Teams
The Law Officers’ Department provides advice to the Government, States Assembly, Crown, assists overseas law enforcement agencies and is the prosecution service for the Island.
The Attorney General has overall responsibility for the Department and is titular head of the Honorary Police.
The Solicitor General deputises for the Attorney General and gives advice on his own account.
The Law Officers’ Department consists of the Civil Division and the Criminal Division supported by a small Administration team.
A Director manages each division. The Civil Division is divided into four teams; Advice; Commercial and Contentious; Safeguarding; and Property.
The Advice team provides advice regarding the following: constitutional matters, external relations, international treaties (including bilateral treaties negotiations under entrustment), trade, fisheries, customs and immigration, EU Law, UK and international sanctions, civil aviation, elections, licensing, parish matters, fidéicommis and incorporated association applications, statutory interpretation, extension of UK legislation to Jersey, drafting of Orders in Council, legislation projects, human rights, penalty reviews of draft legislation, drafting of Royal Assent memoranda, customary and general public law advice.
The Commercial and Contentious team provides advice in respect of contracts and contractual disputes, employment and discrimination claims, data protection and freedom of information, planning, personal injury claims, tax, general civil litigation and applications for judicial review.
The Safeguarding team provides advice to the Children’s Service about the care and protection of children in the Island, and deals with applications for public law orders in relation to children. The team also provides advice to mental health services in relation to vulnerable adults and those who lack mental capacity. The team also assists the Attorney General in carrying out his functions as designated Central Authority under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
The Property team advise on all property related matters and deal with conveyancing work on behalf of the Public of the Island and the Crown.
The Criminal Division is divided into three teams: the Criminal Courts team (CCT); the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit (ECCU); and the Mutual Legal Assistance team (MLA).
The Criminal Courts team undertakes criminal prosecutions before the Magistrate’s and Youth Courts, the Royal Court and Court of Appeal (Criminal Division). The team provides advice and direction to the States of Jersey Police, the Honorary Police, Customs, and numerous Government regulatory departments in addition to conducting the advocacy in subsequent prosecutions.
The Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit is a multidisciplinary team of specialist legal advisers and investigators responsible for conducting complex investigations into allegations of transnational money laundering, corruption and terrorism financing. The team is also responsible for civil asset forfeiture and leading criminal investigations into alleged breaches of sanctions legislation. ECCU ensures that Jersey remains at the forefront of the fight against serious financial crime and demonstrates the Island’s capacity to detect and deter illicit financial activities.
The Mutual Legal Assistance team handles incoming and outgoing international requests for assistance on behalf of the Attorney General, who is the Central Authority for Jersey in matters related to Mutual Legal Assistance. Requests include assistance in relation to evidence for criminal proceedings and non-conviction-based asset recovery; restraint of assets; registration and enforcement of external asset recovery orders; extradition of criminal suspects to and from Jersey; and negotiation of asset sharing agreements between Jersey and its international partners.
The Operations team supports the Law Officers and legal staff, in order that the functions of the Law Officers can be carried out efficiently and effectively and in line with the Public Finances Manual and Codes of Practice.