Catalogue description Foreign Office: Confidential Print Law Officers' Opinions

There was no lawyer on the Foreign Office establishment until 1876 when Sir Julian Pauncefote was appointed Legal Assistant Under Secretary. Previously the Library and the Treaty Department each had an interest in questions of international law and the Law Officers of the Crown and other outside lawyers were consulted frequently on both international and domestic law, often on points of a very minor nature.

After his promotion to Permanent Under Secretary in 1882 Pauncefote retained special responsibility for legal matters until 1886, when a Legal Assistant, later known as Legal Adviser, was appointed. No separate Legal Department was, however, set up; the routine work in various fields of international law remained the concern of the Treaty Department, the Library continued to be consulted on precedents and historical background and reference was still made to the Law Officers.