The Attorney-General, politics and logistics – a fork in the road?. (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hand, James
• Is Part Of: Legal studies. Volume 42:Number 3(2022:)
• Page Start: 425
• Page End: 445
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: public law -- Attorney-General -- Law Officers -- legal profession -- legal history; Law -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Law -- Periodicals; 340.05
• DOI: 10.1017/lst.2021.55
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0261-3875

Abstract

Abstract: The appointment of recent Attorney-Generals for England and Wales has occasioned much comment about their experience. This paper considers whether, following the transmogrification of the Lord Chancellorship over a decade ago, the backgrounds and activities of recent leaders of the Attorney-General's Office suggest the time is now right for similar changes to the Law Officers' roles. In doing so, it presents a range of original data on aspects of the role and on characteristics of Attorney-Generals, which suggests that unless self-restraint is exercised (by the Prime Minister and the post-holders) we may ineluctably be on the path to reform.