Victoria Buttigieg is being appointed State Advocate after being unanimously recommended to the post by an Appointment Commission following a public call. 

Dr Buttigieg will be the first person to ever occupy this newly-created Constitutional post, which provides for total separation between the existing dual functions of the Attorney General.

While the Attorney General will retain the responsibility for prosecutions and criminal matters, the State Advocate will be responsible for all government advisory and legal representation functions in the field of constitutional, civil and administrative law which are up till now exercised by the Attorney General.

The State Advocate will enjoy the same level of protection and security of tenure as enjoyed by the members of the judiciary and the Attorney General.

The State Advocate is to be the chief legal advisor to the government in matters of law and legal opinion and will be explicitly obliged to act in the public interest and to safeguard the legality of state actions.

She will carry out her functions through an independent agency established through the State Advocates Act. 

The Appointment Commission was chaired by Mr Justice Emeritus Michael Mallia.

Dr Buttigieg, 43, graduated as doctor of Laws from the University of Malta in 2001. She then obtained a Master of Arts in Financial Services.

Since 2007, she has been working in the Office of the Attorney General and is currently assistant AG.  She has worked extensively in the field of litigation, specialising in civil, administrative and constitutional law, and has represented the government at various international meetings and committees. She has also contributed to a number of law reform projects.