Solicitor-General of Victoria


The Solicitor-General of Victoria, known informally as the Solicitor-General, is the state's Second Law Officer and the deputy of the Attorney-General. The Solicitor-General acts alongside the Crown Advocate and Crown Solicitor, and serves as one of the legal and constitutional advisers of the Crown and its government in the Australian state of Victoria.
The Solicitor-General is addressed in court as "Mr/Ms Solicitor". Despite the title, the position may only be filled by a barrister admitted serving as Senior Counsel, for a period specific by the Governor of Victoria. The inaugural Solicitor-General was Redmond Barry, who serviced from 15 July 1851 to 18 January 1852. The current Solicitor-General is Alistair Pound.

History and function

Formerly, they were elected members of parliament, but have not been so since the early/mid twentieth century. The functions of the Victorian Solicitor-General are two-fold. First, they act as Victoria's senior legal adviser. Second, they represent the state in significant legal proceedings where Victoria is party, or where the Victorian Attorney-General intervenes either in Commonwealth matters under section 78A of the Judiciary Act 1903 or in matters concerning the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 under s 34 of that Act. In 2003, Victoria appointed its first female Solicitor-General, Pamela Tate, following an unprecedented public advertising of the position.
NameAppointedConcludedCommentsNotes
15 7 1851 18 1 1852 Appointed Judge of the Supreme Court
13 4 1852 20 7 1852 Appointed Judge of the Supreme Court
21 7 1852 28.11.1855
4 1 1854 17 6 1856 Appointed Judge of the Supreme Court
27 6 1856 25 2 1857 Appointed Attorney-General
25 2 1857 11 3 1857
11 3 1857 29 4 1857
29 4 1857 10 3 1858
10 3 1858 27.10.1858
27.10.1859 5 3 1860
5 3 1860 26.11.1860
vacant27.11.18601 9 1869
2 9 1869 20 9 1869 Appointed Judge of the County Court
19 1 1870 9 4 1870
9 4 1870 19 6 1871
19 6 1871 10 6 1872
10 6 1872 31 7 1874
31 7 1874 7 8 1875
vacant8 9 18758 7 1881
9 7 1881 8 3 1883
13.11.1883 23 4 1884 Elected Prime Minister of Australia
vacant24 4 188431 8 1890
1 9 1890 5 11 1890 Elected Prime Minister of Australia
vacant6 11 189015 2 1892
16 2 1892 23 1 1893
23 1 1893 23 5 1893
6 6 1893 27 9 1894
27 9 1894 5 12 1899
5 12 1899 19.11.1900
19.11.1900 10 6 1902
10 6 1902 6 2 1903
6 2 1903 7 9 1903
vacant8 9 190315 2 1904
16 2 1904 28 2 1908
28 2 1908 8 9 1908
8 9 1908 8 1 1909
8 1 1909 9 12 1913
9 12 1913 22.12.1913
22.12.1913 9 11 1915
9 11 1915 28.11.1917
29.11.1917 20 3 1918
21 3 1918 20 1 1920
20 1 1920 20 9 1920
20 9 1920 11 7 1924
11 7 1924 17 7 1924
18 7 1924 18.11.1924
18.11.1924 27 4 1927
28 4 1927 19 5 1927
20 5 1927 21.11.1928
26.11.1928 11.12.1929
12.12.1929 18 5 1932
19 5 1932 24 7 1934
25 7 1934 20 3 1935
20 3 1935 2 4 1935
2 4 1935 1 4 1938
22 4 1938 13 9 1943
14 9 1943 17 9 1943
18 9 1943 20.11.1945
21.11.1945 19.11.1947
20.11.1947 26 6 1950
27 6 1950 12.12.1951
12.12.1951 1 9 1964 Senior Counsel to the Attorney-General.
Appointed Chief Justice of Victoria
2 9 1964 4 9 1974
5 9 1974 15 8 1982 Appointed Justice of the High Court of Australia
16 9 1982
Later appointed to the Federal Court of Australia
8 7 2003 1 9 2010 Appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal
1 4 2011 10 3 2015 Appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal
10 6 2015 28.11.2017 Appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal
28.11.201710.05.2021 Appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal
10.05.202117 April 2024Appointed Judge of the Court of Appeal
Alistair Pound 23 April 2024