View source for Solicitor General for New South Wales

{{short description|Second law officer for the state of New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox Political post
|post            = Solicitor General for New South Wales
|body            = 
|insignia        = Coat of Arms of New South Wales.svg
|department      = [[Department of Justice (New South Wales)|Department of Justice]]
|image           = 
|alt             = 
|incumbent       = [[Michael Sexton (lawyer)|Michael Sexton]] [[Senior Counsel|SC]]
|incumbentsince  = February 1998
|style           = 
|residence       =
|nominator       = 
|appointer       = [[Governor of New South Wales]]
|termlength      = 10 years
|inaugural       = [[John Stephen (New South Wales judge)|John Stephen]]
|formation       = 8 August 1824
|last            =
|abolished       =
|succession      = 
|deputy          = 
|salary          = 
|website         = [http://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/ NSW Department of Justice]
}}
'''Solicitor General for New South Wales''', known informally as the '''Solicitor General''', is one of the [[Law Officers of the Crown]], and the deputy of the [[Attorney General of New South Wales|Attorney General]].  They can exercise the powers of the Attorney General in the Attorney General's absence. The Solicitor General acts alongside the [[Crown Advocate]], and [[Crown Solicitor's Office (New South Wales)|Crown Solicitor]], and serves as one of the legal and constitutional advisers of the [[Government of New South Wales|Crown and its government]] in the Australian state of [[New South Wales]].

The Solicitor General is addressed in court as "Mr Solicitor" or "Ms Solicitor". Despite the title, the position is usually held by a [[barrister]], and since 1925 has been a [[King's Counsel|King or Queen's Counsel]] or [[Senior Counsel]]. Previously a political appointment like the Attorney General is today, it has been separate from parliament since 1922  and since 1969 the Solicitor General has been a statutory office connected with the [[Department of Justice (New South Wales)|Department of Justice]].

==Modern office and function==
The Solicitor General operates under the provisions of the ''Solicitor General Act 1969''.<ref name=SGA/> The retirement age is set at 75.<ref name=SGA>{{cite Legislation AU|NSW|act|sga1969187|Solicitor General Act 1969|2}} Appointment of Solicitor General.</ref> The Solicitor General acts as Counsel for the Crown in the [[High Court of Australia]] and other courts, and advises the Attorney General on civil and criminal matters, including issues of constitutional law.<ref>{{cite web|title=Solicitor General|url=http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/agencies/1936|website=NSW State Records|publisher=NSW Government|access-date=19 September 2015}}</ref> Until 1987, the Solicitor General had the power to initiate Crown appeals at the [[New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal|Court of Criminal Appeal]] in NSW, it then became the responsibility of the [[Director of Public Prosecutions (New South Wales)|Director of Public Prosecutions]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nader QC|first1=John|title=The failed art of sentencing offenders|url=http://www.nswbar.asn.au/docs/webdocs/BN03_2011.pdf|website=Bar News|publisher=NSW Bar Association|access-date=19 September 2015|date=2011}}</ref>

While [[John Plunkett]] was the first NSW Barrister to be appointed a [[Queen's Counsel]], this was on 6 June 1856 after he had retired as Attorney General.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115562618 |title=Mr Plunkett's retirement from office |newspaper=[[The Freeman's Journal (Sydney)|Freeman's Journal]] |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 June 1856 |access-date=30 January 2019 |page=2 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NSW silk appointments |url=https://www.nswbar.asn.au/the-bar-association/nsw-silk-appointments |website=NSW Bar Association |access-date=30 January 2019}}</ref> The first person who was a Queen's Counsel at the time of his appointment as Solicitor General was [[John Hargrave (judge)|John Hargrave]] {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}. [[Cecil Edward Weigall|Cecil Weigall]] was appointed Solicitor General in 1922 and appointed King's Counsel in 1925. [[Harold Snelling]] {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}} was a Queen's Counsel at the time of his appointment.

==History==
=== Colonial official ===
The office of Solicitor General was created in 1824 following the inquiry by [[John Bigge]] between 1819 and 1821 into the colonies of NSW and Van Diemen's Land.<ref>{{cite book |last1=John Thomas |first1=Bigge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9rFbAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA3-PA58 |title=Report of the Commissioner of Inquiry on the judicial establishments of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land |work=House of Lords Sessional papers 1801-1833 |year=1823 |ref=CITEREFBigge 2nd Report (1923) |author-link=John Bigge}}</ref> Bigge's 1823 report on judicial establishments recommended the appointment of a barrister as attorney-general. Bigge set out the primary duty of the attorney-general as being the preparation of [[indictment]]s and [[Information (formal criminal charge)|informations]] and prosecuting them in court. The attorney-general would have discretion whether or not to charge a person.{{sfn|Bigge 2nd Report (1923)|p=58}} Bigge did not directly recommend the appointment of a solicitor-general, but rather that two English barristers should be encouraged to practice in the colony.{{sfn|Bigge 2nd Report (1923)|p=61}}

