before moving to the independent Mortonhall Baby Ashes Investigation and then the National Infant Cremation Investigation. Before joining the Inquiry she worked on the development and implementation of a statutory redress scheme for survivors of historical child abuse in care in Scotland.

Laura Gill, Operations Director and Deputy Secretary

Operations Director and Deputy Secretary

Laura J Gill MBE is the Operations Director and Deputy Secretary to the Inquiry. She is responsible for three teams: document and evidence management, hearings and witnesses, and programme and shared services. 

Laura joined the Inquiry from the UK Civil Service, where, for the last two years, she led the response to fraud in COVID-19 support and affordable energy schemes, amongst others. More recently, Laura set up the UK Government’s first Counter Fraud Shared Service. Before that, she spent more than 25 years in law enforcement, starting out with HM Customs and Excise, later being part of the team that helped establish the Serious Organised Crime Agency, before moving into the National Crime Agency. 

Laura has worked extensively leading investigations and intelligence operations against serious and organised crime both in the UK and internationally. She has also worked in Corporate Services and in a number of large transformation programmes within law enforcement.

Pauline Reid, Solicitor to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry

Solicitor to the Inquiry

Pauline Reid was appointed Solicitor to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry in January 2024. She leads the legal team providing advice and support across a range of Inquiry workstreams and functions.

Pauline has more than 25 years’ experience in both public and criminal law. She was a member of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for 15 years, working across a range of subject areas including serious and organised crime and the investigation of deaths. Between 2005 and 2009, Pauline was the Deputy Solicitor to the Billy Wright Inquiry (BWI) and was thereafter Solicitor to that Inquiry until its conclusion. Both before and after her tenure at the BWI, Pauline was a member of the Government Legal Service for Scotland, providing legal advice across a diverse range of subject areas and legal issues.

Counsel to the Inquiry

The Inquiry has also appointed Counsel to the Inquiry with a range of expertise.

Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen, Co-Lead Counsel to the Inquiry, stands in front of a brick wall.

Co-Lead Counsel to the Inquiry

Laura-Anne van der Westhuizen KC was appointed as Co-Lead Counsel to the Inquiry in March 2022. She called to the Bar in 2009 and took silk in 2021.

Laura-Anne has a broad civil practice, with particular emphasis on commercial law, planning and environmental law and public law. She has represented core participants in a number of prominent public inquiries, including the Penrose Inquiry and the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry.

Laura-Anne was on the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s panel of counsel from 2015 to 2023 and was on the Scottish Government’s panel of standing junior counsel from 2015 to 2021.

Stuart Gale KC, Co-Lead Counsel to the Inquiry.

Co-Lead Counsel to the Inquiry

Stuart was called to the Bar in 1980 and took Silk in 1993. He specialises in public and administrative law, with considerable experience of public inquiries. He acted in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry for the organisation representing those who were abused in Quarriers Homes, and he has also lectured in Scotland and the Isle of Man on the form and practice of public inquiries, with particular reference to the Inquiries Act 2005.

 

Alan Caskie, Junior Counsel to the Inquiry, stands in front of a white door.

Senior Counsel to the Inquiry

Alan Caskie KC is Senior Counsel to the Inquiry and took silk in 2023. He has been an advocate since 2006 and, before that, a solicitor working in Glasgow and London. He is ranked as a leading senior counsel in the fields of immigration and asylum and public law.

Alan brings to the Inquiry his experience of cases before the Court of Session and in the Tribunal system, where he has been a Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) for over 20 years. More than 200 of his cases have led to published decisions. He is a highly experienced litigator.

David Turner

Junior Counsel to the Inquiry

David Turner is Junior Counsel to the Inquiry. He has been an advocate since 2012 and before that a solicitor at a national law firm. He is ranked as a leading junior counsel in a number of fields including company law, property, commercial dispute resolution and private client.

David brings to the Inquiry his wide experience of cases involving individuals and businesses, and his degree in mathematics. As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators he also has a keen interest in alternative dispute resolution.

Mary Ellen Stewart, Junior Counsel to the Inquiry, stands in front of rows of books.

Junior Counsel to the Inquiry

Mary Ellen is Junior Counsel to the Inquiry. She was called to the Bar in 2021, and before that was a solicitor at a large commercial law firm. She has experience of public inquiries, having acted for a core participant in the Infected Blood Inquiry. In respect of litigation and tribunal work, Mary Ellen has particular expertise in the areas of professional regulation, clinical negligence and personal injury.

Mary Ellen also brings to the Inquiry her experience of working in education. Before becoming a solicitor, she worked as a secondary school teacher, and had roles at Scottish Qualifications Authority, Education Scotland and BBC learning.

Faryma Bahrami, Junior Counsel to the Inquiry, stands in front of a white door.

Junior Counsel to the Inquiry

Faryma is Junior Counsel to the Inquiry. After completing her traineeship Faryma accepted a position as assistant public solicitor on the British Overseas Territory of St Helena where she practised both civil and criminal law. Faryma represented citizens in both the St Helena Magistrates Court and St Helena Supreme Court, against the St Helena Government.

Faryma called to the Bar in 2015 and over the course of her career has gained experience in a range of areas. Her particular interests include public law, contract, intellectual property and unjustified enrichment. Following a few years of practice, Faryma took a break from legal practice to gain experience of the financial industry, including the pensions industry, the workings of listed companies, financial regulations (including MiFID II) and taxation.