# David Edward

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**Sir David Alexander Ogilvy Edward** (born 14 November 1934) is a Scottish [lawyer](/source/Lawyer) and [academic](/source/Academic_staff), and former [Judge](/source/Judge) of the [Court of Justice of the European Communities](/source/Court_of_Justice_of_the_European_Communities). Sir David is an Honorary Fellow of University College, Oxford; Honorary Professor of the University of Edinburgh and Fellow of [the Royal Society of Edinburgh](/source/Royal_Society_of_Edinburgh).[1] He is also an Honorary Sheriff of the [Sheriffdom](/source/Sheriffdom) of Tayside, Central and Fife at [Perth, Scotland](/source/Perth,_Scotland).

## Early life and marriage

Born in 1934 at [Perth](/source/Perth,_Scotland), Edward was educated at [Perth Academy](/source/Perth_Academy), [Clifton Hall School](/source/Clifton_Hall_School) and [Sedbergh School](/source/Sedbergh_School). He then went up to read Classics at [University College, Oxford](/source/University_College,_Oxford), taking a break midway to become commissioned in the Royal Navy for [National Service](/source/National_Service) (HMS Hornet, 1956–57), and Law at the [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh). He married Elizabeth McSherry in 1962; they have 2 daughters and 2 sons.

## Early career – advocate and academic

Edward was called to the [Bar](/source/Faculty_of_Advocates) in 1962 and appointed [Queen's Counsel](/source/Queen's_Counsel) in 1974. He subsequently served as Clerk and then Treasurer of the Faculty, and represented the Faculty at the Consultative Committee of the Bars and Law Societies of the European Community,[2] of which he served as President between 1978–80.

He was Salvesen Professor of European Institutions and Director of the Europa Institute at the [School of Law](/source/University_of_Edinburgh_School_of_Law) of the [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh) from 1985 to 1989, during which time he served on three occasions as Specialist Adviser to the [House of Lords](/source/House_of_Lords) [Select Committee](/source/Select_committee_(United_Kingdom)) on the [European Communities](/source/European_Communities).

Edward served as a Director of the [Harris Tweed Authority](/source/Harris_Tweed_Authority) from 1984–89.

## European Court of Justice

In 1989, Edward was appointed one of the inaugural Judges of the newly created European [Court of First Instance](/source/Court_of_First_Instance), and in 1992 was appointed Judge of the [European Court of Justice](/source/European_Court_of_Justice), a position from which he retired in 2004.

"A True European",[3] a collection of essays for Sir David Edward, was published on his retirement, including "Tales from the Tartan Chambers".[4]

## Retirement and later career

Edward sat as a temporary judge of the [Court of Session](/source/Court_of_Session) in Scotland, hearing civil appeals, until 2009. He was promoted Knight Commander of the [Order of St Michael and St George](/source/Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) in 2004, having been appointed Companion of that Order in 1981, and in December 2005 was sworn of the [Privy Council](/source/Privy_Council_of_the_United_Kingdom).[5] He is the Chairman of the [Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland](/source/Carnegie_Trust_for_the_Universities_of_Scotland) and was Chairman of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools from 2005 to 2010.[6]

He is an Honorary Fellow[7] of [University College, Oxford](/source/University_College,_Oxford) and an Honorary [Bencher](/source/Bencher) of [Gray's Inn](/source/Gray's_Inn).[8] He is Professor Emeritus of the [School of Law](/source/University_of_Edinburgh_School_of_Law) of the [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh), and Chairman of its Europa Institute. Elected a Fellow of the [Royal Society of Edinburgh](/source/Royal_Society_of_Edinburgh), in 2005 he received the Society's Royal Gold Medal. In 2011, he was appointed as the Honorary President of the [Scottish Arbitration Centre](/source/Scottish_Arbitration_Centre).[9] Edward is a Member of the Panel of Arbitrators, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes and member of the [Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution](/source/Centre_for_Effective_Dispute_Resolution) Distinguished Panel of Third-Party Neutrals.[10]

Edward was awarded the Distinguished Cross First Class of the [Order of St. Raymond of Peñafort](/source/Order_of_St._Raymond_of_Pe%C3%B1afort) by the newly-restored Kingdom of Spain in 1979, and in 2012 the Republic of France appointed him Officer of the [Legion of Honour](/source/Legion_of_Honour) (Officier de la Légion d'honneur) and Knight (Chevalier) of the [Ordre des Arts et des Lettres](/source/Ordre_des_Arts_et_des_Lettres).[11]

Edward was a member of the [Commission on Scottish Devolution](/source/Commission_on_Scottish_Devolution)[12] chaired by Professor Sir [Kenneth Calman](/source/Kenneth_Calman), [Chancellor](/source/Chancellor_of_the_University_of_Glasgow) of the [University of Glasgow](/source/University_of_Glasgow). He was a member of the UK Commission on a Bill of Rights, 2011–12.[13]

Edward published an influential analysis of the position in [European Union law](/source/European_Union_law) if there were a vote in favour of Scottish independence in the [2014 Scottish independence referendum](/source/2014_Scottish_independence_referendum)[14] as well as an opinion on Scotland's position in the [European Union](/source/European_Union) in a 2013/14 memorial to fellow jurist, [Lord Rodger of Earlsferry](/source/Alan_Rodger,_Baron_Rodger_of_Earlsferry),[15] and a 2014 lecture on the "Constitutional Implications of the Independence Referendum"[16] to the Centre for Global Constitutionalism at the [University of St Andrews](/source/University_of_St_Andrews)..

