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Lord Advocate :Elish Angiolini

  The Rt Hon Elish Angiolini QCOffice:

Lord Advocate
Legal advice to the Scottish Executive; prosecution in the Scottish criminal courts; tribunals

Contact:

Crown Office
25 Chambers Street
Edinburgh EH1 1LA

 

 

Her Majesty's Advocate (or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Advocate), known as the Lord Advocate (Scottish Gaelic: Morair Tagraidh), is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament. He or she is the chief public prosecutor for Scotland and all prosecutions on indictment are conducted by the Crown Office, nominally in his or her name.

The officeholder is one of the Great Officers of State of Scotland. The current Lord Advocate is the Rt. Hon. Elish Angiolini, QC, appointed on 5 October 2006. She is the first woman, first Procurator Fiscal, and the first solicitor to be appointed to the post.

Elish Frances Angiolini QC (born 24 June 1960 as Elish Frances McPhilomy)[1] is a Scottish lawyer who has served in the political role of Lord Advocate for Scotland since 2006. She was appointed to the post of Solicitor General for Scotland in November 2001 becoming the first woman, the first Procurator Fiscal, and the first solicitor to hold that post.

On 5 October 2006 the Scottish Parliament ratified her appointment as the first female Lord Advocate. She was sworn in at the Court of Session in Edinburgh a week later. Her position was formally recognised when the Queen signed a Royal Warrant [2].

Background

Angiolini grew up in Govan, in Glasgow, and studied Law at the University of Strathclyde Law School, graduating in 1982. Immediately after graduation she joined the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and, following her traineeship, spent 8 years as a Depute Procurator Fiscal in Airdrie, prosecuting in Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Crown office career

In 1992, she was seconded to the Crown Office where she worked in the Lord Advocate’s Secretariat. During her secondment, she developed an interest in improving the support offered to vulnerable victims and witnesses, and in particular to children. She was then appointed Senior Depute Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow taking operational responsibility for Sheriff and Jury prosecutions. In 1995, she was appointed Assistant Procurator Fiscal at Glasgow.

In 1997, Angiolini returned to the Crown office as Head of Policy, with responsibility for the development of policy across all functions of the Department. In particular, she helped the department prepare for devolution and was involved in the preparation of the Scotland Act 1998. At the same time, Angiolini was responsible for the department’s preparations for the introduction of the Human Rights Act 1998.

She was then appointed Regional Procurator Fiscal, Grampian, Highland and Islands on 27 July 2000, based in Aberdeen - the first woman to hold such a post.

[edit] Lord Advocate

On 4 October 2006 Lord Boyd resigned as Lord Advocate and his responsibilities were assumed, in the interim, by Angiolini. First Minister Jack McConnell nominated her to take over from Boyd permanently[3].

Her nomination was approved by Parliament the same afternoon: ninety-nine members voting in favour and none against with fifteen abstentions[4].

Angiolini was sworn in as Lord Advocate at the Court of Session on 12 October 2006. One month later she became a member of the Privy Council[5].

After the 2007 election there was speculation that the new SNP administration might replace Angiolini. However Alex Salmond, the First Minister decided that she should stay in post, but would lose her seat in Cabinet. The SNP had committed to making this change as part of their pre-election campaign. She would still have the right to address Cabinet and attend meetings of the Scottish Parliament. Her reappointment was confirmed by Parliament on 24 May 2007[6].

She and husband Domenico Angiolini have two children.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Angiolini, Elish Frances" in Who's Who, A & C Black.
  2. ^ "Scotland's Lord Advocate Sworn In", BBC News website, October 12 2006. URL retrieved October 12 2006
  3. ^ "Angiolini choice for top law post" BBC News website October 5, 2006
  4. ^ "The Scottish Parliament Official Report", The Scottish Parliament, October 5, 2006. URL retrieved October 12, 2006
  5. ^ "Privy Council Appointment of Elish Angiolini", 10 Downing Street website, 7 November 2006. URL retrieved 20 December 2006
  6. ^ "Law officer Angiolini reappointed", BBC News Scotland website, 24 May 2007. URL retrieved 26 May 2007
  7. ^ "Scotland's first woman lord advocate symbolises the country's aspirations", The Guardian October 6 2006

See also

External links