Profile: Illustrious CV of 'Queen of the Appeal Court'

Margaret "Maggie" Scott has not become known as "Queen of the Appeal Court" without good reason. Since being called to the Bar in 1991, she has forged a reputation as a formidable practitioner in one of the toughest arenas, the Court of Criminal Appeal.

There is a world of difference between appearing as defence counsel at a trial, before lay people, and arguing appeals before legal professionals.

At a trial, some lawyers are able to make up for a lack of legal nous with a theatrical presentation that can be endearing and effective in front of a jury.

However, such tactics cut little ice in the appeal court, where the cream of the country's legal brains look down from the Bench, easily able to spot flaws in a submission or presentation.

The Glasgow ice-cream wars case is one of the many on Ms Scott's CV from the appeal court: she not only won the case, but also had the law rewritten.

It was little surprise, then, that Ms Scott should have been chosen by the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, to fight his corner at his second appeal, thought it never took place following his release on compassionate grounds.