Private sector lawyer steps into key States role

Wednesday 11 March 2015

A Partner at Mourant Ozannes has been appointed Solicitor General.

Mark Temple (48) will take up the role as the States’ second most senior lawyer later this year.

Advocate Temple has been in private practice for 22 years, the last eight of which he has spent as a partner at Mourant Ozanne specialising in asset tracing litigation, contentious trusts, funds and banking.

It’s a year of change at the department, which will shortly see the appointment of Advocate Robert Macrae as Attorney General – the post that encompasses the roles of senior legal adviser to the States and head of the prosecution service.

The current Attorney General, Tim Le Cocq QC, is moving to the role of Deputy Bailiff, and Solicitor General Howard Sharp QC is moving to private practice.

The appointment of Advocate Temple means that both the Attorney General and Solicitor General will be newcomers to the States’ legal team.

The appointment, which is made by the Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Justice in the UK, was announced yesterday afternoon.

The announcement included a statement from Advocate Temple saying: “I very much look forward to serving the Island of Jersey as HM Solicitor General. It is an honour to be appointed to this challenging role.”