Advocate General for Scotland
His Majesty's Advocate General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, whose duty it is to advise the Crown and His Majesty's Government on Scots law. The Office of the Advocate General for Scotland is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. The position is currently held by Lord Stewart of Dirleton.
Image: Baroness Clark of Calton, 2023
Image: Official portrait of Lord Davidson of Glen Clova crop 2, 2019
Image: Official portrait of Lord Wallace of Tankerness crop 2, 2019
Image: Lord Keen 2015 (cropped)
Law officers of the Crown
The Law Officers are the senior legal advisors to His Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom and devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. They are variously referred to as the Attorney General, Solicitor General, Lord Advocate, or Advocate General depending on seniority and geography - though other terms are also in use, such as the Counsel General for Wales. Law Officers in these roles are distinguished by being political appointees, while also being bound by the duties of independence, justice and confidentiality among the other typical professional commitments of lawyers. These roles do not have any direct oversight of prosecutions nor do they directly lead or influence criminal investigations. This is a distinguishing factor between Law Officers and the State Attorneys General of the United States or US Attorney General.
Current Solicitor General Ruth Charteris KC and current Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC