Office of the General Solicitor for Minors and Wards of Court

Information

The General Solicitor for Minors and Wards of Court is a solicitor in the service of the state appointed by the President of the High Court to act in certain wardship matters.

The General Solicitor is accountable to the High Court for all monies and assets under his/her control relating to the affairs of a minor or ward.The General Solicitor is entitled to costs in respect of the work carried out. These costs are generally paid from the ward's funds. These bills are measured by the registrar for Wards of Court or are Taxed by the Taxing Master.

The General Solicitor can only act as solicitor in those matters assigned to her by the registrar of the Wards of Court. The General Solicitor cannot take on private clients like a solicitor in private practice. In addition to acting as solicitor in respect of the legal affairs of individual wards, the General Solicitor also undertakes the following legal work:

• The issue of wardship proceedings in respect of an individual. If that individual ward is brought into wardship the General Solicitor may or may not be appointed committee
• Where a solicitor brings a wardship bill before the Taxing Master to have costs measured, the General Solicitor may be requested by the registrar of the Wards of Court to act as opponent before the Taxing Master in respect of the costs claimed.
• In certain instances where the General Solicitor is not committee of an individual ward, she may be directed by the President of the High Court to represent a particular interest in proceedings before the court which involve a ward or have a bearing on wardship matters.