Senior counsel

Senior Counsel, State Counsel (post-nominal letters: SC), or Senior Advocate is a title given to senior lawyers in some current or former Commonwealth nations, mainly those in which the British monarch is no longer head of state, making the title "King's Counsel" obsolete. Examples of such nations are Mauritius, Zambia, India (Senior Advocate), Bangladesh (Senior Advocate), Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Singapore, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Jurisdictions that have retained the monarch as head of state but have nonetheless opted for the new title include some states and territories of Australia, as well as Belize.

Just as a junior counsel is "called to the [Outer] Bar", a Senior Counsel is, in some jurisdictions, said to be "called to the Inner Bar". Senior Counsels may informally style themselves silks, like their British counterparts.

In Hong Kong, every Senior Counsel must wear a black robe and silk gown together with a wig when appearing in open court. In Ireland, Senior Counsel wear a silk gown which differs from that of a Junior Counsel; the wig is optional.

The rank of Senior Counsel has also been introduced in most states and territories of Australia, even though the King remains head of state. Between 1993 and 2008, all Australian jurisdictions except the Northern Territory replaced the title of Queen's Counsel with that of Senior Counsel. However, in 2013, Queensland restored the rank of Queen's Counsel and there was talk of other Australian states following suit. On 3 February 2014, the Victorian Attorney-General announced that the rank of Queen's Counsel would shortly be reinstated in the State of Victoria, with existing and future Senior Counsels having the option to apply to be issued with letters patent appointing them QCs; some 89% of barristers entitled to be called Senior Counsel were reported to have applied. On 18 February 2019, the South Australian Government restored the rank of QC.

The title of Senior Counsel has replaced that of King's Counsel in Barbados, which became a republic on 30 November 2021. Existing KCs are not required to adopt the new title, but all new appointments will be as SC only.

Belize uses the title of Senior Counsel, even though Charles III is head of state as King of Belize.

"Senior Counsel" (Chinese: 資深大律師) replaced QC in the law of Hong Kong after the United Kingdom transferred sovereignty over the territory to China in 1997. All QCs became SCs automatically.

A member of the bar can be designated as a Senior Advocate following a selection process that employs various criteria. The designation can be carried out by the Supreme Court directly or by the relevant state High Court. In August 2018, the Supreme Court issued guidelines to regulate the conferment of Senior Advocate status. Senior Advocates' gowns have a flap at the back to distinguish them from junior counsels.