, Lawyer, attorney, solicitor, and barrister.docx

7/25/2019 , Lawyer, attorney, solicitor, and barrister.docx

1/3

n the US, Lawyer, attorney, solicitor, and barrister all are different words for basically the

same thing - a person who is learned in the law and licensed in some form or another to

practice law in a given jurisdiction. Some people will claim that one can be a "lawyer" and

not be licensed, but in practical common use the term refers to one licensed to practice law.

A litigator is a specific type of lawyer who tries cases in court, as opposed to a transactional

lawyer who might wor on contracts and never see the inside of a courtroom.

A paralegal is a professional who may or may not be licensed, but who assists a lawyer in

their regular duties! they may do research, draft documents, liaise with clients, but cannot

give legal advice or represent someone else as their attorney.

An agent is simply one person who acts on behalf of another, or on behalf of a corporation!

employees are "agents" of the company for which they wor, and a lawyer may act as an

"agent" of their client.

inally, an advocate is someone who represents another in a legal situation, and who taes

that clients interests and protects them! generally speaing, advocates are usually lawyers,

although in the US there are non-lawyer advocates who may represent crime victims, abuse

victims, or children #as guardians ad litem$.

Updated 28 Sep 2014View Upvotes

This answer is not a substitute for professional legal advice.... (more)

More Answers Below.

Related Questions

Difference between a door tenant and tenant in barristers chambers?

What's the difference between an advocate and attorney?

Is there any difference between terms lawyer, barrister, advocate or they are

synonyms?
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigator/answer/Cliff-Gilleyhttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigator/answer/Cliff-Gilleyhttps://www.quora.com/api/mobile_expanded_voter_list?type=answer&key=d7JYaZNo2KThttps://www.quora.com/Difference-between-a-door-tenant-and-tenant-in-barristers-chambershttps://www.quora.com/Whats-the-difference-between-an-advocate-and-attorneyhttps://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-difference-between-terms-lawyer-barrister-advocate-or-they-are-synonymshttps://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-difference-between-terms-lawyer-barrister-advocate-or-they-are-synonymshttps://www.quora.com/api/mobile_expanded_voter_list?type=answer&key=d7JYaZNo2KThttps://www.quora.com/Difference-between-a-door-tenant-and-tenant-in-barristers-chambershttps://www.quora.com/Whats-the-difference-between-an-advocate-and-attorneyhttps://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-difference-between-terms-lawyer-barrister-advocate-or-they-are-synonymshttps://www.quora.com/Is-there-any-difference-between-terms-lawyer-barrister-advocate-or-they-are-synonymshttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigator/answer/Cliff-Gilley


2/3

Legal Systems:What is the difference among attorney, lawyer, barrister, solicitor, and

advocate in India?

In layman's terms, what are the basic differences between a paralegal, a litigator, an

attorney, and a lawyer?

Ab BcdRequest Bio

621 Views

Appro%imate and somewhat chaotic answer...

Lawyers are those licensed by a regulator to practice law.

Attorneys, solicitors, and barristers are lawyers in the Anglo-American tradition. &n 'ngland

attorneys died out in the ()th century, the roles of barristers and solicitors e%panding to fill

the gap. &n the US jurisdictions the reverse appears to have happened. *arristers are court

lawyers # cf "trial attorneys"$ and must be instructed by solicitors not by lay clients, e%cept

for the novel "public access barristers", who can tae instructions direct from clients.

Solicitors are non-court lawyers who tae instructions from lay clients but can appear only

in the lowest of courts and types of claims, e%cept for the novel "solicitor-advocates" with

"higher rights of audience" who can also appear in appropriate higher courts and+or claim

tracs. hus the professions are merging in 'ngland toward the US "fused" model, whereas

ironically in the US jurisdictions the professions reputedly are specialising toward the

'nglish model.

&n Anglo-American usage, advocates are those who spea for clients in ourt #in 'urope its

more subtle but & dont now details$. /ost advocates are lawyers but not all0 for instancenon-legally-1ualified "costs lawyers", and 2S "Associate rown 2rosecutors" who

regrettably are unregulated.

2aralegals are people who assist lawyers in law firms but do not hold practising certificates,

even though many of them are trained in law and some manage entire litigation
https://www.quora.com/Legal-Systems-1/What-is-the-difference-among-attorney-lawyer-barrister-solicitor-and-advocate-in-Indiahttps://www.quora.com/Legal-Systems-1/What-is-the-difference-among-attorney-lawyer-barrister-solicitor-and-advocate-in-Indiahttps://www.quora.com/Legal-Systems-1/What-is-the-difference-among-attorney-lawyer-barrister-solicitor-and-advocate-in-Indiahttps://www.quora.com/In-laymans-terms-what-are-the-basic-differences-between-a-paralegal-a-litigator-an-attorney-and-a-lawyerhttps://www.quora.com/In-laymans-terms-what-are-the-basic-differences-between-a-paralegal-a-litigator-an-attorney-and-a-lawyerhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Ab-Bcdhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Ab-Bcdhttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigatorhttps://www.quora.com/Legal-Systems-1/What-is-the-difference-among-attorney-lawyer-barrister-solicitor-and-advocate-in-Indiahttps://www.quora.com/Legal-Systems-1/What-is-the-difference-among-attorney-lawyer-barrister-solicitor-and-advocate-in-Indiahttps://www.quora.com/In-laymans-terms-what-are-the-basic-differences-between-a-paralegal-a-litigator-an-attorney-and-a-lawyerhttps://www.quora.com/In-laymans-terms-what-are-the-basic-differences-between-a-paralegal-a-litigator-an-attorney-and-a-lawyerhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Ab-Bcdhttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigator


3/3

departments.

"Agents" in 'nglish usage are either #a$ self-employed barristers instructed to prosecute by

the 2S! or #b$ solicitors instructed by other solicitors due to either geographicalconvenience or international+multijurisdictional necessity. osts rules are very different

where agents are used.

Litigators are lawyers #or paralegals$ who litigate.

Written 30 Sep 2014View Upvotes

This answer is not a substitute for professional legal advice.... (more)

Muath Masoud, Law Student

559 Views

&t largely depends on the jurisdiction! in the U3, &reland, Australia and 4ew 5ealand a

Solicitor is who you go to with your legal problems. hey carry out all the wor preceding a

case, and then they "instruct" the *arrister who then represents you in court.

here are other differences lie *arristers being re1uired by law to be solo practitioners etc.

Australia and 4ew 5ealand are moving towards a fused profession similar to that of a US

attorney though.
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigator/answer/Ab-Bcdhttps://www.quora.com/api/mobile_expanded_voter_list?type=answer&key=djfWCouWEyuhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Muath-Masoudhttps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-following-lawyer-attorney-solicitor-barrister-advocate-paralegal-agent-litigator/answer/Ab-Bcdhttps://www.quora.com/api/mobile_expanded_voter_list?type=answer&key=djfWCouWEyuhttps://www.quora.com/profile/Muath-Masoud

Documents

, Lawyer, attorney, solicitor, and barrister.docx