What's the Difference Between Attorney and a Lawyer?

 

Have you ever approached any Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney for your property-related matters? As a layman, most of us feel that the entire legal profession comes down to lawyers and attorneys, and both the terms are interchangeable.  However, similar to many other jobs you can have with a law degree, there are a few fundamental differences between those two in terms of both requirements and career goals. If you are a law student who is interested in successfully obtaining a Juris Doctor or JD degree, then you must be aware of those distinctions. 

 

Common Requirements and Definitions 

 

The terms “lawyer” and “attorney” have one significant difference: Anyone who graduates from law school is a lawyer, aspiring to be the best lawyer in California. That doesn’t automatically imply the same concept as becoming an attorney under US law. In simple terms, while all attorneys are lawyers, not all lawyers are attorneys. 

 

For practicing law and becoming an attorney, a lawyer must clear the bar exam and become a member of a state bar association. This exam covers a wide range of legal topics. That includes tax law, constitutional law, wills, criminal procedure, contracts, torts, real estate law, and many others.  You can say that the bar examination is a legal requirement for any law-school graduate who wishes to practice professionally in their jurisdiction. Before joining the American Bar Association (ABA), and taking the exam, you must get a degree from one of the 199 ABA-approved law schools. 

 

Lawyer Definition 

 

The word “lawyer” features Middle English origins, referencing a person with law education and training. A lawyer has to complete law school and obtain a JD degree. A lawyer needn’t pass the bar exam, as there are many job opportunities for people with a law degree and without it. 

But to practice law, offer legal advice, and provide courtroom aid, you need to pass the bar. It’s illegal if an unlicensed lawyer provides legal advice, and this may cause criminal charges and legal actions against the individual. Without it, law graduates can just offer legal information without interpreting how said information applies to a specific problem. 

 

Lawyers can intern in a law firm under an authorized attorney or as part of an externship for the learning experience. This is a path maximum graduates prefer before passing the bar exam. The exam is very demanding, as it requires a lot of preparation and normally lasts for two or three days. 

 

Attorney Definition 

 

The word “attorney” features French origins. Originally it meant acting on behalf of others as a deputy or agent. Presently, the meaning of the word has deviated a bit from that, but not by far. 

An attorney - abbreviated from an “attorney-at-law” - is a lawyer to pass the state bar exam and is legally eligible to represent clients, practice law in court, take part in other legal proceedings, and directly provide legal advice about the situation of their client. They can also act as consultants for companies and individuals, similar to regular lawyers. 

 

Let's find out the duties of an attorney as part of a bar association. Being its members, attorneys must comply with rules of professional conduct and a code of ethics to practice in court for both civil and criminal cases. In the context of legal proceedings, the word ‘bar’ is derived from Middle English too, referring to the physical bar dividing a courtroom, at which law practitioners would speak. For the same reason, “barristers” are a category of attorney. 

An attorney-at-law can also be defined as a court practitioner authorized by the state to defend a client or prosecute individuals charged with breaking the law. 

 

Due to their similarities, the terms attorney and lawyer are used interchangeably throughout the United States, though they aren’t synonyms. But now that we are on the same page in the attorney vs. lawyer comparison, there are some notable differences between the two titles, defining what each profession entails. 

 

Education 

 

A major difference between these two types of legal professionals isn’t related to the type of education they get, but to their application. Apart from a Juris Doctor degree that law school graduates receive, students have other options to build their resumes, as well. 

A Master of Laws or LLM degree is a more advanced option provided by universities with a law program, allowing practitioners knowledge that is relevant anywhere in the world. Additionally, it can play a significant role in how much a lawyer earns. 

 

Inference 

 

Both lawyers and attorneys undergo additional training in their chosen areas of expertise and hardly switch from one field to another. Next time, whenever you need an estate planning lawyer in California, check whether you’re approaching the right person.