Attorney General
The Rt Hon Lord Hermer KC
Biography
Richard Hermer was appointed Attorney General on 5 July 2024.
Richard Hermer KC was called to the Bar in 1993 and he took silk in 2009. He was previously Head of Chambers at Matrix and has served as a Deputy High Court Judge.
Attorney General
The Attorney General is chief legal adviser to the Crown and has a number of independent public interest functions, as well as overseeing the Law Officers’ departments.
Responsibilities include:
- Overall responsibility for the work of the Attorney General’s Office and superintended departments (the Government Legal Department, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate)
- Specific statutory duty to superintend the discharge of duties by the Director of Public Prosecutions (who heads the Crown Prosecution Service) and the Director of the Serious Fraud Office
- Non-statutory general oversight of the Government Legal Department, the Services Prosecuting Authority, and government prosecuting departments
- Government’s principal legal adviser dealing with (amongst others) questions of public law, international law, human rights and devolution
- Public interest functions, for example, reference of unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal, bringing proceedings for contempt of court and intervention in certain proceedings to protect charities
- Questions of law arising on Bills and with issues of legal policy
- Oversight of all major international and domestic litigation involving the Government
- Promoting the rule of law at home and internationally
The Attorney General also holds the separate office of Advocate General for Northern Ireland. The Advocate General for Scotland has specific responsibility for Scottish law matters.