Law Adviser to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland

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The Law Adviser to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was a Crown legal officer in 19th‑century Ireland. Created in 1831 to help the Irish Attorney General and Solicitor General, the role had no fixed duties at first. It later drafted Irish parliamentary bills and advised lay magistrates on legal matters, including state-security cases like the Fenian trials in 1867.

At first the post was filled by Serjeants-at-law, but it later opened to junior barristers, and the offices of Serjeant and Law Adviser were kept separate. Some holders served only briefly. Appointments were usually approved by the Attorney General; for example, in 1841 Francis Blackburne insisted on Abraham Brewster’s appointment despite opposition from Daniel O’Connell.

The Adviser’s work advising magistrates raised concerns about Crown interference with the judiciary. The last 19th‑century adviser, John Naish, was criticized for advising use of a medieval statute to jail those who could not post surety, a misreading of the law. Because of the controversy, the office was left vacant after Naish’s promotion in 1883. The government said in 1886 that there were no plans to appoint another Adviser. The office remained vacant from 1883 to 1919, was briefly revived in 1919–1920, then lapsed and was finally abolished by the Irish Free State in 1924.