The word attorney can, nowadays, tend to conjure up glossy images of a smart-suited person either prosecuting or defending someone in a court of law depicted television style, using every means possible and a few more, to plead the case for or against a defendant in a dramatic court case.

This to me is an indication of the populist view of the legal profession, portrayed for the benefit of worldwide audiences on our movie or television screens. The glamour part of the profession is painted on quite thickly to engender the romantic notion of a type of hero worship and aloofness for the legally-trained orators.

One thing I am sure that is often forgotten is that these people have the power to take the liberty from somebody in the dock on that day. I don't think that is wrong incidentally, it's just that we have to accept that our society appoints an attorney to protect us in the long-term from potentially dangerous criminals. We also have to remember that if an attorney is for example defending in a murder trial, he can only defend to the best of his ability with the evidence that is given. After all, the jury are the people who have the final say in these matters - and quite right to!.

Cynical I may be, but we if we are called to give evidence in a trial we take an oath or affirmation to tell the truth and, in this hypothetical case, we also presume that everyone else is telling the truth. We don't hear of many perjury cases nowadays and yet there have to be lies told in every case that comes to court!

The word attorney, I feel, is a general term, depending on what part of the world you live in. I suppose, and as this is only my opinion, an attorney may be a solicitor, lawyer or barrister, depending on which part of the world you live and how you view the legal profession.

I find, as a lay person, the American legal system quite interesting. We hear expressions like District Attorney, State Attorney and other titles. I am guessing that these apply to various levels of legal practice, reliant on how people expand their knowledge and climb up the legal ladder. Attorney-General, I presume in the United States, would be the same say as the Lord Chief Justice in the United Kingdom. They would be in fact "the main man" - just a comparative term by the way, not in any way meant to be sexist or discriminatory.

Like any major profession, the wait to reach the heady heights of a courtroom battle is probably only open to a few more elite and more intelligent people, who have studied extensively and excessively to complete their chosen career path.

It is more likely that the attorney the general public would be dealing with on an every day basis, would be if we have some minor disagreement that needs a professional opinion on their specialist topics, whether it be house purchase, family law, patent laws and scores of other topics that perhaps don't need the grand legal venue of a courtroom.

One thing that is for sure. An attorney plays a vital role in the democratic system. We rely heavily on being able to find justice for all in the way we live. Long may they prosper!

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Attorneys
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