In the United Kingdom a Special Advocate is a lawyer usually a barrister or advocate, sometimes a solicitor, who has special rights of audience in accessing evidence that is otherwise restricted due to national security concerns. They have been authorised either by statute or by precedent to appear before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission, Employment Tribunal, Northern Ireland Sentences Review Commission, Northern Ireland Life Sentences Review Commission or special security tribunal (as defined by Sections 90 to 92 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.[1][2]