Advocate General for Northern Ireland

United Kingdom
Advocate General
for Northern Ireland
Incumbent
Victoria Prentis
since 25 October 2022 (2022-10-25)
Attorney General's Office
StyleThe Right Honourable
Reports toThe Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Justice
AppointerThe King
(on the advice of the Prime Minister)
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
FormationApril 2010
First holderPatricia Scotland
DeputyAttorney General
Websitewww.gov.uk

The advocate general for Northern Ireland is the chief legal adviser to the Government of the United Kingdom 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 by the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002[2] upon the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 12 April 2010.[3]

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.[4]

The chief legal adviser to the Northern Ireland Executive is the attorney general for Northern Ireland.[5]

  1. ^ section 27, Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (c.26)
  2. ^ Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, sections 27 and 28.
  3. ^ Attorney General's Office: Statement on Northern Ireland devolution, 12 April 2010 Archived July 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Attorney General's Office: Structure". Archived from the original on 20 June 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  5. ^ OFMDFM: Appointment of Attorney General announced, 24 May 2010 Archived 24 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine

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