Who has Esquire after their name?

Asked by: Larissa Flatley  |  Last update: August 13, 2025
Score: 4.7/5 (16 votes)

In the United States, esquire (often shortened to Esq.) is a title of courtesy, given to a lawyer and commonly appended to his/her surname ( e.g. , John Smith, Esq. or John Smith, Esquire) when addressing the lawyer in written form.

Who can use Esquire after their name?

Once a lawyer is licensed and practicing, they can add "Esquire" to their name. A professional label distinguishes them from others who may hold law degrees but are not practicing lawyers.

Who gets to call themselves esquire?

In the United States, the term esquire (abbreviated Esq.) is generally used by lawyers, as a suffix, preceded by a comma, after the lawyer's full name.

Who has Esquire at the end of their name?

In the U.S., the esquire title is generally reserved for lawyers. It's considered an honorary title and isn't bestowed or protected by law. It's safe to presume someone is a lawyer if the title appears after their name. However, esquire is not an abbreviation for a lawyer, and it's not a title that is earned.

Which is higher, JD or Esq?

An esquire is a practicing lawyer who's a member of the bar. A person with a J.D. has a law degree but isn't a practicing lawyer. In that case, an esquire is considered higher than a J.D. because they're a practicing lawyer.

🔵 Esquire Meaning - Esq. Examples - Squire Definition - British Culture - Esquire Esq.

29 related questions found

Is a juris doctor higher than a PhD?

No, a JD is not equivalent to a PhD. PhDs require research, independent study, and thesis components that JDs do not. While PhD holders are considered doctors, JD holders are not.

What is the highest title for a lawyer?

Law Firm Partners

The pinnacle of the law firm hierarchy is the partners of the firm. Law firm partners play a significant role in law firm management and business. Attorneys who are seasoned not only possess extensive legal knowledge. But also play a major role in a firm's business or capital.

What is the female equivalent of Esquire?

esquiress - Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Should I add Esq to my signature?

Although lawyers may often choose to leave the "Esq." off of letters and emails between friends and loved ones (as it might seem stuffy and pretentious), in America it is commonly used when lawyers conduct business.

What do you call a person with a law degree?

The titles JD and Esq. both refer to someone who has completed law school. JD stands for Juris Doctor, and signifies that someone has completed law school and earned their JD degree. Esq. stands for Esquire and is an honorary title that typically signifies someone has both completed law school and passed the bar exam.

Is it pretentious to use esquire?

Every dictionary, style book or blog I have consulted agrees. While using “Esquire” referring to others is acceptable, although uninformed, using the term to refer to oneself is pretentious. Many attorneys may do it, but that is irrelevant.

Should I put JD after my name on my resume?

Style: Be consistent within categories and abbreviations: if one position title is in bold caps, put all position titles in bold caps or if you use J.D. instead of Juris Doctor (Do NOT use “Juris Doctorate”), use B.A., M.B.A. or Ph. D. Italics are used for degree designations, such as magna cum laude.

Can a female attorney be an esquire?

You can safely use the term esquire to refer to any attorney.

Should I put JD or Esq after my name?

JD is often used for people who have graduated from law school but have not yet become a practicing lawyer. It is also used for people who are no longer allowed to practice. You cannot use the title Esq.

Whose name is followed by Esq?

Esq. Definition. In the United States, Esquire is a title of respect applied to any person admitted to the bar and holding a law degree. It is often used in law firms to address practicing lawyers as part of their title in legal documents. However, it does not denote any specific legal duties, rights, or privileges.

Can non-lawyers use Esq?

Court sanctions: The use of the term esquire by a non-lawyer in court proceedings is not a good idea. A judge might sanction a non-lawyer who uses this term misleadingly or disrespectfully. Criminal charges: In some cases, a person who misuses the term esquire might face criminal charges.

Can anyone use the title esquire?

All attorneys can use the title "Esquire," but not everyone with a law degree is an attorney or is entitled to use "Esquire." For instance, a person who graduates from law school but doesn't pass the bar exam is not considered an attorney and cannot use "Esquire."

Does your legal signature have to be your name?

In most cases, your signature does not have to be your full name to be legally binding. As long as it's clear that you're the one who signed the document and you intended to do so, it should be valid.

What does PC mean after an attorney's name?

What is a professional corporation? A professional corporation or PC is one variation of a corporation. Licensed professionals who want to incorporate their practice can form a PC.

Is Esquire higher than JD?

J.D. just means they obtained a law degree (Juris Doctor) and is mostly used in academic or non-legal settings. Esquire indicates that they are licensed to practice law and is normally shorted to Esq. However, if you want to orally address a lawyer using a title, you should say “Attorney” before their name.

Why do some people have Esquire after their name?

While there are no official rules about who gets to be called esquire today, the term is conventionally limited to lawyers who have passed their state's bar exam and are thus licensed to practice law.

What is a female squire called?

Dame is an honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry.

What is the highest paid lawyer?

Highest-Paid Types of Lawyers
  • Patent attorney: $180,000.
  • Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.
  • Trial lawyer: $134,000.
  • Tax attorney: $122,000.
  • Corporate lawyer: $115,000.
  • Medical lawyer: $113,000.
  • Real estate lawyer: $98,000.
  • Family lawyer: $93,000.

What is a first year lawyer called?

First-year associates are entry-level junior attorneys and are generally recent law school graduates in their first year of law practice.

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.