About the Chief State Solicitor's Office
- Published on: 9 August 2021
- Last updated on: 21 June 2024
The Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO) provides litigation, advisory and conveyancing services to Government departments and offices and to certain other State agencies. The CSSO also provides solicitor services at Tribunals and Commissions of Inquiry and represents Ireland at the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The Office is headed by the Chief State Solicitor, Maria Browne. It has over 350 staff working in legal and administrative roles.
The CSSO's legal work is carried out by its five legal divisions:
- Administrative Law
- Commercial and Employment Law
- Constitutional and State Litigation
- Justice
- State Property
Each division is headed by an Assistant Chief State Solicitor. Within each division are sections that deal with specific types of legal matters.
The Corporate Services Division provides organisational and management services which support the legal work of the Office.
The Chief State Solicitor's Office was formally established under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 and is a constituent part of the Office of the Attorney General. The mission of the CSSO is to provide the highest standard of professional legal services to Government departments and offices, as economically and efficiently as possible.