Advocate General for Northern Ireland

The Advocate General for Northern Ireland is the chief legal adviser to the British Government on Northern Ireland law and the post is held by the Attorney General for England and Wales by virtue of that office. The Advocate General and the Solicitor General for England and Wales have, in Northern Ireland, the same rights of audience as members of the Bar of Northern Ireland.[1]

The Advocate General was created as a separate office upon the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 12 April 2010.[2]

Unlike the Advocate General for Scotland, the position is not supported by a distinct government department. Instead, that support is provided by the civil law and Northern Ireland section within the Attorney General's Office at Westminster.[3]

The chief legal adviser to the Northern Ireland Executive is the Attorney General for Northern Ireland.[4]

List of Advocates General

Colour key (for political parties):
  Conservative   Labour

Name Portrait Term of office Political party Prime Minister
The Baroness Scotland of Asthal 12 April 2010 11 May 2010 Labour Gordon Brown
Dominic Grieve 12 May 2010 15 July 2014 Conservative Cameron
Jeremy Wright 15 July 2014 9 July 2018
May
Geoffrey Cox 9 July 2018 Incumbent

See also

References

  1. ↑ section 27, Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (c.26)
  2. ↑ Attorney General's Office: Statement on Northern Ireland devolution, 12 April 2010 Archived July 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Attorney General's Office: Structure
  4. ↑ OFMDFM: Appointment of Attorney General announced, 24 May 2010 Archived 24 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine.

(incorporating Advocate General for Northern Ireland)

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