UK Swears In New Attorney, Solicitor General

The United Kingdom (UK) has formally sworn in Ellie Reeves KC MP as Attorney General and Andy Slaughter MP as Solicitor General at a ceremony held at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The two senior Law Officers took their oaths on Thursday, October 1, following their appointments to the respective positions in July.

The UK Attorney General’s Office disclosed this in a statement published on Thursday, which was also carried on the UK Home Office website.

Reeves was appointed Attorney General on July 20, replacing Richard Hermer, while Slaughter was appointed Solicitor General a day later.

Also sworn in during the ceremony was Rt Hon Alex Norris MP as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

Speaking after her swearing-in, Reeves said tackling violence against women and girls would remain her “top priority”.

“It is an honour to be sworn in as Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland,” she said.

Reeves, who previously served as Solicitor General, said her experience as a lawyer and government official had reinforced the importance of making the legal profession accessible to people from all backgrounds.

“My career both as a lawyer and now in government has shown me just how important it is that the legal profession is open to everyone, whatever their background, and this is a cause I will champion throughout my time in this role,” she said.

She added, “Building on the work I was proud to lead as Solicitor General, tackling violence against women and girls remains my top priority.”

Reeves also pledged to work with Slaughter to uphold the rule of law and improve public confidence in the criminal justice system.

“I look forward to working alongside Andy Slaughter MP on our shared mission to uphold the rule of law and strengthen confidence in our criminal justice system,” she said.

Slaughter, a former Chair of the Justice Select Committee, said his new position would allow him to work directly on challenges confronting the UK justice system.

“It is a privilege to be sworn in as Solicitor General, an important role in our constitution, bridging law and government to ensure good governance,” he said.

He added that his previous role had given him first-hand experience of the pressures facing the justice system.

“As Chair of the Justice Select Committee, I saw first-hand the pressures facing our justice system. I now look forward to working with the Attorney General to tackle these challenges directly, and to ensure our justice system commands the public’s confidence,” Slaughter said.

The ceremony was attended by the Lady Chief Justice, the Right Honourable the Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill.

The Attorney General serves as the UK Government’s chief legal adviser and is a member of the Cabinet, while the Attorney General and Solicitor General jointly supervise the Law Officers’ Departments.

Their responsibilities include oversight of bodies such as the Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Fraud Office, Government Legal Department and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

The Law Officers also perform a range of public interest functions, including referring sentences to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, taking legal action in cases of contempt of court and giving consent for the prosecution of certain offences.