lawyer

lawyer — noun

1. a person who knows the law well through education and training, and whose work i

1.nounB1
Definition

a person who knows the law well through education and training, and whose work involves advising people or organisations on legal issues and defending or arguing for them in a court of law

Example

Ezra hired a lawyer to help him write a contract for his new business.

collocation: hire a lawyer

Before signing anything, the company's lawyer reviewed every page of the agreement.

possessive noun + lawyer (corporate context)

Common collocations
  • hire a lawyer
  • consult a lawyer
  • defense lawyer
  • prosecution lawyer
  • corporate lawyer
  • family lawyer
  • criminal lawyer
  • lawyer's fees
  • lawyer's office
  • talk to a lawyer
  • act as a lawyer
Synonyms
  • attorney

    formal term used in the US, especially when referring to someone with legal authority to act for another person; largely interchangeable with lawyer in American English

  • barrister

    UK term for a lawyer who argues cases in higher courts; does not normally deal directly with the public

  • solicitor

    UK term for a lawyer who gives legal advice and prepares documents, and may represent clients in lower courts

  • counsel

    formal term for the lawyer or team of lawyers representing a client in court; often used in court settings ('counsel for the defence')

Grammar Patterns

[noun]

Usage Note

In the US, lawyer and attorney are used interchangeably in everyday speech, though attorney is the more precise technical term. In the UK and other Commonwealth countries, a solicitor gives legal advice and prepares documents, while a barrister argues cases in higher courts. Lawyer can refer to either type.

Common Mistakes

She studied to become a lawer.
She studied to become a lawyer.
The word is spelled law-yer, not law-er.
My lawyer accused me in court.
My lawyer defended me in court.
A lawyer works to protect their client's interests, not to blame them.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In everyday American English, lawyer and attorney are used as synonyms, but attorney carries a more formal tone and implies someone legally authorised to act on another's behalf. In the UK and Commonwealth systems, the distinction is sharper: a solicitor advises clients and handles paperwork, while a barrister specialises in courtroom arguments. Counsel is a collective or formal term used in court ('counsel for the defence'). For example, if you have a traffic ticket in London, you would visit a solicitor for advice; if the case went to Crown Court, a barrister would present your argument. In New York, you would simply contact a lawyer or an attorney for the whole process.

lawyer ↗attorney ↗barristersolicitor ↗counsel ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • defense lawyer
  • prosecution lawyer
  • corporate lawyer
  • family lawyer
  • criminal lawyer
  • defence lawyer

Phrases

  • hire a lawyer
  • consult a lawyer
  • talk to a lawyer
  • act as a lawyer

Prepositions

  • lawyer for [someone]
  • lawyer with [a firm]

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Lawyer comes from Middle English lawier, formed from the noun law (the system of rules in a society) and the agent suffix -yer (meaning 'one who does or works with something'). The word first appeared in English around the 14th century, replacing the earlier term legist from Latin.