[[John Stephen (New South Wales judge)|John Stephen]] was appointed as the first Solicitor-General in August 1824, six months after the appointment of the first Attorney-General, [[Saxe Bannister]]. Stephen's role was to assist the Attorney-General as required and cover any absence of the Attorney-General.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historical records of Australia : Despatches to and from Sir Thomas Brisbane January 1823 to November 1825 | year=1917 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00v11aust |pages=198–199 |volume=XI }}</ref><ref name="Appleby 2012">{{cite web |last1=Appleby |first1=G |date=28 September 2012 |title=The Constitutional Role of the Solicitor-General |url=https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/80112/8/02whole.pdf |access-date=21 January 2019}}</ref> The duties allocated to Bannister formalised the proposals of Bigge. In addition to the preparation and prosecution of criminal charges, Bannister's duties included acting for the Crown in civil matters, overseeing the preparation of Crown land grants, giving legal advice to the Governor and Government departments and drafting acts, proclamations and Government Orders.<ref name="Bannister ADB">{{Cite AuDB|last=Currey|first=C H|year=1966|id2=bannister-saxe-1738|title=Bannister, Saxe (1790–1877)|access-date=23 February 2019}}</ref> The Attorney-General was also considered to have the common law duties and powers exercisable by British Law Officer.<ref name="Appleby 2012" /><ref>{{cite web | title=Historical records of Australia : Despatches to and from Sir Thomas Brisbane January 1823 to November 1825 | year=1917 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00v11aust |volume=XI |pages=883–884  }}</ref> The Attorney-General was not appointed to determine small claims, and instead that role that was given to Stephen and in a separate capacity as Commissioner of the Courts of Request.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historical records of Australia : Despatches to and from Sir Thomas Brisbane January 1823 to November 1825 | year=1917 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00v11aust |volume=XI |pages=197–198  }}</ref> Bannister's salary was £1,200 a year.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historical records of Australia : Despatches to and from Sir Thomas Brisbane January 1823 to November 1825 | year=1917 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00v11aust |volume=XI |pages=140–141  }}</ref> Stephen received no salary as Solicitor-General,<ref>{{cite web | title=Historical records of Australia : Despatches to and from Sir Thomas Brisbane January 1823 to November 1825 | year=1917 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00v11aust |volume=XI |pages=198–199  }}</ref> and a salary of £600 a year as Commissioner of the Courts of Request, raised to £800 within a year.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historical records of Australia : Despatches to and from Sir Thomas Brisbane January 1823 to November 1825 | year=1917 |url=https://archive.org/details/historicalrecord00v11aust |volume=XI |page=486 }}</ref><ref name="Appleby 2012" /> The name "Solicitor-General" is taken from the title of the deputy of the [[Attorney-General for England and Wales]], first appointed in 1461, with the name "solicitor general" becoming standard from 1536. Whereas the New South Wales position was initially filled by a barrister who was not a parliamentarian (until 1851), the British position is by convention filled by a member of parliament.<ref>Alexander Home, [https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN04485/SN04485.pdf The Law Officers], House of Commons Library research briefing</ref>

One of the first cases in which Stephen argued as Solicitor-General,<ref>Stephen was present in court in {{cite AustLII|NSWSupC|17|1824|litigants=Division of the Profession (Bar Monopoly Case)|courtname=[[Supreme Court of New South Wales|Supreme Court]] (NSW)|date=14 September 1824}}, however there is no record of him presenting any argument in the matter.</ref> saw him appearing for the Magistrates of Sydney in opposition to the Attorney-General concerning trial by jury.<ref name="R v Magistrates"/> [[D'Arcy Wentworth]] was one of the leaders of an 1819 petition seeking both trial by jury and the establishment of representative government.<ref name="D Wentworth ADB">{{Cite AuDB|last=Auchmuty|first=J J|id2=wentworth-darcy-1545|title=Wentworth, D'Arcy (1762–1827)|access-date=23 February 2019}}</ref> Bigge had recommended against trial by a civilian jury,{{sfn|Bigge 2nd Report (1923)|p=53}} and the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] had narrowly defeated a proposal that juries be introduced for criminal trials, prior to passing the ''[[New South Wales Act 1823]]'' which prescribed military juries for criminal trials before the Supreme Court. Bannister advised Governor Brisbane that the establishment of a Court of Quarter Sessions required the same composition as in England, including a civilian jury. Stephens disagreed in a written advice to Wentworth who was one of the Magistrates. Castles describes the case that followed as a fabricated cause, set in train by Wentworth, in which the Attorney-General sought an order requiring the magistrates to assemble juries.<ref name="Castles 1975">{{cite web |last1=Castles |first1=Alex C |title=The Judiciary and Political Questions: The First Australian Experience, 1824-1825 |url=https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AdelLawRw/1975/11.pdf}} (1975) 5(3) [[Adelaide Law Review]] 294.</ref> [[Chief Justice of New South Wales|Chief Justice]] [[Francis Forbes|Forbes]] held that civilian juries were required for Court of Quarter Sessions.<ref name="R v Magistrates">{{cite AustLII|NSWSupC|20|1824|litigants=R v Magistrates of Sydney|parallelcite=[1824] {{abbr|NSWKR|New South Wales Kercher Reports}} 3 |date=14 October 1824 |courtname=[[Supreme Court of New South Wales|Supreme Court]] (NSW)}}</ref>

In 1828 there was a dispute between [[Alexander Baxter]] and John Sampson as to their respective duties. Governor [[Ralph Darling|Darling]] resolved the dispute by making the Attorney General primarily responsible for criminal prosecutions and drafting legislation, while the Solicitor General was primarily responsible for civil matters.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Watson |first1=Frederick |title=Historical records of Australia |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-480563623 |access-date=2 September 2022 |last2=Chapman |first2=Peter |via=Trove}}
</ref>

