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]


Advocate General
for Northern Ireland
Incumbent
Suella Braverman
since 13 February 2020 (2020-02-13)
Attorney General's Office
StyleThe Right Honourable
Reports toThe Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Justice
AppointerThe Monarch
on advice of the Prime Minister
FormationApril 2010
First holderPatricia Scotland
DeputyAttorney General
Websitewww.gov.uk

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 David Cameron
Jeremy Wright 15 July 2014 9 July 2018
Theresa May
Geoffrey Cox 9 July 2018 13 February 2020
Boris Johnson
Suella Braverman 13 February 2020 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". Archived from the original on 20 June 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  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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