Government Legal Department Permanent Secretary, Treasury Solicitor and HM Procurator General Jonathan Jones QC was recognised for providing legal services of the ‘highest calibre’ and the building of a shared legal service across government, as well as his wider contribution to the leadership of the Civil Service and of the legal profession.
This knighthood adds to Jonathan’s 2019 honour of becoming honorary Queen’s Counsel.
On receiving this honour, Jonathan said:
“I’m extremely honoured by this award. It is a great privilege to lead the Government Legal Department and its dedicated, hard-working people in our work of unique legal and constitutional importance.
I’m also delighted to congratulate the other government lawyers included in the honours list for their distinguished public service.”
They include:
- Catherine Adams, DExEU Legal Director, who is made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
- Suzanne Lehrer from Defra Legal Advisers who was awarded an OBE
And in the wider Government Legal Profession:
- Nicola Smith Legal Counsellor at FCO was awarded an OBE
- John Patrick Banks at HMRC was also awarded an OBE
Since the creation of the Government Legal Department in 2015 our purpose has been to help the government of the day to govern well, within the rule of law.
Our strategy is to deliver high quality trusted legal services for government, on some of the most important issues of the day – from significant constitutional issues including the Withdrawal Agreement that led to the bill for the UK to leave the European Union and the prorogation of Parliament.
We handle wider government legal issues relating to topics that include rail franchising, governance in Northern Ireland, the terrorist attacks at London Bridge and Manchester Arena and the NHS scandal when up to 30,00 people were given contaminated blood.
The Government Legal Department is now supporting the government’s legislative agenda as set out in the Queen’s speech on 14 October, to deliver a programme of UK domestic reforms, alongside the key priority to secure the UK’s departure from the European Union.
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