While a [[New South Wales Legislative Council|Legislative Council]] was created in 1823 in which all members were appointed, the Attorney-General was not one of the appointed members of the Council until 1829 when Alexander Baxter was appointed.<ref>{{cite news |date=16 July 1829 |title=Proclamation: appointment of Legislative Council |page=1 |newspaper=[[The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser]] |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2192907 |access-date=23 February 2019 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> When John Plunkett was promoted to Attorney General in 1836, cost cutting measures meant he was not replaced as Solicitor General. [[Roger Therry]] was often Plunkett's [[Junior counsel|junior]], including in the [[Myall Creek massacre]] trials,<ref name="T1">{{cite AustLII|NSWSupC|105|1838|litigants=R v Kilmeister (No 1)}}.</ref><ref>{{cite AustLII|NSWSupC|110|1838|litigants=R v Kilmeister (No 2)}}.</ref> although he was never appointed to the role of Solicitor General. The absence of Plunkett from 1841 resulted in Therry being appointed acting Attorney General and [[William à Beckett]] as acting Solicitor General.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 March 1841 |title=Temporary appointments |page=405 |newspaper=[[New South Wales Government Gazette]] |issue=23 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230106656 |access-date=2 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> [[William Montagu Manning|William Manning]] was the first Solicitor-General to be appointed to the Legislative Council in February 1851.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |date=28 February 1851 |title=Proclamation |page=363 |newspaper=[[New South Wales Government Gazette]] |issue=23 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230691882 |access-date=6 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref>

=== Political office ===
[[History of New South Wales#Self-government and democracy|Representative government]] was introduced in New South Wales in 1856 and the Solicitor General became an official member of the government, one of 5 offices of profit under the Crown that were permitted to be held by a member of the Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|NSW|num_act|nca1853n41254|New Constitution Act 1853}} s20 "Any person holding any office of profit under the Crown or having a pension from the Crown during pleasure or for term of years shall be incapable of being elected or of sitting or voting as a Member of the Legislative Assembly unless he be one of the following Official Members of the Government that is to say the Colonial Secretary Colonial Treasurer Auditor General Attorney General and Solicitor General".</ref> In addition to the work in and out of court, the Solicitor-General took on additional legislative and administrative responsibilities, including representing the government in debates on legal matters and drafting bills.<ref name="Mason 1988" /> While there were two legal officers in the ministry, there was however only one portfolio, the law officers of the crown, with the Attorney General and Solicitor General jointly responsible for its administration.<ref>{{cite news |date=9 October 1856 |title=Administrative Arrangements |page=2662 |newspaper=[[New South Wales Government Gazette]] |issue=155 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228768918 |access-date=6 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref>

In 1873 the Attorney General [[Edward Butler (Australian politician)|Edward Butler]] resigned and the Solicitor General [[Joseph Innes]] was promoted to first law officer. Innes was not however replaced as Solicitor General. Instead the Premier [[Henry Parkes]] appointed a solicitor, [[George Wigram Allen|George Allen]], to the new  [[Minister of Justice and Public Instruction (New South Wales)|Ministry of Justice and Public Instruction]] whose responsibilities included the administration of the courts, sheriff and coroner.<ref name="PFO-52">{{cite web |title=PFO-5 Justice and Public Instruction |url=https://records-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1ebnd1l/PORTFOLIO4 |access-date=2020-12-29 |publisher=NSW State Records & Archives}}</ref> In 1884 the constitution was amended to remove the dormant office of Solicitor General from the list of paid ministerial offices that could be held by a member of the Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|NSW|num_act|nca1853n41254|Constitution Act Amendment Act of 1884}}.</ref>

The [[Minister for Justice (New South Wales)|Minister of Justice]], [[Richard Edward O'Connor|Richard O'Connor]] was temporarily appointed Solicitor General in 1893 to allow him to deputise for the Attorney General while [[Edmund Barton]] was visiting Canada.<ref name="Appleby">{{cite book |last=Appleby |first=G |title=Role of the Solicitor-General |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2016 |isbn=9781509903962 |page=73}}</ref> Similarly [[George Reid]] was temporarily appointed to the role so that he could deputise for [[Jack Want]] while he was away from the colony.<ref name="Appleby" /> This overcame the constitutional limitation that the Attorney General's prerogative powers as first law officer could not be delegated to another minister.<ref name="Mason 2019">{{cite book |last1=Mason |first1=K |title=Public Sentinels: A Comparative Study of Australian Solicitors-General |date=2019 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317073338 |editor-last=Keyzer |editor-first=Patrick |chapter=Ch 1 Aspects of the History of the Solicitor-General in Australia |access-date=19 January 2019 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xUoGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA26}}</ref>

In October 1900 the Secretary of the Attorney-General's department, Hugh Pollock, was appointed to the role.<ref>{{cite news |date=5 October 1900 |title=Appointment of Hugh Pollock as Solicitor General |page=7885 |newspaper=[[New South Wales Government Gazette]] |issue=947 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224603806 |access-date=6 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> This does not appear to have been controversial at the time with [[The Evening News (Sydney)|The Evening News]] describing the appointment as purely a formal one.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 October 1900 |title=Solicitor General: Mr H Pollock appointed |page=6 |newspaper=[[The Evening News (Sydney)|The Evening News]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article114011720 |access-date=6 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> Pollock was again appointed in July 1901,<ref name="Pollock appt">{{cite news |date=31 July 1901 |title=Appointment H Pollock as Solicitor General |page=5929 |newspaper=[[Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales]] |issue=650 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222063995 |access-date=6 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> however on this occasion the appointment was controversial because

* Pollock was a public servant, not a member of parliament and not responsible to parliament;
* While Pollock had been called to the bar in 1890,<ref name="1901 Almanac">{{citation |title=NSW law Almanac 1901 |url=http://www.lawalmanacs.info/almanacs/nsw-law-almanac-1901.pdf}}</ref> he had not practised as a barrister and his appointment as the second law officer saw the law almanac list him as second in seniority behind the Attorney General;<ref name="Mason 2019" /><ref name="1902 Almanac">{{citation |title=NSW law Almanac 1902 |url=http://www.lawalmanacs.info/almanacs/nsw-law-almanac-1902.pdf |page=38}}</ref>
* The appointment was at the Governor's pleasure such that the role did not fall with the fall of the government, nor could he be removed from the role by the legislative assembly.<ref>{{cite news |date=30 August 1901 |title=The Solicitor-General - Mr Pollock's appointment: its legality questioned |page=6 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237268389 |access-date=6 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref>

