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Ruth Charteris KC named as Scotland's next top law officer

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Ruth Charteris KC has been named as the new lord advocate by the first minister

The current solicitor general Ruth Charteris KC is to become Scotland's top law officer.

The first minister is recommending that the King appoints her to the position of Lord Advocate to replace Dorothy Bain, who is standing down.

If her nomination is approved, Charteris will lead the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and also act as chief legal adviser to the Scottish government.

The dual role has been controversial, but SNP ministers said they had no plans to make changes.

Bain announced after the recent Holyrood election that she would be stepping down, following a recent pattern of lord advocates leaving office after five years.

It was the first time the country's two top law officer posts were held simultaneously by women.

Brian Gill KC, known as BJ Gill, will succeed Charteris as the new solicitor general.

Charteris thanked the first minister for the nomination, adding: "I recognise the importance and the responsibility of this role and, if I am appointed, it will be a great privilege to serve the people of Scotland."

Who is Ruth Charteris?

Charteris specialised in public law, professional negligence and personal injury.

The senior lawyer served as an ad hoc advocate depute in the Crown Office from 2010 to 2016.

She was appointed to the rank of Queen's Counsel in 2020, when she also joined the Crown Office as an advocate depute.

Charteris acted as the standing junior to the Scottish government from 2012 to 2016 and the second standing junior from 2016 until 2020.

During her time as solicitor general, Charteris helped to investigate senior government officials as part of the UK Covid inquiry and met with the family of Emma Caldwell.

She also sat in the chamber with Bain during the Lord Advocate's statement over the Horizon Post Office IT system.

First Minister John Swinney said: "I am extremely pleased to be seeking parliament's agreement to recommend Ruth Charteris KC and BJ Gill KC as Scotland's law officers.

"I offer my thanks and gratitude to Dorothy Bain KC for her dedicated service to the government, to justice and to Scotland."

News imageGetty Images Ruth Charteris KC and Dorothy Bain KC in the Holyrood chamber. Charteris has blonde hair and is wearing a black blazer, white blouse and glasses. She is sitting down. Bain is standing. She has brown hair and is wearing a blue jacket and floral skirt.Getty Images
Ruth Charteris KC will replace Dorothy Bain KC as lord advocate

The lord advocate has always played a crucial role in Scotland's legal system but in recent years the job has had a high public profile as a result of a series of controversies.

Earlier this year, Bain was the centre of a political row when it emerged she had given John Swinney information about the prosecution of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell on embezzlement charges.

Bain denied suggestions from the Scottish Conservatives that she had been misleading in her statement to MSPs and insisted it was normal for the first minister to be made aware of major investigations and court cases.

Swinney backed her, saying it was "entirely appropriate" for her to give information to him on the "sensitive" case.

Opposition politicians have called for an end to the lord advocate's "cosy" dual role as head of the prosecution service and a member of the government's cabinet, but there are no plans to make changes.