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Glite Dictionary
King's Counsel

King's Counsel

9.7
A senior lawyer appointed to represent the king or government in important cases
  • noun
  • /kɪŋz ˈkaʊnsl/
  • UK
translation icon : Consejero del Rey
  • She was appointed King's Counsel after many years of distinguished service at the bar.

Examples

  • When the monarch changed from queen to king, all existing Queen's Counsel became King's Counsel automatically.

  • The trial featured a renowned King's Counsel leading the prosecution.

  • The new King's Counsel will represent the Crown in court.

  • Many lawyers aspire to become a King's Counsel.

  • She was appointed King's Counsel after many years of distinguished service at the bar.

  • The trial featured a renowned King's Counsel leading the prosecution.

  • The new King's Counsel will represent the Crown in court.

Synonyms

Counsel to the Crown
vsKing's Counsel
  • UK
8.6

A senior lawyer appointed to advise the British monarch about law

is a senior highly ranked barrister appointed only when the British monarch is male

Surface Forms

King's Counsel singular
Kings' Counsel plural

Morphology

King's + counsel

The phrase literally combines 'King's' (of the king/the Crown) with 'counsel' (a lawyer), so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer it refers to a lawyer associated with the monarch or Crown. However, the specific institutional sense — a formal, senior appointment/title bestowed on outstanding barristers — is a specialized legal meaning not predictable from the parts alone, so the transparency is partial.

Etymology

King's Counsel comes from a time when a king chose a lawyer to speak for him in court. Literally, a King's Counsel was the king's own 'legal adviser'. So today the phrase means a senior, highly respected lawyer appointed to represent the Crown when the monarch is a king, and it becomes 'Queen's Counsel' if the monarch is a queen.