Pollock resigned in October 1904 and was appointed a Crown Prosecutor.<ref name="Pollock resign">{{Gazette NSW|url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article226490656|title=Resignation of Solicitor General|issue=564|date=14 October 1904|access-date=14 July 2021|page=7735|via=Trove}}</ref>

The role was again revived in December 1909 in the [[Wade ministry]]. [[Charles Wade]] was initially appointed [[Premier of New South Wales|Premier]], [[Attorney General of New South Wales|Attorney General]] and [[Minister of Justice (New South Wales)|Minister of Justice]], however 2 months later [[John Garland (Australian politician)|John Garland]] was appointed to the justice portfolio and as Solicitor General to enable him to assist the Attorney General. Garland was appointed [[King's Counsel]] during his term in office.<ref>{{cite web |title=NSW silk appointments |url=https://nswbar.asn.au/the-bar-association/bar-history/nsw-senior-counsel-appointments |access-date=2021-07-20 |website=NSW Bar Association}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Commission as King's Counsel |url=https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/digitalcontent.aspx?id=NRS302_333_a127_10_42918_[08]_00012 |access-date=2021-07-20 |via=NSW State Records & Archives}}</ref> Five months into the [[McGowen ministry|McGowan ministry]] a second public servant, Walter Bevan was appointed to the role.<ref name=":1" /> Bevan had been a crown prosecutor for more than 20 years and unlike Pollock, his appointment does not appear to have been controversial, with opposition [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]] [[Augustus James|Gus James]] describing Bevan as a satisfactory man, well skilled in criminal law.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |date=4 April 1912 |title=The new minister for Justice |page=2 |newspaper=[[Wagga Wagga Express]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article145388103 |accessdate=8 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> In addition to his principle role in conducting litigation,<ref>{{cite news |date=26 January 1912 |title=Central Criminal court: Glebe murder trial |page=3 |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15305142 |accessdate=7 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> Bevan was appointed to provide legal advice to the members of the Legislative Council.<ref>{{cite news |date=3 June 1911 |title=Legal advisor for the Upper House |page=14 |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article15239915 |accessdate=7 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> [[David Hall (Australian politician)|David Hall]] was appointed Minister of Justice in April 1912 and it was initially intended that Bevan would retain his role as Solicitor General.<ref name=":3" /> Two days later however Hall was appointed to replace Bevan in the role.<ref name=":4" /> The role became dormant again in the [[Holman ministry (1913–1916)|first Holman ministry]] when Hall replaced [[William Holman|Holman]] as Attorney General. Holman was briefly appointed to the role in 1915 to deputise for Hall.<ref name="Mason 2019" />

The role was revived as a political office in the [[Holman ministry (1916–1920)|Holman Nationalist ministry]], held in conjunction with the portfolio of Justice and as a separate portfolio in the [[Storey ministry|Storey]], [[Dooley ministry (1921)|first]] and [[Dooley ministry (1921–1922)|second Dooley]] ministries, before being abolished as a political office in the [[Fuller ministry (1922–1925)|Fuller ministry]] in 1922.

=== Public servant ===
In 1922 the Attorney General [[Thomas Bavin]] was planning to take holidays and Cecil Weigall, the Assistant Law Officer and Crown Prosecutor in the Attorney General's department, was appointed Solicitor General to perform routine statutory duties that would otherwise need to be performed by the Attorney General.<ref>{{cite news |date=22 November 1922 |title=Mr. C. E. Weigall |page=13 |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16051660 |accessdate=8 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref> Weigall was appointed aged {{age in years|1870|3|28|1922|12|27}} and went on to serve for more than 30 years,<ref name=":5">{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|author=Mason, Keith|author-link=Keith Mason (judge)|title=Weigall, Cecil Edward (1870–1955)|id2=weigall-cecil-edward-9035|access-date=20 September 2015}}</ref> predominantly appearing in criminal prosecutions and appeals. When Weigall retired in 1953 Harold Snelling {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}} was appointed to replace him. Snelling's experience was in [[Civil law (common law)|civil law]] rather than criminal, particularly in crown fiscal matters, representing the state in the Supreme Court, High Court and [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite BAILII|litigants=Freightlines and Construction Holding Ltd v New South Wales|court=UKPC|year=1967|date=10 April 1967|parallelcite=(1967) 116 [[Commonwealth Law Reports|CLR]] 1|format=1|courtname=[[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]] (NSW)|num=10}}</ref> A significant change during the tenure of Snelling was the passage of the ''Solicitor General Act'' 1969,<ref>{{Cite Legislation AU|NSW|num_act|sga1969n80214|Solicitor General Act 1969 No 80}}</ref> which converted the role from a public servant to a statutory office.<ref name="Mason 1988" />

