Professor Jill Stavert appointed as executive director (legal and policy)
Publication date: 5 Nov, 2026
The Mental Welfare Commission (the Commission) has appointed Professor Jill Stavert as executive director (legal and policy).
The executive director (legal and policy) is a new senior leadership role responsible for shaping the Commission's legal and policy direction.
Professor Jill Stavert is an academic in mental health, mental capacity, and human rights law in Scotland. She is also a qualified solicitor in England, Wales, and Scotland. Her work has informed mental health and capacity laws, policy, and practice in Scotland and internationally.
She joined Edinburgh Napier University in 2004 and was appointed Professor of Mental Health and Capacity Law in 2015. She founded and led the Centre for Mental Health and Capacity Law, and subsequently led the Centre for Mental Health Practice, Policy and Law Research at Edinburgh Napier University.
Professor Jill Stavert was an expert adviser to the Independent Review of Learning Disability and Autism in the Mental Health Act (2018-2019) and a member of the executive team of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review (2019-2022).
Julie Paterson, chief executive of the Commission, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Professor Jill Stavert as our first executive director (legal and policy). This new senior role reflects the importance we place on getting mental health and incapacity laws right for the people we serve.
"Jill brings deep knowledge of mental health, mental capacity and human rights law, and direct experience of informing law and policy through the Scottish Mental Health Law Review. Her experiences and expertise will strengthen our work to protect the rights of people in Scotland who use mental health and incapacity services."
Professor Jill Stavert will be joining the Commission on 16 November 2026.