On 8 March 2013, Sir David delivered the [Europa Institute](/source/Europa-Institut)/[UACES](/source/UACES) Lecture, at the [University of Edinburgh](/source/University_of_Edinburgh), on "The Moral Case for Europe".[17] Since 2016 he has spoken and written about the negative impact of [UK withdrawal from the EU](/source/UK_withdrawal_from_the_EU) on legal standards, [human](/source/Human_rights) and [employment](/source/Labor_rights) rights, and [Scots law](/source/Scots_law).[18][19][20][21][22]

## See also

- [List of members of the European Court of Justice](/source/List_of_members_of_the_European_Court_of_Justice)

## References

1. ["Professor Sir David Alexander Ogilvy Edward KCMG QC PC FRSE - The Royal Society of Edinburgh"](https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/david-edward/). *The Royal Society of Edinburgh*. Retrieved 2017-12-08.

1. [ccbe.eu](https://www.ccbe.eu/404)

1. ["Hart Publishing, Oxford - Good books for lawyers"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215629/http://www.hartpub.co.uk/BookDetails.aspx?ISBN=9781841134475). Archived from [the original](http://www.hartpub.co.uk/BookDetails.aspx?ISBN=9781841134475) on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.

1. Diane Hansen-Ingram. ["Tales From the Tartan Chambers"](http://www.law.du.edu/documents/judge-david-edward-oral-history/tales-from-the-tartan-chambers.pdf). *Law.du.edu*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Number10.gov.uk » Privy Council Appointment of Sir David Edward and Francis Jacobs"](http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page8706). 9 September 2008. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080909080131/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page8706) 9 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Home » SCIS"](https://www.scis.org.uk/). *Scis.org.uk*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["College Fellowship"](https://www.univ.ox.ac.uk/about/college-fellowship/). *Univ.ox.ac.uk*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Honorary Benchers"](https://www.graysinn.org.uk/history/past-members/honorary-benchers). *~ Gray's Inn*. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Honorary President | Scottish Arbitration Centre"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110926183118/http://www.scottisharbitrationcentre.org/index.php/about/honorary-president). Archived from [the original](https://scottisharbitrationcentre.org/about/honorary-president/) on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Sir David Edward KCMG PC QC"](https://web.archive.org/web/20211017063046/https://www.blackstonechambers.com/barristers/sir-david-edward-kcmg-pc-qc/). *Blackstone Chambers*. Archived from [the original](https://www.blackstonechambers.com/barristers/sir-david-edward-kcmg-pc-qc/) on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220336/http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/IMG/pdf/Amba_S_2_17112012.pdf). Archived from [the original](http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/IMG/pdf/Amba_S_2_17112012.pdf) on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.

1. [Commission on Scottish Devolution: Commission Members](http://www.commissiononscottishdevolution.org.uk/about/members/david-edward.php) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090402103426/http://www.commissiononscottishdevolution.org.uk/about/members/david-edward.php) 2 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine

1. ["Commission on a Bill of Rights"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130926003404/http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/cbr). Archived from [the original](http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/cbr) on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["David Edward: Scotland and the European Union > Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum"](https://www.scottishconstitutionalfutures.org/OpinionandAnalysis/ViewBlogPost/tabid/1767/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/852/David-Edward-Scotland-and-the-European-Union.aspx). *Scottishconstitutionalfutures.org*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140514054037/http://scotlandseptember18.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Judge_David_Edwards_views_on_EU_Membership.pdf). Archived from [the original](http://scotlandseptember18.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Judge_David_Edwards_views_on_EU_Membership.pdf) on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.

1. ["Sir David Edward – Centre for Global Constitutionalism"](https://cgc.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/tag/sir-david-edward/). *Cgc.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. Edward, David (8 March 2013). "The Moral Case for Europe". [SSRN 2273308](https://ssrn.com/abstract=2273308)

1. ["'Invincible ignorance' of Theresa May's Brexit-backing ministers condemned by former judge"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-ministers-invincible-ignorance-european-court-sir-david-edward-theresa-may-a7656826.html). *[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)*. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["Ian S Forrester and Sir David Edwards: Brexit will throw Scots law into shadow"](https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/ian-s-forrester-and-sir-david-edwards-brexit-will-throw-scots-law-shadow-576247). *The Scotsman*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["'Talk in the UK is misleading': ex-ECJ judge"](https://www.dw.com/en/talk-in-the-uk-is-misleading-ex-ecj-judge/a-39768691). *Dw.com*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. Evans-Pritchard, Ambrose (11 July 2017). ["Euro-judge warns of unpleasant Brexit surprise from European Court"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/07/11/euro-judge-warns-unpleasant-brexit-surprise-european-court/). *Telegraph.co.uk*. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. ["BBC Radio 4 - Best of Today, What does Brexit mean for the European Court of Justice?"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05cypy6). *BBC*. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

## Further reading

- [EDWARD, Rt Hon. Sir David (Alexander Ogilvy)](http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U14661), *Who's Who 2015*, A & C Black, 2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014
- Butler, Graham & Lazowski, Adam (2022). [*Shaping EU Law the British Way: UK Advocates General at the Court of Justice of the European Union*](https://www.bloomsbury.com/9781509950003). Oxford: Hart Publishing/[Bloomsbury](/source/Bloomsbury_Publishing). ISBN 9781509950003.

## External links

- [Professor Sir David Edward, Edinburgh Law School](http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/staff/96.aspx) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090425134843/http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/staff/96.aspx) 25 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- [University of Denver, Sir David Edward Oral History site](http://www.law.du.edu/david_edward/) - [University of Denver Biography of Sir David Edward](http://law.du.edu/documents/judge-david-edward-oral-history/cv.pdf)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [David Edward](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Edward) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Edward?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.