Word family noun law lawyer outlaw lawfulness lawlessness adjective lawful ≠ unlawful verb outlaw adverb lawfully ≠ unlawfully
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlawyerlaw‧yer /ˈlɔːjə $ ˈlɒːjər/ ●●● S3 W2 noun [countable] SCTsomeone whose job is to advise people about laws, write formal agreements, or represent people in courtCOLLOCATIONSverbsget a lawyerIf you are charged with breaking the law, you will need to get a lawyer.hire/engage a lawyerHe’s rich enough to hire a good lawyer.see/consult a lawyer (=talk to a lawyer for advice)She has consulted a lawyer and is considering whether to sue Bailey.talk to/speak to a lawyer (=for advice)Have you spoken to a lawyer?a lawyer acts for/defends/represents somebodya group of lawyers who represent the airlinea lawyer argues somethingHis lawyers argued that the charges against him were baseless.a lawyer advises somethingHis lawyers advised him not to comment.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + lawyer a defence lawyer (=a lawyer who tries to prove in court that someone is not guilty)This evidence was given to the defence lawyer.a prosecution lawyer (=a lawyer who tries to prove in court that someone is guilty)The prosecution lawyer asked his witness a question.a civil rights lawyerHe has worked as a civil rights lawyer for over twenty years.a criminal lawyerShe is one of the country’s leading criminal lawyers.a libel lawyerThe actress is unhappy about the magazine article and has consulted a libel lawyer.a clever lawyerA clever lawyer may get a case against his client dropped because of a technicality. a hotshot lawyer (=a successful and confident lawyer)He’s a hotshot lawyer with a growing reputation.THESAURUSlawyer someone whose job is to advise people about laws, write formal agreements, or represent people in courtHis lawyer told him to plead guilty.attorney American English a lawyer. Attorney sounds more formal than lawyer‘The United States sees intellectual property rights as sacred, ’ said Thomas Klitgaard, an attorney specializing in international law.Acting on the advice of his attorney, he remained silent throughout the questioning. solicitor a type of lawyer in Britain who gives legal advice, prepares the documents when property is bought or sold, and defends people, especially in the lower courts of lawShe works as a commercial property solicitor at Nabarro Nathanson in London. He went to the family solicitor to make a will.barrister a lawyer in Britain who can argue cases in the higher law courtsMcWalter's barrister, Hugh Vass, stressed his client’s previous good character. advocate formal a formal word for a lawyer in American English, or a barrister in ScotlandThe committee can put questions to the defendant or his advocate.brief British English informal the lawyer who represents someone in a court caseHis brief asked for a fine rather than a prison sentence.counsel [uncountable] the lawyer or group of lawyers who are representing someone in courtcounsel for the defence/prosecutionExamples from the Corpus
lawyer• My greatest joy as a lawyer was making partner.• You know, I came out to be a lawyer like you, but I hated the lawyering part.• You have to study for a long time to become a lawyer.• Doctors and lawyers, teachers and preachers were respected members of the community. 15.• Defense lawyer Charles Grieshammer said he was not surprised by the verdict.• He refused to answer any questions until his lawyer came.• When the University of Illinois' lawyers harumphed loudly, Clark and Andreesen changed the name.• Even indifferent lawyers may be kept going by their clerk arranging for briefs to be passed to them from dud solicitors.• The lawyer believed his colleagues had begun to whisper about him behind his back.From Longman Business Dictionarylawyerlaw‧yer /ˈlɔːjəˈlɒːjər/ noun [countable]LAW someone whose job is to give legal advice, write formal agreements, and represent people in courts → compare barrister, solicitorOrigin lawyer (1300-1400) law + -yer (from -IER1) 