Education
Macdonald was educated at Street Mungo"s Academy, a Roman Catholic state school in Glasgow, and at the University of Glasgow Faculty of Law. (Bachelor of Laws Honours).
Macdonald was educated at Street Mungo"s Academy, a Roman Catholic state school in Glasgow, and at the University of Glasgow Faculty of Law. (Bachelor of Laws Honours).
He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1975. Macdonald served as an Advocate Depute from 1987 to 1993, from 1990 as Home Advocate Depute. He was appointed Queen"s Counsel in 1989.
He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1997 (Inner Temple).
He was appointed a Temporary Judge in 2001, and in 2006 was appointed a full-time judge of the Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary, Scotland"s Supreme Courts, as a Senator of the College of Justice. He took the judicial title Lord Uist and sits in the Outer House.
Prominent cases Macdonald has presided over included the 2006 trial of three of the race hate murderers of Kriss Donald. Lord Uist is considered to be Scotland"s harshest judge in criminal matters, passing more severe sentences than his colleagues.
Several of his judgements have been overturned by the Court of Appeal for being excessive.
Faculty of Advocates]
As a Senator of the College of Justice, he is a member of the Court of Session, Scotland"s highest court. From 1995 to 2001, he was Legal Chairman of the Pension Appeal Tribunals for Scotland, and from 1995 to 2000 was a member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, and of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel from 1997–1999.