The Scottish Government Legal Directorate (SGLD) is headed by Murray Sinclair and provides legal services to the Government and its agencies. This covers a very wide spectrum including litigation and tribunal work, property and commercial law and procurement advice, instructing Bills and drafting subordinate legislation, including implementation of EC Directives. These responsibilities include the provision of legal advice to the Scottish Ministers.
A major focus of SGLD's advisory and legislation work is in ensuring that Ministers act always within the powers conferred on them by the devolution settlement and that Government Bills presented to the Scottish Parliament are within the legislative competence of the Parliament. This aspect of the office's work invariably involves consideration of human rights issues.
SGLD reports to the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General for Scotland who are the principal ministerial advisers to the Government on legal matters. It currently has 122 lawyers, plus a range of support staff.
SGLD has been at the core of the devolution project since its inception and plays a key role in delivering the Government's statutory functions, in exercising its legal powers and its relationship with the Scottish Parliament. It supports Ministers, and in particular the Scottish Law Officers and Ministers for Parliamentary Business, across the range of their legal and Parliamentary responsibilities. Most of its staff are legally qualified, and are either Parliamentary drafters or solicitors, but the Department also includes administrative staff who liaise closely with the rest of the Directorate on the delivery of business objectives.
SGLD is responsible for the Legal Secretariat to the Lord Advocate (LSLA) whose function of the Legal Secretariat is to support the Scottish Law Officers, for instance by researching and helping to draft opinions, and by assisting with Parliamentary Questions, speeches and correspondence. The work very often involves complex issues of human rights and constitutional law. LSLA has produced a paper on the Role and Functions of the Lord Advocate
Contact details for SGLD Senior Management
Contact (post):
SGLD Secretariat
G B(N)
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Tel no. 0131 244 0815
Email - SGLD Enquiries