Attorney General for England and Wales

Law of England and Wales This article is part of the series: Courts of England and Wales

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Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is the chief legal adviser of the Crown in England and Wales. The Attorney General represents the Queen and the Government in court, and has supervisory powers over prosecutions, which are the responsibility of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service. The Attorney General also represents the Crown in many judicial proceedings relating to the public interest, e.g. the administration of charities and income tax. The Attorney General is assisted by the Solicitor General for England and Wales: both offices are filled by political appointees who must belong to either house of Parliament. The Attorney General is not usually a member of the Cabinet, but is called to advise it when necessary.

There are separate legal advisors for the other jurisdictions of the United Kingdom: see Law Officers of the Crown.

The Attorney General and the Solicitor General, despite their titles (an attorney in the common law courts was the equivalent of a solicitor in the courts of equity), have historically been barristers and Queen's Counsel. However, Harriet Harman QC MP, who was Solicitor General until May 2005, is a Solicitor. She was appointed as Queen's Counsel ex officio on taking up office as Solicitor General; she did not hold Higher Courts Rights of Audience and did not attain them during her time as a Law Officer. The Attorney General has precedence over all other barristers in the English Courts, and in the House of Lords has precedence over the Lord Advocate, even in Scottish cases. The Attorney General is addressed in court as "Mr Attorney" for a man, and "Madam Attorney" if the Attorney is female.

As well as Her Majesty's Attorney General, there is also an Attorney General to the Prince of Wales and an Attorney General to the Duchy of Lancaster. When there is a Queen consort or dowager, she also has an Attorney General, as did the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Since 1972, the Attorney General for England and Wales has also been Attorney General for Northern Ireland, although this responsibility is to transfer to the re-established separate office of Attorney General for Northern Ireland, and the new office of Advocate General for Northern Ireland upon the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Contents 1 Attorneys General of England (and Wales), 1277–present 1.1 13th century 1.2 14th century 1.3 15th century 1.4 16th century 1.5 17th century 1.6 18th century 1.7 19th century 1.8 20th century 1.9 21st Century

Attorneys General of England (and Wales), 1277–present

13th century

• William de Boneville (1277–1278)
• William de Giselham (1278–1279)
• Gilbert de Thornton (1279–1280)
• Alanus de Walkingham (1280–1281)
• John le Fawconer (1281–1284)
• William de Selby (1284–1286)
• Gilbert de Thornton (1286–1286)
• William Inge (1286–1289)
• John de Bosco (1289–1290)

14th century

• William de Merston (26 February 1327 – 1329)
• Richard de Aldeburgh (1329–1334)
• Simon de Trewythosa (c. 1334)
• William de Hepton (1334–1338)
• John de Lincoln (28 May 1338 – 4 August 1338)
• John de Clone (4 August 1338–1338)
• William de Merington (1338–1339)
• John de Clone (1339–1342)
• William de Thorpe (1342–1343)
• John de Lincoln (1343–1343)
• John de Clone (1343–1349)
• Simon de Kegworth (1349–1353)
• Henry de Greystok (1353–1356)
• John of Gaunt (1356 – 4 May 1360)
• Richard de Fryseby (4 May 1360 – 1362)
• William (or possibly Robert) de Pleste (1362–1363)
• William de Nessefield (1363 – 9 November 1366)
• Thomas de Shardelow (9 November 1366 – 20 May 1367)
• John de Ashwell (20 May 1367 – 1367)
• Michael Skilling (1367–1378)
• Thomas de Shardelow (1378–1381)
• William Ellis (1381–1381)
• Laurence Dru (1381–1384)
• William de Horneby (1384–1386)
• Edmund Brudnell (1386–1398)
• Thomas Coveley (1398 – 30 September 1399)
• William de Lodington (30 September 1399 – 1401)

15th century

• Thomas Coveley (1401 – 13 July 1407)
• Thomas Dereham (13 July 1407 – 17 August 1407)
• Roger Hunt (17 August 1407 – 1410)
• Thomas Tickhill (1410 – 16 January 1414)
• William Babington (16 January 1414 – 1420)
• William Babthorpe (1420 – 28 October 1429)
• John Vampage (28 October 1429 – 30 June 1452)
• William de Nottingham (30 June 1452 – 12 August 1461)
• John Herbert (12 August 1461 – 1461)
• Henry Sothill (1461 – 16 June 1471)
• William Hussey (16 June 1471 – 7 May 1481)
• William Huddersfield (7 May 1481 – 28 May 1483)
• Morgan Kydwelly (28 May 1483 – 20 September 1485)
• William Hody (20 September 1485 – 3 November 1486)
• James Hobart (3 November 1486 – April 1509)

16th century

• John Ernley (April 1509 – 26 January 1518)
• John Fitz-James (26 January 1518 – February 1522)
• John Roper (February 1522 – 1 April 1524)
• Ralph Swillington (1 April 1524 – August 1525)
• Richard Lyster (August 1525 – 3 June 1529)
• Christopher Hales (3 June 1529 – 10 July 1535)
• Sir John Baker (10 July 1535 – 8 November 1540)
• Sir William Whorwood (8 November 1540 – 8 June 1545)
• Henry Bradshaw (8 June 1545 – 21 May 1552)
• Edward Griffin (21 May 1552 – 22 January 1559)
• Sir Gilbert Gerard (22 January 1559 – 1 June 1581)
• Sir John Popham (1 June 1581 – 2 June 1592)
• Sir Thomas Egerton (2 June 1592 – 10 April 1594)
• Sir Edward Coke (10 April 1594 – 4 July 1606)

