Crown Solicitor's Office (New South Wales)

The New South Wales Crown Solicitor's Office (CSO) is an executive government agency of the New South Wales Department of Justice in Australia that has the role of providing legal services to the government, its agencies, and its statutory authorities. The Office practices in twelve areas of law, namely administrative law, child protection law, commercial law, community law,^[1] constitutional law, coronial law and inquiries, criminal law, employment law, government law, native title law, property law, and tort law.^[2] The Office frequently instructs barristers with regard to civil matters.^[3]

It was announced on 10 June 2015 that Lea Armstrong^[4] would be appointed as Crown Solicitor (to commence 13 July 2015); she became the first woman appointed to that role in New South Wales.^[5] Previously John McDonnell followed by Richard Kelly were the Acting Crown Solicitor following the departure of Ian Knight.