Samuel Shepherd

Who was Samuel Shepherd?

Sir Samuel Shepherd KS PC was a British barrister, judge and politician who served as Attorney General for England and Wales and Lord Chief Baron of the Scottish Court of Exchequer. Born to a toymaker, he was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and, after a pupillage under Charles Runnington, was called to the Bar by the Inner Temple on 23 November 1781. He soon became a successful barrister, and was made a Serjeant-at-Law in 1796 and a King's Serjeant a year later. In 1812 he became Solicitor-General of the Duchy of Cornwall, and in 1813 Solicitor General for England and Wales, with a promotion to Attorney-General in 1817. In 1819 he was made Lord Chief Baron of the Scottish Court of Exchequer, a position he held until 1830 when he was forced to retire due to ill-health, dying in 1840.