Aug 03 - New Government Law Offices Created
The Government says it is pleased to announce the creation of the new Government of Gibraltar Law Offices (“GLO”). The GLO will became effective as from 1 August. It will consolidate all governmental law departments and the provision of legal services to all relevant Government Departments. It will be headed by the Attorney General, Michael Llamas QC.
As from 1st August 2015, the European Union and International Department (”EUID”), the Legislation Support Unit (“LSU”) and the AG’s Chambers will stop being referred to by those names and will be collectively referred to by the GLO nomenclature. The GLO will consist of four distinct legal offices, namely the Office of Advisory Counsel, the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, the Office of Criminal Prosecutions & Litigation and the Administration Office & Gazette.
The AG’s Chambers will become the “Office of Criminal Prosecutions & Litigation”. It will perform the same functions as the AG’s Chambers have hitherto performed.
The EUID and the LSU will be split up into the Office of Advisory Counsel, the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and the Administration Office & Gazette. The Office of Advisory Counsel will be responsible for providing legal advice to the Governor, Ministers and Government Departments. This will include advice on domestic, EU and International law. The Office of Parliamentary Counsel will be responsible for the drafting of the laws of Gibraltar, including the transportation of EU Directives. The Administration Office & Gazette will be responsible for producing the Gazette and will also have overall responsibility for the administration of GLO.
All Offices will come under the general supervision and superintendence of Her Majesty’s Attorney General for Gibraltar, Michael Llamas QC.
Commenting on the restructure, Mr Llamas QC said: “I am delighted with the restructure. I have been working on this with the Chief Minister and Minister for Justice since I was appointed Attorney General last May. Although the functions of the new Offices will remain largely the same as those they previously performed, the restructure will provide Government with a more streamlined legal service and clearer identification of who does what as legal officers within Government. This is important in view, notably, of the ever- increasing workload. It is a first, fundamental step on the way to reorganising Government legal work. I am grateful to the Chief Minister and to the Minister for Justice for having supported this change and to Mr Ricky Rhoda QC who I have consulted closely in this process.”
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, commented: “This is a positive step in the modernisation of the Government’s legal services. I am grateful to Michael Llamas QC and Ricky Rhoda QC for their thinking on this restructure. I think this more clearly reflects responsibilities in Government legal service and will be of great benefit internally.”
The Minister for Justice, Gilbert Licudi, commented: “Crown Counsel and other members of the Government legal service will welcome this new structure and the clearer identification and demarcation of responsibilities. It is a useful step forward that will no doubt be widely welcome.”
{fcomment}
