[n 1] His parents, who were both from the outer-Hebridean isle of Harris, moved in the 1920s to a 24 acre croft at Portnalong in Skye in the 1920s as part of a land settlement scheme.

[3] MacLeod then undertook a two-year legal apprenticeship in Edinburgh,[4] before working for from 1977–78 in Gaelic-language broadcasting at BBC Scotland,[3] where he presented current affairs programmes on television.

[5] Sheriff MacLeod became Deputy Chair of the Scottish Land Court in 2006,[5] serving under Lord McGhie.

[6] The visit was to acknowledge that the court "stands on the shoulders" of the people of Braes who had resisted the attempted eviction of 12 crofters.

Lord Minginish has since 2006 been director of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, based on the Skye.

[2][8][9] In 2010, he was a keynote speaker at An t-Alltan, an annual conference organised by Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig for teachers working in Gaelic medium education.