Faculty of Advocates boss Wolffe takes back post of Lord Advocate. FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon appointed James Wolffe QC and Alison Di Rollo as Scotland’s new law officers in charge of the Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
James Wolffe QC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates was appointed to the position of Lord Advocate, replacing Frank Mulholland QC who stepped down following the Scottish parliamentary election.
There is currently an on-going Crown Office “dirty money probe” into Mulholland’s brother - reported in the Sunday Mail newspaper.
Senior Advocate Depute Alison Di Rollo was appointed as Solicitor General, succeeding Lesley Thomson in a surprise move after legal insiders tipped Thomson to become Lord Advocate.
The Scottish Government’s Press Centre stated Ms Thomson, who was appointed to the post in 2011, “has informed the First Minister that she wishes to pursue new challenges” (lol – Ed).
The appointments were made by the Queen on the recommendation of the First Minister, with the agreement of the Scottish Parliament.
The appointments complete the First Minister’s newly-appointed ministerial team.
Speaking prior to Holyrood approval of the two new law officers, First Minister Sturgeon said: “I am extremely pleased to recommend the appointments of James Wolffe and Alison Di Rollo as Scotland’s senior law officers.
“James has an outstanding legal background and extensive experience at all levels, including the House of Lords, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
“Alison led the work of the ground-breaking National Sexual Crimes Unit (NSCU) for three years, having previously held the role of deputy. Her outstanding leadership in this most sensitive of areas has inspired confidence in all connected to it.”
James Wolffe said: “I thank the First Minister for nominating me to the office of Lord Advocate. If I am appointed, it will be a great privilege to serve Scotland in that role.”
Alison Di Rollo said: “I am both delighted and honoured to be nominated for this role by the First Minister and I am looking forward to working with James in his new role.”
The First Minister thanked both Frank Mulholland QC and Lesley Thomson QC for their service in the roles.
She said: “In his time as Lord Advocate, Frank has made a substantial contribution to both the law and to Scottish society. The creation of the National Sexual Crimes Unit was just one example of the increased specialisation of the Crown Office that Frank Mulholland presided over. In her role as Solicitor General, Lesley’s work, particularly around domestic abuse, was pivotal in moving towards a system that instils confidence in victims of abuse and ensures that their abusers are held to account. I thank both Frank and Lesley for their dedicated service to the Government, to justice and to Scotland as a whole.”
Biographies
James Wolffe QC is a leading Senior Counsel. He became an advocate in 1992 and took silk in 2007. In 2014 he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Advocates. He was First Standing Junior Counsel to the Scottish Ministers from 2002 to 2007, and served as an Advocate Depute from 2007 to 2010. He has extensive experience of both commercial and public law. He is a member of the Faculty Dispute Resolution Service and was also called to the bar of England & Wales in 2013.
Alison Di Rollo is a Senior Advocate Depute. She joined the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in 1985 as a fiscal after a legal traineeship at now defunct Glasgow law firm McGrigor Donald .
Ms di Rollo then worked in the Policy Group at the Crown Office prior to being appointed Deputy Head of the High Court Unit and later Head of Operational Policy. In May 2008, Ms Di Rollo was seconded from COPFS to take up an appointment as a trial advocate depute. She was appointed as deputy head of the National Sexual Crimes Unit in 2011 and became head of the unit in January 2013.
Notes to editors
The Lord Advocate is a Minister of the Scottish Government and acts as principal legal adviser, but decisions by him about criminal prosecutions and the investigation of deaths are taken independently of any other person. In that way, he is not subject to the ordinary rules about collective ministerial decisions.
The Solicitor General is the Lord Advocate’s number two. She assists the Lord Advocate to carry out his functions. She is also a Minister of the Scottish Government.
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