Lawyer and Attorney: What Are Their Differences?

There are main differences between a lawyer and an attorney. Find out here!

LAWYER AND ATTORNEY – There’s a general impression when it comes to this profession but first, learn about the differences between these two terms.

When someone says that he or she is a lawyer or attorney, this leaves people with a certain impression because of the brooding nature of this profession. Most of the time, people think that you are trustworthy, professional, assertive, intellectual, analytical, and others. Others, due to some unpleasant experiences with one, might think about your profession as greedy, opportunistic, aggressive, manipulative, and others.

People can have various notions about this work but if you are one who is planning to become one, it is important to know first between a lawyer and an attorney. The two terms are often used interchangeably but they do have different linguistic histories and connotations.

What is a lawyer?

This refers to a person who has been educated in the law and has completed law school. This person can give legal advice, however, they cannot represent someone in the court. Why? Because they have not passed the bar exam yet. This is why some lawyers work under an attorney in a law firm to gain experience and knowledge about the legal setting of this profession while they also prepare for the examination. There are also others who refuse to go further and settle into working as a consultant or a government advisor

What is an attorney?

This refers to a person who has graduated from law school and passed the bar exam. This person can represent a client in court and has duties such as interpreting federal and state laws, applying what they learned in law school to the case of their client, and keeping records of interactions with clients and other professionals.

While both have graduated from a law school, the main distinction between the two is the way how they use their profession. A lawyer has not passed the bar exam yet but an attorney has.

Both lawyers and attorneys can choose what area of law they would want to specialize in. Some of the most common specializations are: