The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has appointed Lord Wallace of Tankerness to the post of Advocate General for Scotland, the senior Scottish legal adviser to the Government.

As Jim Wallace, Lord Wallace called to the Bar in July 1979 taking silk in 1997. He enjoyed a long and distinguished political career as MP for Orkney & Shetland from 1983 to 2001 and as MSP for Orkney from 1999 to 2007.  He occupied a number of front bench posts for the Liberal Democrats including Employment spokesman and Chief Whip and in 1992 was elected unopposed as the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. Lord Wallace was Deputy First Minister of Scotland from 1999 to 2005, Minister for Justice from 1999 to 2003 and Minister for Enterprise & Lifelong Learning from 2003 to 2005. He was appointed a Privy Councillor in 2000 and in 2007 he was appointed to the House of Lords having stood down as an MSP on the dissolution of the Scottish Parliament. He is a member of the House of Lords’ Select Committee on the Constitution and in November 2008 he received a lifetime achievement award at the Scottish Politician of the Year ceremony.  Lord Wallace recently returned to practice at the Scottish Bar with Terra Firma Chambers.

Douglas Armstrong QC, Vice-Chairman of Terra Firma Chambers said:

“This is a richly deserved appointment for Lord Wallace and we wish him every success in his new role.  His appointment to such a prestigious role is further recognition of the quality of legal expertise available in Terra Firma Chambers”