What are lawyers called in other countries?

Asked by: Pattie Reichel  |  Last update: January 21, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (53 votes)

In the jurisdictions of England and Wales and in Northern Ireland, in the Australian states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, Hong Kong, South Africa (where they are called attorneys) and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers (called advocates in some ...

What do British call lawyers?

barrister, one of the two types of practicing lawyers in England and Wales, the other being the solicitor. In general, barristers engage in advocacy (trial work) and solicitors in office work, but there is a considerable overlap in their functions.

What is a lawyer's title in the UK?

Lawyer is a general term used to describe people who provide legal services. Unlike terms such as solicitor or barrister, lawyer has no defined meaning in UK law. Anyone can call themselves a lawyer, regardless of whether they have any professional legal qualifications or not.

What are lawyers called in China?

English has a number of different terms to describe a legal practitioner, including lawyer, attorney, barrister, solicitor and counsel. By contrast, Chinese only has one term: lüshi, although “legal consultant” (falü guwen) is also commonly used.

What is another title for a lawyer?

noun
  • attorney.
  • counsellor.
  • advocate.
  • counselor.
  • solicitor.
  • counsel.
  • prosecutor.
  • jurist.

Illegal In the US, Legal In the World

27 related questions found

What is a slang word for lawyer?

Mouthpiece is a slang term for a lawyer, especially a criminal defense lawyer. The term stems from the view of lawyers as being the spokesperson for their client.

What is a nickname for a lawyer?

Another outdated slang term is “ mouthpiece”. “Ambulance chaser”. “Legal eagle”. Probably many others, those are the ones that come to mind.

What are lawyers called in Russia?

Russia has what is called "advokatura", sometimes translated as "the bar" (I will not be using this translation). Its members are called "advokaty", usually translated as "advocates" (I will be using this) or "attorneys" (I will not be using this).

What are Japanese lawyers called?

In Japan, attorneys at law (弁護士, bengoshi, lit. "advocate") form the base of the country's legal community.

What are lawyers called in Singapore?

Unlike the legal profession in England which is divided into barristers and solicitors, the Singapore legal profession is a fused profession, with each lawyer who is called to the Bar known as an 'Advocate and Solicitor' with the exclusive right of audience to appear before all courts of justice in Singapore1.

What is a lawyer called in Australia?

A Lawyer or Solicitor. In Australia, the terms Lawyer and Solicitor tend to be used interchangeably by most people, as somebody that provides legal advice. There tends to be a preference for one term or another in different States, and even different places within those States.

What are lawyers called in Canada?

All Canadian lawyers can call themselves both “barristers and solicitors”, although many define their practices as either one or the other. A barrister is a litigator, i.e. a courtroom lawyer. Traditionally, the Bar was the place in a courtroom where counsel stood to address the court.

Do lawyers have titles like doctors?

A Juris Doctor degree is technically a professional doctorate. But unlike other Ph. D. holders, lawyers don't hold the title of "Doctor." Instead, they can choose to use the title "esquire," which is shortened to "Esq." and is fashioned after the lawyer's name.

What is a solicitor in Hong Kong?

All solicitors in Hong Kong are admitted to the High Court of Hong Kong and thus bear the full title of "Solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong". Solicitors enjoy rights of audience in the lower court and in chamber hearings in the High Court.

What are lawyers called in the USA?

In the United States, the terms “lawyer” and “attorney” are often used interchangeably.

What is the Old English word for lawyer?

Attorney derives from an Old French word for lawyer ("attorn"), while lawyer derives from the Old English word ("lawe"). That we use both today is more a reflection of the complicated history of the English language rather than any kind of legal distinction.

What is a French lawyer called?

The French Lawyer (avocat)

What is a Spanish lawyer called?

In Spain, all lawyers have the same title, “Abogados.” Unlike in some countries, there are no distinctions between solicitors and barristers. The same attorney that drafts your contract can represent you in court if that contract is breached.

What is a Mexican lawyer called?

What is a lawyer called in Mexico? Lawyers are called 'abogados. ' Another type of legal professional are the notaries public or 'notarios públicos.

What do Italians call a lawyer?

(in court) avvocato/essa. (consultant) legale mf. (for sales, wills) notaio.

What are lawyers called in Germany?

The official professional title of a German lawyer is Rechtsanwalt (male) oder Rechtsanwältin (female). Only fully qualified German lawyers who have passed both legal exams are entitled to refer to themselves as “Rechtsanwalt” or – in short – “Anwalt”.

What is a lawyer called in England?

The term 'lawyer' hasn't actually got a defined meaning in UK law. The term lawyer is a generic term used to describe anyone who is a Licensed Legal Practitioner qualified to give legal advice in one or more areas of law. A solicitor and a barrister could both be considered a 'lawyer' in the UK.

What is another title for lawyer?

An attorney is a lawyer, but a lawyer is not always an attorney. "Esquire" is an honorary title used for attorneys in the United States. The word previously referred to men in training to become a knight. It was then used to denote high-ranking men in British society.

What is shyster slang for?

Shyster (/ˈʃaɪstər/; also spelled schiester, scheister, etc.) is a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, sometimes also politics or economics.