=== Statutory office ===
The purpose of making the role a statutory office was to formalise the manner in which the role had been performed since 1922 and to permit the Attorney General to delegate functions and for the Solicitor General to act in the absence of the Attorney General. The bill was not controversial and was supported by the opposition.<ref name="Pearce2">{{Cite Hansard|title=Solicitor General Bill|jurisdiction=New South Wales|house=Legislative Assembly|date=1 October 1969|url=https://api.parliament.nsw.gov.au/api/hansard/search/daily/searchablepdf/HANSARD-290296563-272|speaker=Ken McCaw|speaker-link=Ken McCaw|pages=1475-1481}}</ref><ref name="Pearce">{{Cite Hansard|title=Solicitor General Bill|jurisdiction=New South Wales|house=Legislative Council|date=18 November 1969|url=https://api.parliament.nsw.gov.au/api/hansard/search/daily/searchablepdf/HANSARD-290296563-1636|speaker=John Fuller|speaker-link=John Fuller (Australian politician)|pages=2681-2687}}</ref> The act had a number of qualifications to the appointment, including that the person must not be a [[Minister of the Crown]]. Initially the person was required to be a Queen's Counsel,<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|NSW|num_act|sga1969n80214|Solicitor General Act 1969}} s 2.</ref> however this was removed in 1993 when the appointment of Queen's Counsel was abolished in NSW and instead the person must be "''an Australian lawyer of at least 7 years’ standing''".<ref>{{cite Legislation AU|NSW|num_act|lpra1993n87275|Legal Profession Reform Act 1993}} Schedule 1 (abolition of Queen's Counsel) and Schedule 5 (amendment of the ''Solicitor General Act'' 1969).</ref> Both appointments since 1993 have been [[Senior counsel|Senior Counsel]]. The retirement age was initially 70, increased to 72 and is currently 75.<ref name="SGA" />

