History
The office of Advocate to the monarch is an ancient one. The first recognised Lord Advocate was Sir John Ross of Montgrenan, recorded in 1483 as serving King James III.
From 1707 to 1998, the Lord Advocate was the chief legal adviser of the UK government and the Crown for Scottish legal matters, both civil and criminal, until the Scotland Act 1998 devolved most domestic affairs to the Scottish Parliament. The United Kingdom government is now advised on Scots law by the Advocate General for Scotland.
The Lord Advocate is not head of the Faculty of Advocates; that position is held by the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.
Read more about this topic: Lord Advocate
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