17th century

• Sir Henry Hobart (4 July 1606 – 27 October 1613)
• Sir Francis Bacon (27 October 1613 – 12 March 1617)
• Sir Henry Yelverton (12 March 1617 – 11 January 1621)
• Sir Thomas Coventry (11 January 1621 – 31 October 1625)
• Sir Robert Heath (31 October 1625 – 27 October 1631)
• William Noy (27 October 1631 – 27 September 1634)
• Sir John Banks (27 September 1634 – 29 January 1641)
• Sir Edward Herbert (29 January 1641 – 3 November 1645)
• Thomas Gardiner (royalist) (3 November 1645 – 1649)
• Oliver St John (parliamentary) (May 1644 – 10 January 1649)
• William Steele (commonwealth) (10 January 1649 – 9 April 1649)
• Edmund Prideaux (commonwealth) (9 April 1649 – 1659)
• Robert Reynolds (commonwealth) (1659 – 31 May 1660)
• Sir Edward Herbert (in exile) (1649–1653)
• Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Bt (31 May 1660 – 10 May 1670)
• Sir Heneage Finch (10 May 1670 – 12 November 1673)
• Sir Francis North (12 November 1673 – 25 January 1675)
• Sir William Jones (25 January 1675 – 27 October 1679)
• Sir Creswell Levinge (27 October 1679 – 24 February 1681)
• Sir Robert Sawyer (24 February 1681 – 13 December 1687)
• Sir Thomas Powis (13 December 1687 – December 1688)
• Sir Henry Pollexfen (March 1689 – 4 May 1689)
• Sir George Treby (4 May 1689 – 3 May 1692)
• Sir John Somers (3 May 1692 – 30 March 1693)
• Sir Edward Ward (30 March 1693 – 8 June 1695)
• Sir Thomas Trevor (8 June 1695 – 28 June 1701)

18th century

• Sir Edward Northey (28 June 1701 – 26 April 1707)
• Sir Simon Harcourt (26 April 1707 – 22 October 1708)
• Sir James Montagu (22 October 1708 – 19 September 1710)
• Sir Simon Harcourt (19 September 1710 – 19 October 1710)
• Sir Edward Northey (19 October 1710 – 18 March 1718)
• Sir Nicholas Lechmere (18 March 1718 – 7 May 1720)
• Sir Robert Raymond (7 May 1720 – 1 February 1724)
• Sir Philip Yorke (1 February 1724 – January 1734)
• Sir John Willes (January 1734 – 28 January 1737)
• Sir Dudley Ryder (28 January 1737 – May 1754)
• William Murray (May 1754 – 3 November 1756)
• Sir Robert Henley (3 November 1756 – 1 July 1757)
• Sir Charles Pratt (1 July 1757 – 25 January 1762)
• Charles Yorke (25 January 1762 – 16 December 1763)
• Sir Fletcher Norton (16 December 1763 – 17 September 1765)
• Charles Yorke (17 September 1765 – 6 August 1766)
• William de Grey (6 August 1766 – 26 January 1771)
• Edward Thurlow (26 January 1771 – 11 June 1778)
• Alexander Wedderburn (11 June 1778 – 21 July 1780)
• James Wallace (21 July 1780 – 18 April 1782)
• Lloyd Kenyon (18 April 1782 – 2 May 1783)
• James Wallace (2 May 1783 – November 1783) (died in office)
• John Lee (22 November 1783 – 19 December 1783)
• Lloyd Kenyon (26 December 1783 – 31 March 1784)
• Richard Pepper Arden (31 March 1784 – 28 June 1788)
• Sir Archibald Macdonald (28 June 1788 – 14 February 1793)
• Sir John Scott (14 February 1793 – 18 July 1799)
• Sir John Mitford (18 July 1799 – 14 February 1801)

