Advocate General for Northern Ireland

The Advocate General for Northern Ireland is the chief legal adviser to the UK 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.

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.

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.

The chief legal adviser to the Northern Ireland Executive is the Attorney General for Northern Ireland. John Larkin QC was appointed to that position on 24 May 2010 by the First Minister of Northern Ireland and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.

List of Advocates General

Name		Portrait	Took office	Left office	Political Party
	The Rt Hon The Baroness Scotland of Asthal	60px	12 April 2010	11 May 2010	Labour
	The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve MP	60px	12 May 2010	15 July 2014	Conservative
	The Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP		15 July 2014	Incumbent	Conservative

See also

• Law Officers of the Crown
• Attorney General for England and Wales
• Attorney General for Northern Ireland
• Advocate General for Scotland
• Department of Justice (Northern Ireland)

External links

• Attorney General's Office (England and Wales)

(incorporating Advocate General for Northern Ireland)

• Attorney General for Northern Ireland