Adrian D. Ward has a long international record as expert and campaigner in law, rights, policy and practice relating to people with psycho-social, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, and in creating service delivery projects for them. He has been published in many countries and many languages for almost four decades. He is author of the standard texts on Scots adult incapacity law. He is in frequent demand, nationally and worldwide, as lecturer and adviser. He has advised governments and international organisations. As consultant to Council of Europe he completed and published in 2018 a review of implementation of the Council’s Recommendation on principles concerning powers of attorney and advance directives. He is a member of the steering group of the International Advisory Board for these World Congresses; expert adviser to the Centre for Mental Health and Capacity Law, Edinburgh Napier University; and a research affiliate to Essex Autonomy Project, University of Essex. He has been convener of the Law Society of Scotland’s Mental Health and Disability Sub-Committee for over 30 years. His many awards include MBE for services to people with learning disabilities, for charitable work and journalism, lifetime achievement, and honorary membership of the Law Society of Scotland.
He is President of the organising committee.