==Office-holders==
===Solicitors General, 1824–1922===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! class="unsortable"|Image
! Solicitor General
! colspan="2" | Status
! Ministry
! Term start
! Term end
! Time in office
! class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
| 1
| [[File:John Stephen FL1865393.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Stephen|dab=New South Wales judge}}
	| rowspan="6"|&nbsp;
	| rowspan="6"| Government official, not a member of<br>[[New South Wales Legislative Council#History|Legislative Council]]
	| rowspan="6" | Prior to responsible<br>government
	| align="center" | 11 August 1824
	| align="center" | 17 August 1825
	| align=right | {{ayd|11 August 1824|17 August 1825}}
| <ref name="Stephen ADB">{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Currey |first=CH |title=Stephen, John (1771–1833) |id2=stephen-john-1292 |access-date=19 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2183128 |title=John Stephen Esq appointed Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser]] |date=12 August 1824 |access-date=19 January 2019 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37073146 |title=John Stephen Esq appointed additional judge of the Supreme Court |newspaper=[[The Australian (1824 newspaper)|The Australian]] |date=18 August 1825 |access-date=19 January 2019 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 
|  [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|James|Holland|nolink=1}}
	| colspan="3" data-sort-value="1 January 1826"| Appointed in 1826 but never sworn in.
	| <ref name="Mason 1988">{{citation |first=K |last=Mason |title=The Office of Solicitor General for New South Wales |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/NSWBarAssocNews/1988/8.pdf}} (1988 Autumn) Bar News: Journal of the NSW Bar Association 22.</ref>
|-
| 2
| [[File:Sir William Foster, Barrister at Law.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Foster|dab=New South Wales politician, born 1794}}
	| align="center" | 3 September 1827
	| align="center" | 1 April 1828
	| align=right | {{ayd|3 September 1827|1 April 1828}}
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2188908 |title=William Foster Esq. sworn in as Solicitor General |newspaper=[[The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser]] |date=3 September 1827 |access-date=19 January 2019 |page=2 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232997936 |title=Domestic intelligence |newspaper=Colonial Advocate, and Tasmanian Monthly Review and Register]] |date=1 April 1828 |access-date=19 January 2019 |page=52 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 3
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|John|Sampson|nolink=1}}
	| align="center" | 15 March 1828
	| align="center" | 27 October 1829
	| align=right | {{ayd|15 March 1828|27 October 1829}}
| <ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2190084 |title=John Sampson Esq appointed Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser]] |date=17 March 1828 |access-date=19 January 2019 |page=1 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2193717 |title=Sudden death of the Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser]] |date=29 October 1829 |access-date=19 January 2019 |page=2 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Edward|MacDowell|nolink=1}}
	| colspan="3" data-sort-value="1 January 1830" | Appointed in 1830 but failed to take up his duties promptly
	| <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref>{{Citation |last1=Watson |first1=Frederick |title=Historical records of Australia |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-482023709 |pages=373–374 |access-date=2 September 2022 |last2=Chapman |first2=Peter |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 4
| [[File:Portrait of Judge John Hubert Plunkett in robes and wig (7370284568) (cropped).jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Plunkett}}{{hsp}}{{efn|Plunkett was appointed to the Legislative Council on 19 April 1836 when he became Acting Attorney-General.<ref name="Plunket NSW parl">{{Cite NSW Parliament |name=Mr John Hubert Plunkett QC (1802-1869) |id=290 |former=Yes |access-date=19 April 2019}}</ref>}}
	| align="center" | 14 June 1832
	| align="center" | 16 September 1836
	| align=right | {{ayd|14 June 1832|16 September 1836}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| 5
| [[File:Sir William A'Beckett.jpg |100px]]
| {{sortname|William|à Beckett||Abeckett, William}}
	| rowspan="22" |&nbsp;
	| rowspan="3"| Government official, not a member of<br>[[New South Wales Legislative Council#History|Legislative Council]]
	| rowspan="4" |Prior to responsible<br>government
	| align="center" | 20 March 1841
	| align="center" | 30 August 1844
	| align=right | {{ayd|20 March 1841|30 August 1844}}
| <ref>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |author=Coppel, E. G. |title='à Beckett, Sir William (1806–1869) |id2=a-beckett-sir-william-2862 |access-date=20 September 2015 }}</ref>
|-
| 6
| [[File:SirWilliamMontaguManning.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Manning|William Montagu Manning}}
	| align="center" | 31 August 1844
	| align="center" | 11 January 1848
	| align=right | {{ayd|31 August 1844|11 January 1848}}
	| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| {{sort|6.1|(2)}}
| [[File:Sir William Foster, Barrister at Law.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Foster|dab=New South Wales politician, born 1794}}
	| align="center" | 12 January 1848
	| align="center" | 19 November 1849
	| align=right | {{ayd|12 January 1848|19 November 1849}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| {{sort|6.2|(6)}}
| [[File:SirWilliamMontaguManning.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Manning|William Montagu Manning}}
	| Government official, appointed [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]] from 1851, no party
	| align="center" | 20 November 1849
	| align="center" | 5 June 1856
	| align=right | {{ayd|20 November 1849|5 June 1856}}
| <ref name=":0" /><ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| 7
| [[File:Sir John Bayley Darvall.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Darvall}}
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| [[Donaldson ministry|Donaldson]]
	| align="center" | 6 June 1856
	| align="center" | 25 August 1856
	| align=right | {{ayd|6 June 1856|25 August 1856}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| 8
| [[File:Anon - Alfred James Lutwyche.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Alfred|Lutwyche}}
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], no party
	| [[Cowper ministry (1856)|Cowper (1)]]
	| align="center" | 12 September 1856
	| align="center" | 2 October 1856
	| align=right | {{ayd|12 September 1856|2 October 1856}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| {{sort|8.1|(7)}}
| [[File:Sir John Bayley Darvall.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Darvall}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| rowspan="2" |[[Parker ministry|Parker]]
	| align="center" | 3 October 1856
	| align="center" | 23 May 1857
	| align=right | {{ayd|3 October 1856|23 May 1857}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| 9
| [[File:Edward Wise.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Edward|Wise|dab=judge}}
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], no party
	| align="center" | 23 May 1857
	| align="center" | 7 September 1857
	| align=right | {{ayd|23 May 1857|7 September 1857}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| {{sort|9.1|(8)}}
| [[File:Anon - Alfred James Lutwyche.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Alfred|Lutwyche}}
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], no party
	| rowspan="3" |[[Cowper ministry (1857–1859)|Cowper (2)]]
	| align="center" | 7 September 1857
	| align="center" | 14 November 1858
	| align=right | {{ayd|7 September 1857|14 November 1858}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| 10
| [[File:William Bede Dalley (cropped).jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Dalley||William Bede Dalley}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| align="center" | 15 November 1858
	| align="center" | 11 February 1859
	| align=right | {{ayd|15 November 1858|11 February 1859}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| rowspan="4" | 11
