When it comes to court proceedings, people are very juxtaposed, the epithets lawyer and the barrister, as these two share a number of common characteristics. A lawyer is a person who studies law and provides legal advice to clients. These are the members of the bar.
On the other hand, a lawyer is a person who is so appointed to act on behalf of the client, in legal matters. To become a lawyer, there is no compulsion to clear the exam, but if one wants to become a lawyer, it becomes compulsory.
Until and unless a person belongs to the legal profession, it is a bit difficult for him to understand the difference between lawyer and barrister. But, here in this article, we have simplified it for the readers.
Comparison chart
| Sense | Lawyer refers to a person who is a legal practitioner and can provide legal advice to clients. | Lawyer refers to a person who is authorized by law to represent the client in court. |
| Prerequisites | Any person who has attended law school is considered a lawyer. | One who has attended law school and practices law, is a lawyer. |
| Bachelor’s degree in law | Must have a Doctorate in Law. | He may or may not have a Juris Doctor. |
| Examination bars | Settlement of the bar exam is discretionary. | Passing the proficiency exam is mandatory. |
| Addition in the name | JD is used as an addendum in the name. | Esq. is used as an addition in the name. |
Definition of lawyer
Lawyer, as the name suggests, is someone who has studied law and is legally certified as trained in it. He/She is the one who advises people on various legal matters and takes legal actions in court on behalf of their clients but may or may not practice them. In order to become licensed to practice law, one must attend law school, acquire a relevant bachelor’s degree, and should clear the bar exam.
An attorney is proficient in law and knows how to apply legal theory and knowledge practically, in order to resolve specific cases or provide litigation services to clients. There are a number of functions performed by them, which includes drafting the contract, drafting the will, drafting legal documents, providing legal services, carrying out the intent of the deceased, protecting intellectual property and so Street.
Definition of Lawyer
A solicitor, or otherwise known as a barrister, is a licensed member of the legal profession who has been licensed to practice law in court.
In addition to performing all the duties and functions of a qualified lawyer, he also represents a client to deal with legal matters in court, i.e. a lawyer is someone who is legally qualified and so appointed to act or speak for the other person to prosecute or defend him , in court.
To become a lawyer, a person is required to attend accredited law school, pass the bar exam, obtain the stipulated diploma and license, so as to practice law in the court of justice.
Key differences between Attorney and Lawyer
The difference between Attorney and Lawyer can be expressed clearly in the following premises:
- The term lawyer means a legal professional who is qualified to give legal advice to another person. An attorney is a person authorized by statute to represent or act on behalf of an individual in legal matters.
- An attorney can be an individual, who is admitted to and has attended law school. In contrast, an attorney is a person who has attended law school and is a legal practitioner in a particular jurisdiction.
- A lawyer must have a law doctorate. Conversely, the lawyer may or may not hold a law doctorate.
- You have to pass the exam to become a lawyer. Conversely, there is no such compulsion to pass the exam to become a lawyer.
- An attorney can add JD at the end of his or her name. Unlike a lawyer, who uses the word Esq. Expanding to Esquire, as an addition to the name, for the purpose of giving an honorific.
Conclusion
Overall, a lawyer may be called a lawyer, but a lawyer certainly cannot be a lawyer. The role of a lawyer or a solicitor can be different and largely depends on the jurisdiction, which we refer to. Also, there are some countries, where no dividing line between lawyer and lawyer. Therefore, for such countries, these two legal epithets are one and the same.
