The Attorney-General, politics and logistics - a fork in the road?

The appointment of recent Attorneys-General for England and Wales has occasioned much comment about their experience. This article considers whether, following the transmogrification of the Lord Chancellorship over a decade ago, the backgrounds and activities of recent leaders of the Attorney-General’s Office suggest the time is now right for similar changes to the law officers’ roles. In doing so, it presents a range of original data on aspects of the role and on characteristics of Attorneys-General which suggests unless self-restraint is exercised (by the Prime Minister and the post-holders) we may ineluctably be on the path to reform.