Professor Scott qualified as a solicitor and barrister in Victoria, Australia, and joined the Faculty of Law at the University of Birmingham in the 1960s. he stayed within the faculty throughout his career, including a stint as Dean in the 1990s. He was one of the first directors of Birmingham’s Institute of Judicial Administration. Alongside Lord Borrie, Professor Scott established the Institute’s international reputation and developed the important first links with members of government departments, the legal profession, the judiciary and potential funding bodies.