Her Majesty's Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh in Scots Gaelic), was the chief legal adviser of the United Kingdom Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters until the passing of the Scotland Act 1998. Under the Scotland Act 1998 he is now a member of the Scottish Executive and advises the Crown and the Scottish Executive on legal matters which fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament. The office is one of the Great Offices of State in Scotland.

The United Kingdom Government is now advised on Scots law by an Advocate General for Scotland.

Unlike the Attorney General for England and Wales, the Lord Advocate is not head of the Scottish Bar : that position is held by the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.

In addition to his advisory role, the Lord Advocate along with the Solicitor General for Scotland head up the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) which together constitute the Criminal Prosecution Service in Scotland.

Lord Advocates

• John Ross: 1483 - 1494
• James Henderson : 1494 - 1503
• Richard Lawson : 1503 - 1521
• James Wishart : 1521 - 1525
• Adam Otterburn : 1525 - 1527
• John Foulis and Adam Otterburn: 1527 - 1533
• Adam Otterburn and Henry Lauder : 1533
• Henry Balnavis : temp. Mary I
• Thomas Cummin
• John Spence : 1561
• Robert Crichton
• David Brothwick: 1573 - 1582
• David MacGill: 1582 - 1589
• John Skene: 1589 - 1594
• William Hart: 1594
• Andrew Logie: 1594 - 1595
• Sir Thomas Hamilton : 1595
• David MacGill
• Sir Thomas Hamilton
• Sir William Oliphant : 1612 - 1626
• Thomas Hope: 1626 - 1641
• Sir Archibald Johnston
• Sir Thomas Nicholson
• Sir Archibald Primrose : 1659 - 1661
• Sir John Fletcher
• Sir John Nisbet
• Sir George Mackenzie
• John Dalrymple: 1687
• Sir George Mackenzie : 1687 - 1689
• Sir William James Stewart: 1689 - 1709
• Sir David Dalrymple: 1709 - 1720
• Robert Dundas : 1720 - 1725
• Duncan Forbes: 1725 - 1737
• Charles Erskine : 1737 - 1742
• Robert Craigie: 1742 - 1746
• William Grant : 1746 - 1754
• Robert Dundas : 1754 - 1760
• Thomas Miller: 1760 - 1766
• James Montgomery: 1766 - 1775
• Henry Dundas: 1775 - 1783
• The Hon. Henry Erskine: 1783 - 1784
• Ilay Campbell : 1784 - 1789
• Robert Dundas: 1789 - 1801
• Charles Hope: 1801 - 1804
• Sir James Montgomery : 1804 - 1806
• The Hon. Henry Erskine: 1806 - 1807
• Archibald Colquhoun: 1807 - 1816
• Alexander Maconochie : 1816 - 1819
• Sir William Rae : 1819 - 1830
• F. Jeffrey: December 1830 - May 1834
• J. Murray: May - November 1834
• Sir W. Rae: December 1834 - April 1835
• J. Murray: April 1835 - April 1839
• A. Rutherfurd: April 1839 - September 1841
• Sir W. Rae: September 1841 - October 1842
• D. McNeill: October 1842 - July 1846
• A. Rutherfurd: July 1846 - April 1851
• J. Moncrieff: April 1851 - February 1852
• A. Anderson: February - May 1852
• J. Inglis: May - December 1852
• J. Moncrieff: December 1852 - March 1858
• J. Inglis: March - July 1858
• C. Baillie: July 1858 - April 1859
• D. Mure: April - June 1859
• J. Moncrieff: June 1859 - July 1866
• G. Patton: July 1866 - February 1867
• E. Gordon: February 1867 - December 1868
• J. Moncrieff: December 1868 - October 1869
• G. Young: October 1869 - February 1874
• E. Gordon: February - July 1874
• W. Watson: July 1874 - April 1880
• J. McLaren: May 1880 - August 1881
• Sir John Blair Balfour: August 1881 - July 1885
• J. H. Macdonald: July 1885 - February 1886
• Sir John Blair Balfour: February - August 1886
• J. H. Macdonald: August 1886 - October 1888
• J. P. Robertson: October 1888 - August 1891
• Sir C. J. Pearson: October 1891 - August 1892
• Sir John Blair Balfour: August 1892 - July 1895
• Sir C. J. Pearson: July 1895 - May 1896
• A. G. Murray: May 1896 - October 1903
• C. S. Dickson: October 1903 - December 1905
• Thomas Shaw: 1905 - 1909
• Alexander Ure: 1909 - 1913
• Robert Munro: 1913 - 1916
• James Clyde: 1919 - 1920
• Thomas Morison: 1920 - 1922
• C. Murray: 1920 - 1922
• William Watson: 1922 - 1924
• Hugh MacMillan: 1924
• William Watson: 1924 - 1929
• A. MacRobert: 1929
• Craigie Mason Aitchison: 1929 - 1933

incomplete

• Norman Wylie Murray : 1970 - 1974
• Ronald King Murray : 1974 - 1979
• James Mackay, Lord Mackay of Clashfern: 1979 - 1987
• Kenneth Cameron, Lord Cameron of Lochbroom : 1987 - 1989
• Peter Fraser, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie: 1989 - 1992
• Alan Rodger, Lord Rodger of Earlsferry : 1992 - 1995
• Donald Mackay, Lord Mackay of Drumadoon: 1995 - 1997
• Andrew Hardie, Lord Hardie : 1997 - 2001
• Colin Boyd: 2001 - Present

See also

Law Officers of the Crown