Philip James Macdonell

Sir Phillip James Macdonell (10 January 1873 – 15 December 1940) was the 25th Chief Justice of Ceylon. He was appointed in 1930 succeeding Stanley Fisher and was Chief Justice until 1936. He was succeeded by Sidney Abrahams.

Career Macdonell was a scholar at Brasenose College, Oxford, was Bacon Scholar at Gray's Inn in 1896, and was called to the Bar there in January 1900.

He was war correspondent for "The Times", 1900–1901; Judge of the High Court, Northern Rhodesia, 1918–1927; President of the West Indian Court of Appeal, Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago 1927–30 Chief Justice of Ceylon, 1930–36; Privy Councillor, 1939 Knighted, 1925; Retired, 1936. President of the Balovale Commission (Northern Rhodesia, 1939–41).

He died in Southport in 1940 and was buried in Girthon Old Churchyard, Kirkcudbrightshire. He had married Alexandrina Sutherland Campbell.