Chris Soler has been chosen as Malta’s second State Advocate, taking the role with immediate effect, the Justice Ministry announced on Thursday.

Soler is filling the vacancy left by Victoria Buttigieg, who recently became Malta’s Attorney General – replacing Peter Grech.

The Ministry said that the choice was made after Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis appointed an independent Appointments Commission which was headed by Chief Justice Emeritus Joseph Azzopardi, and then made up of Judge Emeritus Lawrence Quintano and Judge Emeritus Antonio Mizzi.

The Ministry said that it was a process which was “independent, transparent, and in full respect of good governance.”

Soler received his warrant as a lawyer in 2000, and in the last 20 years practiced criminal law while also serving as a lecturer for criminal law at the University of Malta.  In recent years he served as the director for legal services within the University of Malta and also as the chairperson of the Board of Appeal for Refugees.

Soler will take on the role of State Advocate – a role which was created in December 2019 when the Office of the Attorney General was split – immediately.

The role of the State Advocate is to be the main legal consultant of the government.