Attorneys vs Lawyers: What's the Difference?

You just were in a car accident that has placed you with multiple injuries and significant damage to your vehicle. You want to pursue a personal injury case to receive the compensation that is rightfully owed to you. So, you go to pick up your phone and make an appointment with a lawyer. Or ...is it an attorney? 

Attorney Versus Lawyers: Is there a difference between the two?

Attorney vs Lawyer: Is there a Difference?

It’s common to call an attorney a lawyer or vice versa. The terms are often used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between an attorney and a lawyer. 

Technically, all attorneys are lawyers, but not lawyers are attorneys. The differences between an attorney or lawyer are more important for the bar association and for the client looking for a legal representation. 

What Qualifies Someone as a Lawyer?

A lawyer has had years of experience and training in the judicial field and the law. Lawyers can specialize in different areas of law to provide legal advice to people. In fact, a person educated in the law is always addressed as a lawyer, even if they decide to not give legal counsel to clients. Simply put, any person in the United States who has graduated from law school can be called a lawyer. 

However, lawyers who have not yet successfully passed the bar exam cannot do certain jobs, such as represent you in court. Not all lawyers may choose to take the bar exam since this is a matter of personal choice. 

What are the Duties of a Lawyer?

The responsibilities of a lawyer vary since not all lawyers choose to take the bar exam. 

All lawyers who pass the bar exam are required to uphold a strict code of ethics. They write out various legal documents, including the nuances of contracts and wills, and are qualified to give legal advice. 

Lawyers who graduate from law school may decide to not pass the bar exam for a variety of reasons. There is plenty of work for lawyers outside of representing clients in legal cases, such as becoming a federal advisor or a consultant. Lawyers can also assistant an attorney’s case, but do not represent the client in court. 

The type of lawyer you need depends on your situation or what area of law you need help in. Some examples include:

• Estate Lawyer if you need a will or trust drafted.
• Tax lawyer if you need advice on your taxes.
• Corporate lawyer if you need guidance on starting and maintaining a corporation. 
• Intellectual property lawyer if you want to patent, copyright, or trademark your property. 

What Qualifies Someone as an Attorney?

Attorneys, also known as attorneys-at-law, are recognized as lawyers and have studied law and the judicial system. An attorney has also graduated from law school and performs the basic functions of a lawyer. However, all attorneys have passed the bar exam, which allows them to practice law within a specific jurisdiction. 

This allows them to perform the basic functions of a lawyer with the addition of being able to act as legal representatives for their clients. An attorney does not just give legal guidance but represents clients in court to provide for the client’s needs. 

So, attorneys can perform all the duties of a lawyer, while not every lawyer is allowed to perform the work of an attorney.  

What are the Duties of a Attorney

Since an attorney is able to represent clients in court, their primary duties are to plead, defend, and argue as a representative for their client. As officers of the court, it is mandatory for all attorneys-at-law to pass the bar exam. 

Due to the Power of Attorney, attorneys are allowed the legal, financial, and medical right to decide for their client's interest. They are given the responsibilities to execute critical decisions for their clients, as long as it’s defined in the Power of Attorney document

Examples of attorneys: 

• Personal injury attorney if you want to pursue compensation for damages. 
• Medical malpractice attorney if you are being sued/ are suing for medical malpractice. 
• IP attorney if you want to challenge or defend a patent, trademark, or copyright lawsuit.  

How Lowman Law Firms Services Can Meet Your Needs

Now that you have a better understanding of the role attorneys and lawyers can play in your case, you may be wondering “ How do I find a lawyer or attorney?”

Finding the right kind of attorney or lawyer isn’t easy, but it is a significant step in the right direction. Make sure you find a lawyer that you trust and feel comfortable handling your personal injury case with. To learn more about hiring a lawyer or how a personal injury case works, we encourage you to subscribe to our blog or contact an experienced and compassionate attorney today to assist you with your case. This is no obligation, and will help you get the information you need.