Definition

Noun: A counsel to the crown is a senior barrister in the United Kingdom who is formally appointed to provide legal advice and representation to the reigning monarch (the Crown) and, by extension, to the government in certain matters. This is a specific legal office within the British system.

Usage

The term is used as a formal title for a specific legal role. It is typically capitalized when referring to the official position. * The Attorney General appointed a new Counsel to the Crown. * As Counsel to the Crown, her primary duty is to advise on matters of constitutional law. * The case was handled by the Counsel to the Crown.

Advanced Usage

• The role of Counsel to the Crown is distinct from that of the Attorney General or the Solicitor General, though they may work closely together on government legal affairs.
• In historical contexts, the term underscores the principle that the monarch acts on legal advice, separating the personal will of the sovereign from the official actions of the Crown.

Variants and Related Words

• King's Counsel (KC) / Queen's Counsel (QC): A senior barrister or advocate appointed by the monarch. While a Counsel to the Crown holds a specific government advisory role, a KC/QC is a broader honorific title for an eminent lawyer, who may or may not hold the specific office of Counsel to the Crown.
• Treasury Counsel: A similar role of barristers who prosecute on behalf of the Crown in criminal cases, often at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey).
• Crown Prosecutor: A lawyer who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state (the Crown). This is a more general term, especially used in other Commonwealth countries like Canada.

Synonyms

• Crown Counsel (used in some Commonwealth jurisdictions)
• Government Barrister (a more general descriptive term)
• Law Officer (a broader term that can include this role)

Related Phrases

• To take silk: An idiom meaning to become a King's or Queen's Counsel (KC/QC), referring to the silk gown they wear. A Counsel to the Crown is typically a barrister who has "taken silk."
• Acting on behalf of the Crown: A phrase describing the core function of this role, representing the state in legal proceedings.

Noun

1. a barrister selected to serve as counsel to the British ruler