Elish Angiolini

The Right Honourable
Lady Elish Angiolini
LT DBE KC FRSA FRSE
Elish Angiolini (2021)
Lord Clerk Register
Incumbent
Assumed office
5 June 2023
MonarchCharles III
First MinisterHumza Yousaf
John Swinney
Preceded byThe Lord Mackay of Clashfern
Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 2012
Preceded bySir Andrew Dilnot
Lord Advocate
In office
12 October 2006 – 30 April 2011
MonarchElizabeth II
First Minister
Preceded byLord Boyd of Duncansby
Succeeded byLord Mulholland
Solicitor General for Scotland
In office
28 November 2001[1] – 12 October 2006
First MinisterJack McConnell
Preceded byNeil Davidson
Succeeded byJohn Beckett
Personal details
Born
Elish Frances McPhilomy

(1960-06-24) 24 June 1960 (age 64)
Govan, Glasgow, Scotland
SpouseDomenico Angiolini
Children2
Residence(s)Oxford, England, UK[2]
Alma materUniversity of Strathclyde
ProfessionLawyer

Lady Elish Frances Angiolini LT DBE KC FRSA FRSE (née McPhilomy; born 24 June 1960[3]) is a Scottish lawyer who is a Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford and has served as the Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford since 2012;[4][5] she was a candidate in the 2024 University of Oxford Chancellor election.[6][7][8] In June 2023, she was appointed to the office of Lord Clerk Register by King Charles III, the first woman to hold the role since its creation in the 13th century.[9]

She was the Lord Advocate of Scotland from 2006 until 2011, having previously been Solicitor General since 2001. She was the first woman, the first procurator fiscal, and the first solicitor to hold either post. As Lord Advocate, Angiolini worked on cross-border issues alongside her counterpart Keir Starmer while he was Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales.[10][11][12] Since leaving office she has led several investigations and inquiries, including a review of deaths in police custody commissioned by the then-Home Secretary Theresa May[13] and the Angiolini Inquiry into the murder of Sarah Everard, which reported in February 2024.[14][15]

Since September 2012, Angiolini has been the Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford. She has been a Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford since 2017 and is an Honorary Professor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.[16][17] She also served as Chancellor of the University of the West of Scotland from 2013 to 2021. In June 2022, she was appointed a Lady of the Order of the Thistle by Queen Elizabeth II. Angiolini took part in the Coronation of Charles III, representing the Order of the Thistle.[18]

Lady Elish Angiolini as Lord Clerk Register, 2024
  1. ^ "Scots gets first woman in top legal post". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. 28 November 2001.
  2. ^ "Elish Angiolini: Overview of Elish Angiolini". Scottish-places.info. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Angiolini, Elish Frances" in Who's Who, A & C Black.
  4. ^ "Lady Elish Angiolini | Faculty of Law". www.law.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Inquiry Team – The Angiolini Inquiry". www.angiolini.independent-inquiry.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  6. ^ Croft, Ethan (5 March 2024). "Oxford dons plot to stop Rory Stewart getting top job". Evening Standard. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  7. ^ Silverman, Rosa (26 March 2024). "How Oxford's attempts to drag itself into the 21st century have backfired". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  8. ^ Wood, Poppy (18 August 2024). "Sarah Everard inquiry lawyer in running to become Oxford chancellor". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  9. ^ "New Lord Clerk Register of Scotland". www.scotcourts.gov.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  10. ^ hmacqueen (23 September 2009). "Lord Advocate's statement on assisted suicide". | Scots Law News. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  11. ^ "'No guidance' on assisted suicide". 23 September 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  12. ^ "No change on assisted suicide". The Herald. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Deaths and serious incidents in police custody". GOV.UK. 30 October 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Home Secretary announces review of deaths in police custody". Gov.uk. 23 July 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Angiolini Inquiry Part 1". GOV.UK. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Rt Hon Dame Elish Angiolini". The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  17. ^ "CUHK Faculty of Law Organises Mok Hing Yiu Visiting Professor Public Lecture on "Justice and the Misunderstood" by The Rt Hon. Dame Elish Angiolini". www.hk-lawyer.org. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  18. ^ "The Coronation Service – Order of Service". The Royal Family. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.