If you’re wondering what is the difference between lawyer vs solicitor, you’re not alone.
Both terms may be used interchangeably, and it can leave you wondering why you might see someone referred to as a lawyer and someone else as a solicitor…
And when you’re looking for expert legal advice, you’re probably looking for more answers than questions, and any uncertainty isn’t ideal.
Let Solicitors Near Me guide you through the differences between lawyer vs solicitor.
The Difference Between A Lawyer And A Solicitor
To put it simply, a lawyer and a solicitor are very similar, but there are differences.
The term lawyer refers to any person that is licensed and can provide legal advice to an individual, organisation, or business.
In essence, the word lawyer is an overarching term used to describe any licensed legal professional.
Lawyers can give legal advice and represent clients in court, which means that solicitors and barristers are lawyers too.
Yes, a solicitor fits under the larger umbrella term of lawyer.
Why the need for two terms?
Well, a solicitor has a clearly defined role, as does a barrister, and yet both may be referred to as a lawyer, so the specificity of the term solicitor makes it clearer as to their day to day role as a legal professional.
A solicitor is an individual that may provide legal support as well as acting on key legal matters such as divorce law, property law, business law, and criminal law.
Solicitors tend to deal with the case in the longer term, which means handling paperwork, communications with their client and the other party’s solicitor, and ensuring everything is accurate in terms of the information and the dispensation of legal advice.
While solicitors CAN represent their client in court, often the final presentation of the case to a judge or judge and jury is often handled by a barrister for this portion of any legal matter.
Many more solicitors now also handle this role, having Higher Rights Of Audience, which allows them to fulfill the role of the barrister too.
Should I Look For A Lawyer Or Solicitor?
If you’ve got a legal issue, whether that’s moving house, getting a divorce, drafting a will, or anything else, then you might be wondering whether you should be looking for a lawyer or solicitor…
Well, either will do.
The term is used so interchangeably today that the first step should be to speak to a legal expert, whether that’s a lawyer or solicitor, to discuss your legal matter.
They’ll be able to advise on what your next steps should be, and you can go from there.
There’s a variety of reasons why you might need legal advice, and you’ll find lawyers and solicitors that handle the entire variety of different aspects of law, including:
- Employment law
- Divorce Law
- Family Law
- Conveyancing
- Commercial Law
- Criminal Law
- Landlord and Tenant Law
- Lasting Powers of Attorney
- Probate
- Will Writing
- Stautory Declarations
In a lot of cases, you might be unsure what your legal rights are, how you should proceed, or whether you’ve got a case or not.
Seeking the advice of a lawyer or solicitor will help shape your case and sit in you in good stead moving forwards, whatever your legal matter.
We realise how stressful it can be when you’ve got a legal matter, even if it’s just moving house…
Which is why we want to take the stress of finding a reliable, expert solicitor away from you.
Finding A Solicitor Or Lawyer Near Me
At Solicitors Near Me, we connect you with legal experts near you for FREE.
You’re under no obligation to proceed with the lawyer or solicitor we connect you with, and the service really won’t cost you a penny.
So, whatever your legal matter, to connect with a legal expert near you, click the link below…
To be connected to a specialist legal expert near to where you live, please either call us now on 0845 1391399 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.