Today (1 October) is the opening of the legal year in England and Wales, which was marked with a centuries-old traditional ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
Treasury Solicitor Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon) and the department’s Directors General Mel Nebhrajani CB, Sarah Goom, and Caroline Croft, joined Attorney General Lord Hermer KC, and Solicitor General Ellie Reeves MP for the service.
The legal year is divided into four terms, beginning with the Michaelmas term, and is marked with a ceremony at Westminster Abbey, which has maintained much of its historical elements including prayers for guidance.
This year, before the service, the Lord Chancellor and Solicitor General were sworn in at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Lady Chief Justice’s court, with addresses from the Bench, Bar, and Law Society.
Susanna McGibbon KC (Hon), Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary of the Government Legal Department, said:
This new year brings fresh opportunities to strengthen the partnership between government and the profession, building on our shared commitment to justice and excellence.
Today’s event is a good time to celebrate the role of government lawyers in supporting the priorities of the government of the day through developing legislation, negotiating international agreements and conducting litigation in the highest courts of the land.
The Government Legal Department is the principal legal adviser to the government of the day, helping the government to govern well, within the rule of law.