| rowspan=4 | [[File:Mr Justice John Hargrave.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan="4" | {{sortname|John|Hargrave|dab=judge}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	| rowspan="4" | [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], no party
	| align="center" | 21 February 1859
	| align="center" | 26 October 1859
	| align=right rowspan=2 | {{ayd|21 February 1859|31 March 1860}}
	| rowspan="4" | <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| [[Forster ministry|Forster]]
	| align="center" | 3 November 1859
	| align="center" | 31 March 1860
|-
! colspan="4" class="sortbottom" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| [[Cowper ministry (1861–1863)|Cowper (3)]]
	| align="center" | 1 August 1863
	| align="center" | 15 October 1863
	| align=right | {{ayd|1 August 1863|15 October 1863}}
|-
| 12
| [[File:Mr Justice Peter Faucett.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Peter|Faucett}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| [[Martin ministry (1863–1865)|Martin (1)]]
	| align="center" | 16 October 1863
	| align="center" | 2 February 1865
	| align=right | {{ayd|16 October 1863|2 February 1865}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| {{sort|12.1|(11)}}
| [[File:Mr Justice John Hargrave.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Hargrave|dab=judge}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], no party
	| [[Cowper ministry (1865–1866)|Cowper (4)]]
	| align="center" | 3 February 1865
	| align="center" | 21 June 1865
	| align=right | {{ayd|3 February 1865|21 June 1865}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| 13
| [[File:Robert M. Isaacs 1814 - 1876.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Robert|Isaacs}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| [[Martin ministry (1866–1868)|Martin (2)]]
	| align="center" | 22 January 1866
	| align="center" | 26 October 1868
	| align=right | {{ayd|22 January 1866|26 October 1868}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| 14
| [[File:Mr Joshua Frey Josephson.jpg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Joshua|Josephson}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| rowspan="2" | [[Robertson ministry (1868–1870)|Robertson (2)]]
	| align="center" | 27 October 1868
	| align="center" | 9 September 1869
	| align=right | {{ayd|27 October 1868|9 September 1869}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
| rowspan="2" | 15
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Julian Salomons.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan="2" | {{sortname|Julian|Salomons}}
	| rowspan="2" | [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]],{{efn|Salomons was not appointed to the Legislative Council until 11 August 1870, 7 months after his appointment as Solicitor General.<ref name="Salomons ADB"/>}} no party
	| align="center" rowspan="2" | 18 December 1869
	| align="center" rowspan="2" | 15 December 1870
	| align=right rowspan="2" | {{ayd|18 December 1869|15 December 1870}}
| rowspan="2" | <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref name="Salomons ADB">{{Australian Dictionary of Biography |last=Edgar |first= Suzanne |last2= Nairn |first2= Bede |year=1972 |id2=salomons-sir-julian-emanuel-4532 |title= Salomons, Sir Julian Emanuel (1835 - 1909)}}</ref>
|-
| [[Cowper ministry (1870)|Cowper (5)]]
|-
| 16
| [[File:Judge William Charles Windeyer, c. 1890, by Freeman and Co.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Windeyer|William Charles Windeyer}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| [[Martin ministry (1870–1872)|Martin (3)]]
	| align="center" | 16 December 1870
	| align="center" | 13 May 1872
	| align=right | {{ayd|16 December 1870|13 May 1872}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988" />
|-
| 17
| [[File:Joseph George Long Innes by Samuel Calvert - Illustrated Australian News (1874).jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Joseph|Innes}} 
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], no party
	| [[Parkes ministry (1872–1875)|Parkes (1)]]
	| align="center" | 14 May 1872
	| align="center" | 19 November 1873
	| align=right | {{ayd|14 May 1872|19 November 1873}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988" />
|-
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| 18
| [[File:R.E. O'Connor (1898).jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Richard|O'Connor|dab=politician}}
	| {{Australian party style|Protectionist}}|&nbsp;
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], {{Australian politics/name|Protectionist}}
	| [[Dibbs ministry (1891–1894)|Dibbs (3)]]
	| align="center" | 19 July 1893
	| align="center" | 13 September 1893
	| align=right | {{ayd|19 July 1893|13 September 1893}}
| <ref name="O'Connor NSW parl">{{Cite NSW Parliament |name=The Hon. Richard Edward O'Connor, QC (1851-1912) |id=946 |former=Yes |access-date=20 June 2020}}</ref>{{efn|name=Vacant|The office was not filled however [[Richard O'Connor (politician)|Richard O'Connor]] and [[George Reid]] were temporarily appointed to allow them to deputise for the Attorney-General in his absence.<ref name=Appleby/>}}
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| rowspan="9" | 19
| rowspan=9 | [[File:George Reid cph.3c31684.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan="9" | {{sortname|George|Reid}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KC}}
	| rowspan="9" {{Australian party style|Free Trade}}|&nbsp;
	| rowspan="9" | [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], {{Australian politics/name|Free Trade}}
	| [[Reid ministry (New South Wales)|Reid]]
	| align="center" | 21 December 1894
	| align="center" | 5 March 1895
	| align=right | {{ayd|21 December 1894|5 March 1895}}
| rowspan="9" | <ref name="Mason 1988"/>{{efn|name=Vacant}}
|-
! colspan="4" class="sortbottom" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| [[Reid ministry (New South Wales)|Reid]]
	| align="center" | 19 December 1895
	| align="center" | 20 April 1896
	| align=right | {{ayd|19 December 1895|20 April 1896}}
|-
! colspan="4" class="sortbottom" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| [[Reid ministry (New South Wales)|Reid]]
	| align="center" | 22 December 1896
	| align="center" | 9 February 1897
	| align=right | {{ayd|22 December 1896|9 February 1897}}
|-
! colspan="4" class="sortbottom" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| [[Reid ministry (New South Wales)|Reid]]
	| align="center" | 27 April 1898
	| align="center" | 7 October 1898
	| align=right | {{ayd|27 April 1898|7 October 1898}}
|-
! colspan="4" class="sortbottom" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| [[Reid ministry (New South Wales)|Reid]]
	| align="center" | 3 January 1899
	| align="center" | 1 May 1899
	| align=right | {{ayd|3 January 1899|1 May 1899}}
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| 20
| [[File:Hugh Pollock.png|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Hugh|Pollock|nolink=1}}
	|&nbsp;
	| Public servant, not a member of [[Parliament of New South Wales|Parliament]]{{hsp}}{{efn|Pollock's appointment was controversial because he was a public servant as Secretary of the Attorney-General's department and had never practiced as a barrister.<ref name="Mason 2019"/>}}
|
	[[See ministry|See]]<br>[[Waddell ministry|Waddell]]<br>[[Carruthers ministry|Carruthers]]
| align="center" | 22 July 1901
	| align="center" | 6 October 1904
	| align=right | {{ayd|22 July 1901|6 October 1904}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref name="Pollock appt"/><ref name="Pollock resign"/>
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| 21
| [[File:John Garland, Minister of Justice FL1863244.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Garland|dab=Australian politician}}
	| {{Australian party style|Liberal Reform}}|&nbsp;
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], {{Australian politics/name|Liberal Reform}}
	| [[Wade ministry|Wade]]
	| align="center" | 21 December 1909
	| align="center" | 20 October 1910
	| align=right | {{ayd|21 December 1909|20 October 1910}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| 22
| [[File:Judge Walter Bevan seated cropped.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Walter|Bevan|nolink=1}}
	| &nbsp;
	| Public servant, not a member of [[Parliament of New South Wales|Parliament]]
	|
	[[McGowen ministry|McGowen]]
| align="center" | 15 March 1911
