Queen's Counsel

American  

noun

1. King's Counsel.

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Queen's Counsel British  

noun

1. Also called (when the sovereign is male): King's Counsel.  (in England when the sovereign is female) a barrister or advocate appointed Counsel to the Crown on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, entitled to sit within the bar of the court and to wear a silk gown

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Etymology

Origin of Queen's Counsel

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Barristers are updating their business cards from Queen’s Counsel to King’s, but no one needs a fresh appointment at the bar.

From New York Times • Oct. 9, 2022

Finally, barristers and solicitors who have been appointed by the monarch to be Queen's Counsel will now be known as King's Counsel with immediate effect.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2022

Queen’s Counsel barrister Nick Vineall, representing the Maduro-backed central bank, said that rather than being “fatal” to his side’s case, the UK foreign secretary’s statement had instead supported it.

From Reuters • Jul. 19, 2021

But Mullen was riled by the leading defense barristers, who were all Queen’s Counsel, the finest trial lawyers in Britain.

From The New Yorker • May 20, 2019

"But he couldn't give leave to have it put on another man's ground," said the Queen's Counsel.

From The Vicar of Bullhampton by Trollope, Anthony