Is There A Difference Between A Lawyer And An Attorney?
Is There A Difference Between A Lawyer And An Attorney?: It is true that we don’t think much about lawyers and their profession in our day to life, but what we fail to recognize is how big of a contribution they make. Their presence is mandatory in almost every field of life and while you may be unaware, a legal department is present in almost all major organizations.
For those that do not require, or cannot afford an in house legal department, the option of outsourcing to law firms is a huge convenience. Within the wide canopy of the term “lawyer” used by the layman; attorney (or more correctly attorney at law), barrister, solicitor are all covered. However, there are some differences between them. The word lawyer and attorney in particular are used interchangeably.
Let’s look at the two in more detail for better understanding:
Who is a Lawyer?
The word lawyer is a general term and refers to a person who conducts suits in court, as well as providing legal advice and aid. A lawyer is simply a person who has completed law school. It does not matter whether they are practicing law or not. However, a person who has only completed law school would not be eligible for certain legal jobs until they succeed in passing the bar exam.
Who is an Attorney?
All attorneys are lawyers; however, “it would not be correct to state that all lawyers are attorneys”. Why? Well, an attorney is a lawyer who after graduating from law school has also successfully passed the bar exam. The correct form of the word is actually attorney at law, which most people are unaware of.
Apart from providing legal advice, attorneys are also able to act as legal representatives for their clients. The basic difference between attorneys and lawyers arises due to the fact that an attorney does not just interpret the law, but is also able to apply the legal knowledge to serve the needs of the clients. It is safe to say that all attorneys can act as lawyers, but a lawyer is not equipped to perform the work of an attorney.