The appointment of two new justices to the Supreme Court has been announced today (20 December), with Lord Reed and Lord Justice Carnwath CVO set to take up their seats next year.

Reed and Carnwath have been appointed following the death of Lord Rodger in June this year and in light of the forthcoming retirement of Lord Brown in April 2012.

Reed has been a senior judge in Scotland for 13 years as a senator of the College of Justice. He was appointed to the bench in 1998 and has previously sat as an ad hoc judge for the European Court of Human Rights.

Carnwath has sat as a Lord Justice in the Court of Appeal since 2002 prior to which he was a judge of the chancery division in the High Court from 1994.

President of the Supreme Court Lord Phillips said: "The independent selection commission was faced with a very strong field of candidates who applied following open advertisement of the vacancies.

"Lord Reed brings depth of experience in Scots law and practice, as well as insights into the work of the European Court of Human Rights. Lord Justice Carnwath's range of experience as a senior judge is complemented by his chairmanship of the Law Commission, his work reforming the tribunals system and his service as the first senior president of tribunals."

Carnwath will be sworn in following the retirement of Brown in spring next year. It is yet to be announced when Reed will take up his new role.

The news follows the controversial appointment of Jonathan Sumption QC as one of two new justices of the Supreme Court announced in May this year.

The appointment of Sumption was the first direct appointment from the Bar to the UK's highest court since the elevation of Lord Reid and Lord Radcliffe to the House of Lords more than 60 years ago.

Lord Justice Wilson was also appointed alongside Sumption, with both replacing Lord Saville and Lord Collins who retired from the judiciary this year.