Lord Advocate

His Majesty's Lord Advocate
Scottish Gaelic: Morair Tagraidh
Incumbent Dorothy Bain KC since 22 June 2021
Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
Type	Great Officer of State Law Officer of the Crown
Member of	Scottish Cabinet Privy Council Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation Scottish Government Legal Directorate
Reports to	First Minister
Appointer	Monarch on the recommendation of the First Minister once approved by parliament
Deputy	Solicitor General for Scotland
Salary	£134,092 per annum (2023)[1]
Website	Lord Advocate at the Scottish Government

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His Majesty's Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Scottish Gaelic: Morair Tagraidh, Scots: Laird Advocat), is the principal legal adviser of both the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament. The Lord Advocate provides legal advice to the government on its responsibilities, policies, legislation and advising on the legal implications of any proposals brought forward by the government. The Lord Advocate is responsible for all legal advice which is given to the Scottish Government.^[2]

The Lord Advocate serves as the ministerial head of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and as such, is the chief public prosecutor for Scotland with all prosecutions on indictment being conducted by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in the Lord Advocate's name on behalf of the Monarch. The Lord Advocate serves as the head of the systems of prosecutions in Scotland and is responsible for the investigation of all sudden, suspicious, accidental and unexplained deaths which occur within Scotland.^[3][4]

The officeholder is one of the Great Officers of State of Scotland. The current Lord Advocate is Dorothy Bain KC, who was nominated by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in June 2021.^[5] The Lord Advocate is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the incumbent First Minister of Scotland, with the agreement of the Scottish Parliament.^[6]