Attorneys or Lawyers? That is the Question

Perhaps no other profession has as many variations in titles than that of attorneys. The titles attorney and lawyer are frequently used, sometimes interchangeably, in the field of law. However, by definition, each has a unique meaning.

Generally speaking, attorneys, or attorney-at-law, is a person who is a member of the legal profession. Attorneys are qualified and licensed to represent a client in court. By most definitions, attorneys may act on the client’s behalf and plead or defend a case in legal proceedings. The English word attorneys has French origins, where it meant “a person acting for another as an agent or deputy.”

A lawyer, by definition, is someone who is trained in the field of law and provides advice and aid on legal matters. Because a lawyer also conducts suits in court proceedings and represents clients in various legal instances, the term has expanded to overlap the definition of attorney. In many countries the terms attorneys and lawyers are normally considered synonyms.