19th century

• Sir Edward Law (14 February 1801 – 15 April 1802)
• Spencer Perceval (15 April 1802 – 12 February 1806)
• Sir Arthur Piggott (12 February 1806 – 1 April 1807)
• Sir Vicary Gibbs (1 April 1807 – 26 June 1812)
• Sir Thomas Plumer (26 June 1812 – 4 May 1813)
• Sir William Garrow (4 May 1813 – 7 May 1817)
• Sir Samuel Shepherd (7 May 1817 – 24 July 1819)
• Sir Robert Gifford (24 July 1819 – 9 January 1824)
• Sir John Copley (9 January 1824 – 20 September 1826)
• Sir Charles Wetherell (20 September 1826 – 27 April 1827)
• Sir James Scarlett (27 April 1827 – 19 February 1828)
• Sir Charles Wetherell (19 February 1828 – 29 June 1829)
• Sir James Scarlett (29 June 1829 – 19 November 1830)
• Sir Thomas Denman (24 November 1830 – 26 November 1832)
• Sir William Horne (26 November 1832 – 1 March 1834)
• Sir John Campbell (1 March 1834 – 14 November 1834)
• Sir Frederick Pollock (17 December 1834 – 8 April 1835)
• Sir John Campbell (30 April 1835 – 3 July 1841)
• Sir Thomas Wilde (3 July 1841 – 30 August 1841)
• Sir Frederick Pollock (6 September 1841 – 15 April 1844)
• Sir William Webb Follett (15 April 1844 – 29 June 1845)
• Sir Frederic Thesiger (29 June 1845 – 27 June 1846)
• Sir Thomas Wilde (7 July 1846 – 17 July 1846)
• Sir John Jervis (17 July 1846 – 11 July 1850)
• Sir John Romilly (11 July 1850 – 28 March 1851)
• Sir Alexander Cockburn (28 March 1851 – 21 February 1852)
• Sir Frederic Thesiger (27 February 1852 – 17 December 1852)
• Sir Alexander Cockburn (28 December 1852 – 15 November 1856)
• Sir Richard Bethell (15 November 1856 – 21 February 1858)
• Sir Fitzroy Kelly (21 February 1858 – 11 June 1859)
• Sir Richard Bethell (18 June 1859 – 4 July 1861)
• Sir William Atherton (4 July 1861 – 2 October 1863)
• Sir Roundell Palmer (2 October 1863 – 26 June 1866)
• Sir Hugh Cairns (10 July 1866 – 29 October 1866)
• Sir John Rolt (29 October 1866 – 18 July 1867)
• Sir John Burgess Karslake (18 July 1867 – 1 December 1868)
• Sir Robert Collier (12 December 1868 – 10 November 1871)
• Sir John Duke Coleridge (10 November 1871 – 20 November 1873)
• Sir Henry James (20 November 1873 – 17 February 1874)
• Sir John Burgess Karslake (27 February 1874 – 20 April 1874)
• Sir Richard Baggallay (20 April 1874 – 25 November 1875)
• Sir John Holker (25 November 1875 – 21 April 1880)
• Sir Henry James (3 May 1880 – 9 June 1885)
• Sir Richard Everard Webster (27 June 1885 – 28 January 1886)
• Sir Charles Arthur Russell (9 February 1886 – 20 July 1886)
• Sir Richard Everard Webster (5 August 1886 – 11 August 1892)
• Sir Charles Arthur Russell (20 August 1892 – 3 May 1894)
• Sir John Rigby (3 May 1894 – 24 October 1894)
• Sir Robert Reid (24 October 1894 – 21 June 1895)
• Sir Richard Webster (8 July 1895 – 7 May 1900)

20th century

• Sir Robert Finlay (7 May 1900 – 4 December 1905)
• Sir John Lawson Walton (12 December 1905 – 28 January 1908)
• Sir William Robson (28 January 1908 – 7 October 1910)
• Sir Rufus Isaacs (7 October 1910 – 19 October 1913)
• Sir John Simon (19 October 1913 – 25 May 1915)
• Sir Edward Carson (25 May 1915 – 19 October 1915) (resigned)
• Sir F. E. Smith (3 November 1915 – 10 January 1919)
• Sir Gordon Hewart (10 January 1919 – 6 March 1922)
• Sir Ernest Pollock (6 March 1922 – 19 October 1922)
• Sir Douglas Hogg (24 October 1922 – 22 January 1924)
• Sir Patrick Hastings (23 January 1924 – 3 November 1924)
• Sir Douglas Hogg (6 November 1924 – 28 March 1928)
• Sir Thomas Inskip (28 March 1928 – 4 June 1929)
• Sir William Jowitt (7 June 1929 – 26 January 1932)
• Sir Thomas Inskip (26 January 1932 – 18 March 1936)
• Sir Donald Somervell (18 March 1936 – 25 May 1945)
• Sir David Maxwell Fyfe (25 May 1945 – 26 July 1945)
• Sir Hartley Shawcross (4 August 1945 – 24 April 1951)
• Sir Frank Soskice (24 April 1951 – 26 October 1951)
• Sir Lionel Heald (3 November 1951 – 18 October 1954)
• Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller (18 October 1954 – 16 July 1962)
• Sir John Hobson (16 July 1962 – 16 October 1964)
• Sir Elwyn Jones (18 October 1964 – 19 June 1970)
• Sir Peter Rawlinson (23 June 1970 – 4 March 1974)
• Samuel Silkin (7 March 1974 – 4 May 1979)
• Sir Michael Havers (6 May 1979 – 13 June 1987)
• Sir Patrick Mayhew (13 June 1987 – 10 April 1992)
• Sir Nicholas Lyell (10 April 1992 – 2 May 1997)
• Sir John Morris (6 May 1997 – 29 July 1999)
• The Lord Williams of Mostyn (29 July 1999 – 11 June 2001)

21st Century

• The Lord Goldsmith (11 June 2001 – 27 June 2007)
• The Baroness Scotland of Asthal (27 June 2007 – present)

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