Difference between Lawyer/Advocate/Attorney General

What is the difference between Lawyer/Advocate/Attorney General and Advocate General?

You may have heard the word Lawyer/Advocate/Attorney General and Advocate General once in your life. You might get confused about the difference between Lawyer/Advocate/Attorney General and Advocate General. So, in this article, we will discuss these.

I hope all the doubts will be clear after reading the article. So, First, start with the difference between a Lawyer and a Barrister.

Lawyer 

A lawyer is a person who has completed his Law degree or Law Graduate. That person who has done LLB or BA + LLB is known as a lawyer but they can't be an Advocate. You have graduated with a law degree that doesn't mean you can represent your client in the court or you can not take any case in the court.

Barrister

There is no major difference between a Lawyer and a Barrister. If you did your Law graduation in India you will be known as a Lawyer and if you did your Law graduation in either England or South Africa, you will be known as a Barrister. The words are different but the meaning of the word is the same and a barrister can't take the case to the court just like a lawyer can't represent a client's case in the court.

Advocate

A lawyer and a barrister both are the same but when the lawyer or a barrister enrolls himself in the bar council of India (BCI), then they become an Advocate after clarifying the exam of the bar council. After clarifying the exam, you will get the licence. After getting the license, you can now be eligible to represent your client's in the court or you can take the cases to the court or you can practice in the court. 

 i. Senior Advocate

 

Advocates are those professionals who can take the cases to the court but the Senior advocates are the personnel who are designated either by the Supreme court of India or the High Court. These have vast knowledge and experience of more than 10 years and won the majority of cases.

 ii. Advocate on Record

The senior advocates who have cleared the exam of AOR are recognized as an AOR by the Supreme Court of India. Only an Advocate on Record (AOR) can file the Vakalatnama, a petition, an affidavit, or any other application on the behalf of the party in the Supreme Court of India. In simple words, the senior advocates appointed by the apex court of India as an AOR only have the right to draft the case in the supreme court of India. 

Advocate General

These are the most experienced advocate appointed by the governor in India. Advocate General represents all the cases of the states in the court. Advocate General can be a legal advisor of the state. They are entitled to a First Law officer of the state.

Attorney General

Just like the advocate general represents the states of India in the court, the Attorney general represents the central government in the court. They are called the First Law officer of the country. Attorney General is also the legal advisor of the central government. An Advocate General is appointed by the Governor, Attorney general is appointed by the President of India.

Solicitor General

Solicitor General assists the Attorney general in any case. They are after the Attorney general of India. They are also known as the second law officers of the country.