	| align="center" data-sort-value="1 January 1912" | 4 April 1912
	| align=right | {{ayd|1911|03|15|1912|4|4}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref name=":1">{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221616934 |title=Appointment of Walter Bevan, Esquire to be Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales]] |issue=33 |date=15 March 1911 |access-date=23 January 2019 |page=1543 |via=Trove}}<br />{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230684443 |title=Appointment of Walter Bevan, Esquire to be Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales]] |issue=94  |date=26 July 1911 |access-date=23 January 2019 |page=3970 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45957808 |title=Judge Bevan Retiring |newspaper=[[Barrier Miner]] |date=11 December 1926 |access-date=25 March 2019 |page=5 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 23
| [[File:David Robert Hall.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|David|Hall|dab=Australian politician}}
	| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}}|&nbsp;
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}
	| [[McGowen ministry|McGowen]]<br>[[Holman ministry (1913–1916)|Holman (1)]]
	| align="center" | 4 April 1912
	| align="center" | 28 January 1914
	| align=right | {{ayd|2 April 1912|28 January 1914}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref name=":4">{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227591157 |title=Appointment of the Honourable David Robert Hall, MLC, to be also Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales]] |issue=49 |date=10 April 1912 |access-date=1 February 2019 |page=2229 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article227050644 |title=Appointment of the Honourable David Robert Hall, MLC, to be also Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales]] |issue=106 |date=2 July 1913 |access-date=1 February 2019 |page=4127 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| 24
| [[File:William Holman 1919.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|William|Holman}}
	| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}}|&nbsp;
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Assembly|MLA]], {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}
	| [[Holman ministry (1913–1916)|Holman (1)]]
	| align="center" | 19 January 1915
	| align="center" | 6 February 1915
	| align=right | {{ayd|19 January 1915|6 February 1915}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-class="sortbottom"
! colspan="10" style="background: #cccccc;" |
|-
| {{sort|24.1|(21)}}
| [[File:John Garland, Minister of Justice FL1863244.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|John|Garland|dab=Australian politician}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|KC}}
	| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|Nationalist}}|&nbsp;
	| rowspan="2" | [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], {{Australian politics/name|Nationalist}}
	| rowspan="2" | [[Holman ministry (1916–1920)|Holman (2)]]
	| align="center" | 16 November 1916
	| align="center" | 23 July 1919
	| align=right | {{ayd|16 November 1916|23 July 1919}}
| <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225964220 |title=Appointment of the Honorable John Garland, KC, MLC, to be also Solicitor-General |newspaper=[[Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales]] |issue=187 |date=16 November 1916 |access-date=1 February 2019 |page=6738 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 25
| [[File:Portrait of Alderman John Daniel Fitzgerald, Municipal Council of the City of Sydney, circa 1901.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Jack|FitzGerald|John Daniel FitzGerald}}
	| align="center" | 23 July 1919
	| align="center" | 12 April 1920
	| align=right | {{ayd|23 July 1919|12 April 1920}}
	| <ref name="Mason 1988"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222511792 |title=Appointment of the Honourable John Daniel FitzGerald MLC to be also Solicitor General |newspaper=[[Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales]] |issue=183 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=23 July 1919 |access-date=1 February 2019 |page=4060 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| 26
| [[File:Mr Robert Sproule cropped.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Robert|Sproule}}
	| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}}|&nbsp;
	| [[New South Wales Legislative Council|MLC]], {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}
	| [[Storey ministry|Storey]]<br>[[Dooley ministry (1921)|Dooley (1)]] [[Dooley ministry (1921–1922)|(2)]]
	| align=center | 15 April 1920
	| align=center | 13 April 1922
	| align=right | {{ayd|15 April 1920|13 April 1922}}
	| <ref name="Mason 1988"/>
|-
! colspan="10" |
|-
| 27
| [[File:Cecil Weigall Solicitor-General.jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Cecil|Weigall|Cecil Edward Weigall}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	| rowspan=9 |
	| rowspan=2 |Public Servant
	| Appointed by [[Fuller ministry (1922–1925)|Fuller (2)]]
	| align=center | 27 December 1922
	| align=center | 5 May 1953
	| align=right | {{ayd|1922|12|27|1953|5|6|}}
	| <ref name=":5" /><ref>{{cite news |date=6 May 1953 |title=G.O.M. retires at 83 |page=15 |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article248691350 |accessdate=15 September 2022 |via=Trove}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | 28
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Harold Snelling, Solicitor-General.jpg|100px]]
| rowspan=2 | {{sortname|Harold|Snelling}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	| Appointed by [[Cahill ministry (1953–1956)|Cahill (2)]]
	| align=center | 18 August 1953
	| align=center | December 1969
	| align=right rowspan=2 | {{ayd|1953|08|18|1974|09|12|}}
	| rowspan=2 | <ref name=":2">{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|author=Bennett, J. M.|title=Snelling, Harold Alfred Rush (1904–1979)|id2=snelling-harold-alfred-rush-11731|access-date=20 September 2015}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=7 | Statutory office
	|Appointed by [[Askin–Cutler ministry (1969–1971)|Askin (3)]]
	| align=center | December 1969
	| align=center | 12 September 1974
|-
| 29
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Reginald|Marr}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	|Appointed by [[Askin–Cutler ministry (1973–1975)|Askin (6)]]
	| align=center | September 1974
	| align=center | March 1978
	| align=right | {{ayd|1974|09|1|1978|03|1|}}
	|<ref name="Mason 1988" />
|-
| 30
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Gregory|Sullivan}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	|Appointed by [[Wran ministry (1978–1980)|Wran (2)]]
	| align=center | February 1979
	| align=center | February 1981
	| align=right | {{ayd|1979|02|1|1981|02|1|}}
	|<ref name="Mason 1988" />
|-
| 31
| [[File:Mary Gaudron (2011).jpg|100px]]
| {{sortname|Mary|Gaudron}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	| Appointed by [[Wran ministry (1980–1981)|Wran (3)]]
	| align=center | 16 February 1981
	| align=center | February 1987
	| align=right | {{ayd|1981|02|16|1987|02|1|}}
	| <ref name="Mason 1988" />
|-
| 32
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Keith|Mason|dab=judge}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|QC}}
	| Appointed by [[Unsworth ministry|Unsworth]]
	| align=center | February 1987
	| align=center | February 1997
	| align=right | {{ayd|1987|02|1|1997|02|1|}}
|<ref name="Mason 1988" />
|-
| 33
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Leslie|Katz}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|SC}}
	| Appointed by [[Carr ministry (1995–1997)|Carr (1)]]
	| align=center | July 1997
	| align=center | September 1998
	| align=center | {{ayd|1997|07|1|1998|9|30|}}
	|
|-
| 34
| [[File:No image.svg|100px]] 
| {{sortname|Michael|Sexton|dab=lawyer}} {{post-nominals|country=AUS|SC}}
	| Appointed by [[Carr ministry (1997–1999)|Carr (2)]]
	| align=center | October 1998
	| align=center | ''present''
	| align=right | {{ayd|1998|10|1}}
	|
|}

===See also===
*[[Solicitor-General of Australia]]
*[[Solicitor-General of Victoria]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/ NSW Department of Justice]

{{Government of New South Wales}}

[[Category:Solicitors general for New South Wales| ]]