Profile

The Crown Law Office was formed to provide legal and administrative support to the Solicitor-General. Its work was mainly advisory, although it did include the drafting of legislation until a separate Law Drafting Office was formed in 1907. Following the appointment of Mr John W Salmond as Solicitor-General in 1910, all Crown legal work and the conduct of criminal prosecutions in Wellington became the responsibility of the Office. The Law Drafting Office ceased to be the responsibility of the Solicitor-General in 1920 when it was given statutory recognition and became what is now known as the Parliamentary Counsel Office.