Attorney at law

Conceptual history

Historically, the term has developed in medieval England: the law and the courts were there divided into common law with the common law courts and equity with the Court of Chancery. In hearings only so-called barrister occurred. The preparation of the case, however, was taken over by the solicitors in the common law courts of the attorneys in the courts of Chancery.

Today's use

In today's legal system of the UK, there are no Attorneys. Anwaltliche activities are taken over by barristers, solicitors and (in Scotland) of advocates.

In the U.S., however, attorney at law (also: attorney -at -law) in addition to counselor the official name for a lawyer - a separation between Counsel and preparatory counseling as in the British legal system is unknown in the United States. Prosecutors are there often referred to as attorneys, with the level of responsibility is preceded by the title: county attorney, district attorney, etc. to the United States Attorney General, the counterpart to the German Federal Attorney General, who, however, also serves as head of the Justice Department in the United States.

In Sri Lanka, which was characterized as a former British colony of the British legal system, 1974, the exchange was completed by the two-pronged lawyer beings (consisting of advocates and proctors ) to single track ( with attorneys ).