Attorney — in plain language
a lawyer who is licensed to give legal advice, represent people in court, and handle legal paperwork
From a fixed, curated glossary of 7,257 legal terms. Not legal advice. How it's made: plainlanguage.us/trust
Plain language
a lawyer who is licensed to give legal advice, represent people in court, and handle legal paperwork
- licensed lawyer
- legal representative
- lawyer
- legal counsel
What to watch for
- The everyday meaning of 'someone acting for another' is much broader than the legal meaning. Always clarify whether the person is a licensed lawyer or just someone with authority to act.
- 'Attorney at law' is redundant in modern usage — all attorneys are lawyers. Using 'attorney' alone is clearer in plain language.
- In power of attorney contexts, 'attorney' does not mean a lawyer — it means any person given legal authority to act for someone else. This is a major source of confusion.
- The term 'attorney' appears in phrases like 'attorney's fees' and 'attorney general' — these require different plain-language treatments and should not be translated the same way.
Two Very Different Meanings. The word "attorney" has two distinct legal meanings that must be translated differently. When it refers to a licensed lawyer, translate it as "lawyer" or "legal representative." When it appears in "power of attorney" contexts, it means "someone authorized to act for another person" — not necessarily a lawyer.
Power of Attorney Context. In documents about powers of attorney, "attorney" never means a lawyer. It refers to any person given legal authority to make decisions or sign documents for someone else. The plain-language translation should focus on "authorized person" or "agent" rather than "lawyer."
Common Misunderstandings by Non-Lawyers.
- "'Attorney' means a lawyer, right?" (Usually, but not in power of attorney documents — there it means any authorized agent.)
- "If someone has power of attorney, they must be a lawyer." (No — anyone can be given power of attorney, regardless of legal training.)
- "Attorney and lawyer mean exactly the same thing." (Mostly yes, but 'attorney' has special meaning in power of attorney contexts.)
Legal definition
A lawyer who has been licensed by a state to give legal advice, represent people in court, and prepare and sign legal documents. Attorneys can specialize in different areas of law, such as family law, criminal law, or business law.
Meanings by context
everyday English: someone who has been given the authority to act for another person
power of attorney documents: someone named in a legal document to make decisions or sign papers for another person
Examples
Legal: The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the attorney for any claims arising from the performance of services under this Agreement.
Plain: The company will protect the lawyer from any lawsuits related to the work they do under this agreement.
Legal: Executive shall have the right to be represented by an attorney of Executive's choice in connection with any dispute arising under this Agreement.
Plain: The employee can hire a lawyer of their choice to help with any disagreements about this agreement.
Where you'll see it
- court filings
- contracts and agreements
- legal correspondence
- power of attorney documents
- fee agreements
Related terms
- lawyer
- counsel
- solicitor
- barrister
- paralegal
- power of attorney
Word details
- Pronunciation
- uh-TURN-ee
- Part of speech
- noun
- Origin
- Anglo-French — from 'attourner' — to turn or transfer authority to
- Domains
- general legal practice, corporate law, family law, criminal law, administrative law
- Frequency
- very common
- Formality
- moderate
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