Warm welcome for ‘trailblazing’ new sheriff

LERWICK’s new sheriff Jennifer Gear says she is “ecstatic and honoured” to take up the appointment.

Shetland’s first female sheriff was speaking at a welcome event at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Tuesday morning.

It comes as the Shetland-based sheriff prepares to sit on the bench for the first time tomorrow (Wednesday).

Tuesday’s event was attended by invited guests and her family, with Gear calling it a “special occasion”.

Sheriff Gear was previously a partner at law firm Harper Macleod, with a specialism in family law, while she also worked in education and social work law at Shetland Islands Council.

During the event Sheriff Gear was described by procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie as a “bit of trailblazer”.

He told the court that she is the first female sheriff in Lerwick, and the first resident of Shetland to have taken up the post in modern times.

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Mackenzie remarked on how he will now have to remember to change the oft-used phrase “my lord” to “my lady” – and joked that he might have to try to “bank some apologies” in advance in case he slips up.

On a more serious note, he said Sheriff Gear taking up post was a “significant appointment” and welcomed her to the role.

Kathryn Gordon – partner at law firm Anderson and Goodlad – spoke on behalf of the Shetland civil bar, telling Sheriff Gear that her appointment was an “incredible achievement”.

Sheriff Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands Andrew Miller was also in attendance.

He said Sheriff Gear’s knowledge of the local community will be a “great advantage” both to her but also to Shetland.

The Sheriff Principal hailed her professional experience and added: “I have complete confidence Sheriff Gear will be equal to all the new challenges of the role.”

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Following completion of an LLB at the University of Glasgow in 2006 and a diploma in legal practice at the University of Dundee in 2007, Sheriff Gear commenced a traineeship in Edinburgh in 2008 with Morton Fraser, undertaking seats in corporate, private client, litigation and family law.

On qualifying in 2010, Sheriff Gear took up an NQ post at Miller Hendry in Perth, as part of their family law team.

Moving to a high street firm is said to have provided “invaluable experience”, and she was involved in a significant portion of legal aid cases, with court work across Tayside, Central and Fife.

After three years in Perth, Sheriff Gear joined Thorley Stephenson, a specialised family law firm in Edinburgh, undertaking family, child law and legal aid work in the Sheriff Court and Court of Session.

Having spent a number of years visiting Shetland, she relocated in 2014, joining Harper Macleod in Lerwick in 2016 and continued to work in family and child law.

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In 2021 she became an accredited specialist in family law and was promoted to partner at Harper Macleod in 2022.

Sheriff Gear later moved into a more child-focused practice, serving as a member of the National Safeguarders Panel and acting as a child welfare reporter, representing and promoting children’s best interests in court and children’s hearing proceedings across the Highlands and Islands.

In 2024, Sheriff Gear took up employment in the public sector as a solicitor at Shetland Islands Council, advising on matters relating to education, children’s services and adult social care.

The appointment after Sheriff Ian Cruickshank departed from the role last year, although he has been on the bench on occasion since then as cover.