He was designated by Sheriff Principal Nigel Ross, Sheriff Principal of Lothian and Borders, as a specialist in actions of damages for personal injury with effect from 1 August 2025.

The Edinburgh-based court was created as part of a raft of significant reforms to the Scottish legal system which came into effect in 2015.

Sheriff Watson was one of 10 new sheriffs appointed in May this year.

He graduated with a BA in law from the University of Cambridge in 1995 and with an LLB from the University of Edinburgh in 1997. He was granted extended rights of audience (civil) in 2007.

He undertook his traineeship at Simpson & Marwick WS – now Clyde & Co. (Scotland) LLP – and became a partner in 2008. He led their clinical negligence, professional regulation and historic abuse team.