Crown Solicitor's Office (New South Wales)

New South Wales
Crown Solicitor's Office
Agency overview
Formed1856
TypeExecutive agency
JurisdictionNew South Wales
Headquarters60–70 Elizabeth Street, Sydney
Agency executive
  • Karen Smith,
    NSW Crown Solicitor
Parent AgencyDepartment of Communities and Justice
Websitewww.cso.nsw.gov.au

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.

  1. ^ "Community Law". Crown Solicitor's Office of New South Wales. Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015.
  2. ^ "Careers". Crown Solicitor's Office of New South Wales. Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Coin from the Crown". Justinian. Law Press of Australia. 26 November 2010.
  4. ^ Community Relations Division, freecall 1800 685 449; Justice, NSW Department of. "Secretary, Department of Justice announces appointment of new Crown Solicitor". www.cso.nsw.gov.au.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Lea Armstrong appointed NSW's first female crown solicitor". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.