Solicitor A solicitor is a lawyer who traditionally deals with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in court. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states, Hong Kong, South Africa (where they are called attorneys) and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers (called advocates in some countries), and a lawyer will usually only hold one of the two titles. However, in Canada, New Zealand and most Australian states, the legal profession is now for practical purposes fused, allowing lawyers to hold the title of barrister and solicitor and practise as both. The distinction between barristers and solicitors is, however, retained. Some legal graduates will start off as one and then decide to become the other. so•lic•i•tor (sə-lĭs′ĭ-tər) n. 1. One that solicits, especially one that seeks trade or contributions. 2. The chief law officer of a city, town, or government department. 3. Chiefly British An attorney who advises clients on legal matters, represents clients in certain lower courts, and prepares cases for barristers to present in the higher courts. 4. Canadian A barrister and solicitor. solicitor (səˈlɪsɪtə) n 1. (Law) (in Britain) a lawyer who advises clients on matters of law, draws up legal documents, prepares cases for barristers, etc, and who may represent clients in certain courts. Compare barrister 2. (Law) (in the US) an officer responsible for the legal affairs of a town, city, etc 3. a person who solicits soˈlicitorship n so•lic•i•tor (səˈlɪs ɪ tər) n. 1. a person who solicits, as contributions or trade. 2. an officer having charge of the legal business of a city, town, etc. 3. (in England and Wales) a member of the legal profession who advises clients, represents them before the lower courts, and prepares cases for barristers to try in the higher courts. 4. (in Canada) a lawyer. [1375–1425] so•lic′i•tor•ship`, n. Noun 1. solicitor - a petitioner who solicits contributions or trade or votes canvasser fundraiser - someone who solicits financial contributions petitioner, requester, suppliant, supplicant - one praying humbly for something; a suppliant for her favors 2. solicitor - a British lawyer who gives legal advice and prepares legal documents law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; civilization presupposes respect for the law; the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order law agent - a solicitor in Scotland attorney, lawyer - a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice solicitor noun lawyer, attorney, counsel, advocate, barrister, counsellor, legal adviser I was a solicitor before I retired. Solicitor A type of practicing lawyer in England who handles primarily office work. The title of the chief law officer of a government body or department, such as a city, town, or Municipal Corporation. England has two types of practicing lawyers: solicitors and barristers. Unlike the United States, where a lawyer is allowed to handle office and trial work, England has developed a division of labor for lawyers. Solicitors generally handle office work, whereas barristers plead cases in court. However, there is some overlap. Solicitors may appear as legal counsel in the lower courts, and barristers often prepare trial briefs and other written documents. Barristers depend on solicitors to provide them with trial work because they are not allowed to accept work on their own. The distinction between solicitors and barristers was originally based on their roles in the English court system. Solicitors were lawyers who were admitted to practice in Equity courts, whereas barristers were lawyers who practiced in common-law courts. The modern English judicial system has abolished this distinction. Barristers may appear in legal and equitable court proceedings, and solicitors handle out-of-court lawyering. The role of the solicitor is similar to that of a lawyer in the United States who does not appear in court. The solicitor meets prospective clients, hears the clients problems, gives legal advice, drafts letters and documents, negotiates on the clients behalf, and prepares the clients case for trial. When a court appearance appears inevitable, the solicitor retains a barrister on the clients behalf. The solicitor instructs the barrister on how the client wishes to proceed in court. There are more solicitors than barristers because most legal work is done outside the courtroom. Solicitors are required to take a law school course, but they must serve an apprenticeship with a practicing solicitor for five years (three years for a college graduate) before becoming fully accredited. The regulation and administration of solicitors is managed by the Law Society, a voluntary group incorporated by Parliament. The Law Society is similar to U.S. bar associations, setting standards of professional conduct, disciplining solicitors for ethical violations, and maintaining a client compensation fund to repay losses that result from dishonesty by solicitors. In the United States, the term solicitor generally has not been applied to attorneys. Some towns and cities in the Northeast have called their chief law enforcement officer a solicitor, rather than a chief of police. Also, the officer in the Justice Department who represents the government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court is called the Solicitor General. Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia This site: Follow: Join the Word of the Day Mailing List
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 12:36:32 +0000
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