Difference Between a Lawyer and an Attorney
In
the United States, people often mistakenly use the terms lawyer and attorney
interchangeably in everyday speech. To those unrelated to the legal arena, it
might mean similar, but technically they are different. Eric Thole, attorney at law,
necessitates everyone to understand the differences between both the terms.
Moreover, it can empower you to find a better legal representative in a court
of law.
Difference By Definition
Lawyer
The
term lawyer has Middle-English
origins. It refers to someone educated and trained in the law by acquiring a
law degree or Juris Doctor (JD) from a law school approved by the American Bar
Association. They might have taken and passed the bar exam, but they do not
practice in the court of law. They can only give you legal advice and cannot
represent you in the court of law in any civil or criminal case.
Attorney
The
term attorney has French origins and
means (like the word) to act on behalf of others. Attornies use it in the form
of a title like - Eric Thole, attorneyat law. It refers to someone educated and trained in the law and practicing
in the court of law. They pass the bar exam to get the right to practice the
law in specific jurisdictions of the US. They can represent you in both civil
and criminal courts.
Difference In Roles And Duties
Both
lawyers and attornies have education and training in law, but the difference
lies in its application. Eric Thole
urges you to note the distinctions between the roles and duties of the two
professions to understand them better.
Lawyer
As
they do not practice law at the court, they take up the roles of legal advisors
or consultants. Lawyers practice in specialized fields like estate law,
immigration law, tax law, etc., where they give legal advice to clients.
Attorney
For
attornies to practice law at the court of law, the bar exam (covering the
jurisdiction) clearing is mandatory. They follow the code of ethics like
lawyers and also practice in both civil and criminal courts. When you need
someone to defend you in a civil or criminal case, you hire an attorney to
represent you in the court of law.
The difference in Examination Requirements
Both lawyers and attornies clear Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) consisting of 200 multiple choice questions covering various topics -
●
Civil
Procedure
●
Constitutional
Law
●
Contracts
●
Criminal Law
& Procedure
●
Evidence
●
Real
Property
● Torts
But, those attornies intending to practice law in the State of Pennsylvania must clear Pennsylvania Bar Examination separately. It has an additional performance review and essay portion covering all of the MBE topics, like
●
Wills,
Trusts, and Decedent's Estates
●
Family Law
●
Conflicts of
Law
●
Employment
Discrimination
●
Business
Organization
●
Federal
Constitution law
●
Evidence
●
Federal
Income Tax
●
etc.
What happens if a lawyer practices law without a license?
Those lawyers practicing law without a license are subject to criminal charges. In Pennsylvania, it is a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Conclusion
Knowing
the difference between a lawyer and an attorney lets you get appropriate legal
assistance. Eric Thole also advises checking their career background with your
State's Bar Association to avail the best legal support.
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