Thank you, says Dean

 

“A great privilege” is how the Dean of Faculty, James Wolffe, QC, has described his time in office, as he awaits confirmation by the Scottish Parliament that he is to be the next Lord Advocate.

The First Minister has recommended Mr Wolffe for appointment as Lord Advocate, with Alison Di Rollo, Senior Advocate Depute, as Solicitor General.

Mr Wolffe said: “I have been invited by the First Minister to accept her nomination to be Lord Advocate, subject to approval by the Scottish Parliament. If appointed as Lord Advocate, I will require to resign from the office of Dean of Faculty. 

“The Faculty of Advocates is one of Scotland’s great national institutions. To have been elected by the Faculty to serve it, as its Dean, has been a great privilege. I have enjoyed the support of an outstanding team of office-bearers and an active Faculty Council; as well as of all the Faculty’s staff, who do so much hard work for the profession. I thank them all.

“Above all, I wish to express my gratitude, at this time, for the strong support which the whole Faculty has given me, as it always gives its elected Dean, throughout my tenure of that office.” 

In February 2014, Mr Wolffe, then Vice-Dean, was elected Dean of Faculty, succeeding Richard Keen, QC (now Lord Keen of Elie, QC) and becoming the 20^th Dean since the Second World War.

He was admitted to Faculty in 1992 and took Silk in 2007. 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 was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2013.