Lawyer? Shouldn't that be Solicitor?

[nickytwotimes]

So says dh anytime he hears lawyer being used outwith USA copntext.

Is he right?

[Freckle]

I agree Hula. So the term would encompass solicitor, barrister (usually too far up their own arses to even consider where anyone comes in the pecking order - although I have met some very nice ones), legal executive, licenced conveyancer, paralegal.

[Hulababy]

Yes, that's right

A number of our friends are lawyers - primarily solicitors and barristers - and TBH I have found that within the legal profession there isn't all this discussion over who is above who. It is just a perception amongst the general public, outside the law. Have to say that barristers do tend to be a whole different character to solicitors though - lovely, but also pretentious on the whole - think it must be part of the training

[MamaG]

God yes some of the biggest ponces I've ever met are barristers

[Hulababy]

Don't really know any female barristers - just one vaguely, and she is normally rather drunk whenever I have met her! - but I always imagine they'd be far more scary pretentious, whereas the male barristers are lovely and sweet pretentious - or at th very least more likely to buy me fizz on a lunch out

[MamaG]

Yes, the female ones can be quite intimidating but as you get to know them, they are usually lovely (beneath the CDV exterior).

I'm sorry if this is a WHOPPING generalisation but the male barristers are usually lovely and generous and gentlemanly - holding doors open, etc

[Freckle]

And then you get some solicitors who clearly think that they ought to have been barristers and are complete and utter tossers, without the redeeming features of gentlemanly behaviour and courtesy.

[MamaG]

discliamer
can i just point out that solicitors are not solicitors because they weren't clever enough to be barristers

[crumpet]

Agreed MamaG. I became a solictor for short term material reasons - the law firm I trained at paid for my fees at law school (and provided a living allowance), to become a barrister I would have had to self fund and was too lazy.

But thinking about it I never did apply to bar school so don't know if I would have been rejected for being too thick!

[flowerybeanbag]

DH is a solicitor. Barristers not above solicitors, that's too general, you get high-up successful and excellent versions of each, as well as rubbish ones, they are different jobs.

I don't think he'd be too impressed at a legal exec referring to themselves as a lawyer tbh. Lawyer is barrister or solicitor.

[wheresthehamster]

I've learnt something today!

My perception:
Solicitors - legal bods who deal with us townies divorcing, buying houses,etc
Barristers - clever folk who live in London and wear wigs and deal with important things.

Apologies to all solicitors!

[flowerybeanbag]

wheresmyhamster

DH is v clever and deals with Very important things, one of his cases has been on the news a lot recently. He doesn't deal with divorces and house buying at all.

[whoops]

Can I add that my friends brother is a barrister and he studyed for about 7 years before becoming a barrister - that was so he didn't have to go out to work for a long time! He did a degree, a masters then a conversion. He has just been told the chambers are going to keep him on when his pupilage finishes too

[Bink]

Ah no, it's not a real world vs. ivory tower distinction at all.

You get solicitors who shovel virtual money about in a kind of 3-D chess with no evident connection to a single human being; and you get barristers who whose daily diet is small claims personal injury and special needs statements tribunals.

[crumpet]

wheresmyhamster, solicitors do a bunch of stuff: as well as the high street solicitors firms, solicitors will also (off the top of my head) deal with litigation matters (eg solicitors will have been instructed by Max Mosely, and then in turn used a barrister to appear in court, or will be acting on behalf of the Equitable Life pensions policy holders), to prepare the contracts for multi billion sales/purchases of companies, draft acts of parliament, be advising people like Virgin on their letters to people who are illegally downloading music, draft the contracts for TV presenters, and a lot more. Barristers are/can also be involved in all of the above dependoing on what is required.

[Bink]

I was also wondering whether Nicky2x's dh has got his wires crossed & is meaning, actually, to object to people using "attorney" outside a US context?

As that would be a more reasonable pedantry

[MamaG]

flowery - "I don't think he'd be too impressed at a legal exec referring to themselves as a lawyer tbh. Lawyer is barrister or solicitor." - would he really be arsy about that? Legal Execs/paralegals also do intensive training and run their own caseloads, why would he be snobby about them?

[LadyThompson]

It is bloody hard to get into bar school, and then get a pupillage etc. And THEN get into a chambers. Yes, there are lots of good and clever solicitors about, but to be a barrister you have to be a bit special (biased and proud emoticon)

[legalalien]

Just to confuse things more, I'm both a barrister and a solicitor (in my country of original admission, at least - here I'm a solicitor).

I would not describe anyone without a law degree as a lawyer, so would probably describe a paralegal or legal exec with a law degree as a lawyer, but not otherwise. But that's a function of the fact that you cannot qualify down under without a law degree (i.e. no such thing as a conversion course), and there are no articles either.

[FluffyMummy123]

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[flowerybeanbag]

MamaG no he wouldn't be really arsy, and he's not snobby. I just don't think he would think of legal execs or paralegals as lawyers, so in that sense if he heard one describing themselves as such he'd probably be a bit and might also think they were misleading whoever they were talking to a little.

[FluffyMummy123]

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[PennyBenjamin]

I think I would only describe someone as a lawyer if they had been authorised by the relevant legal body - i.e. if they had been admitted to the Bar, or for a solicitor, were admitted by the Law Society. It's more than having a law degree.

I have the greatest respect for the legal execs and paralegals I work with, but I wouldn't describe them as lawyers.

[FluffyMummy123]

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