Attorney – duties and powers
5 mins read

Attorney – duties and powers

Ostania aktualizacja 27 January 2023

Attorney – duties and powers. Lawyer and legal adviser are two professions that many people mistakenly equate. Poor and too little legal knowledge can cause a lot of problems. And as you know, ignorance of the law is harmful, so it is better to know as many legal issues as possible. Today’s article is dedicated to the profession of a lawyer and legal adviser. It is worth knowing that the interchangeable use of the names advocate and legal adviser is a gross mistake. Before you decide to use the services of a solicitor or attorney, you need to find out what their competences are. Find out what is the difference between an attorney and a solicitor. 

Lawyer – who is he? 

Lawyer is one of the oldest professions in the world. Already in antiquity, many countries had laws enacted by their rulers. Nowadays, studying law continues to enjoy unflagging popularity. This is of course due to the fact that it is associated with many development opportunities. A well-paid job and the opportunity to help people in need are some of the most important motivations that guide people starting their legal career. Lawyers still enjoy quite high trust in Polish society. Each of us who has big problems certainly goes to a lawyer, solicitor or any other person practicing the legal profession. If we need representation in court, finding a professional lawyer is an absolute must.

People who successfully complete their law studies, obtaining a master’s degree in law. Depending on which specialization they choose, they will be able to pursue a different profession. The number of legal professions is really large – we are talking about such professions as a lawyer, legal adviser, judge, prosecutor, appraiser or bailiff. The list of these professions is really very large, which is why every person fascinated by the law will definitely choose a path that will provide them with full satisfaction and joy from their work.

The application is one of the most important stages on the professional path of every lawyer. It is it that allows you to gain the most important qualifications to perform a specific legal profession. Individual legal professions differ in their competencies and possibilities of acting on behalf of citizens before common courts. Of course, the vast majority of people are aware of the competences of appraisers or bailiffs, much bigger problems arise when determining the competences of legal advisers or attorneys. Many people think that both of these professions mean exactly the same thing. However, it is worth knowing that in reality it is completely different. Below we discuss in detail what is the difference between an attorney and a solicitor.

Lawyer, i.e. application 

A lawyer is any person who has successfully completed law studies and received a master’s degree in law. Having a master’s degree in law, of course, does not mean that you are a lawyer, legal adviser or prosecutor right away. Completion of a five-year legal formation gives general knowledge in various fields of law. We are talking here, for example, about criminal law, civil law, family law (concerning, for example, divorce or division of property in Warsaw )or administrative. Law firms can provide legal advice and prepare various opinions. An advocate and a legal adviser who has completed legal adviser training is authorized to provide legal advice to his clients. He may also draw up opinions and act on behalf of his clients in selected cases before common courts.

An advocate is a lawyer who has completed a legal apprenticeship. He is entitled to perform exactly the same activities as a legal adviser, but the scope of his competence is wider. The difference between the two professions is that can also appear in court on behalf of his clients in criminal cases as a defender. As for all other matters, i.e. related to administrative, civil or family law, our interests can be represented by both advocates and legal advisers. Before we go to a lawyer or legal adviser, it is worth knowing what their exact competences are.

How much do lawyers earn? 

It is worth knowing that at the moment it is a myth that all young lawyers earn huge money from the very beginning. In most cases, people who graduate from law studies for a period of several years earn a salary that is much lower than the national average. A huge number of novice lawyers work even several hours a day. They also spend a lot of money on private education (e.g. foreign language lessons). Only after a few years can lawyers reach the stage where the investments made in their own development pay off. Some people believe that “PLN 200 for one legal advice is an absolute exaggeration”. Not completely. It should be remembered that every lawyer has devoted many years to acquiring his knowledge.

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