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Glite Dictionary
counselor-at-law

counselor-at-law

7.3
A lawyer who represents clients in court and speaks for them
  • noun
  • /ˈkaʊnslər æt lɔ/
  • Formal
translation icon : abogado
  • The court appointed a counselor-at-law to represent the defendant.

Examples

  • As a counselor-at-law, she has appeared in several high-profile criminal cases.

  • He consulted his counselor-at-law before making any official statements to the press.

  • I need to hire a counselor-at-law for my case.

  • The counselor-at-law advised her on the legal matter.

  • The court appointed a counselor-at-law to represent the defendant in the trial.

  • He consulted his counselor-at-law to understand his rights before entering the plea.

  • As a counselor-at-law, she provides legal counsel to clients facing complex lawsuits.

Synonyms

lawyer
vscounselor-at-law
∞ 1.0

A person who gives legal advice and represents people in court

limits this to qualification that specifically includes courtroom pleading
attorney
vscounselor-at-law
  • US
∞ 4.6

A lawyer who gives legal advice and represents people in court

is narrower by stressing qualification to plead in court specifically
counsel
vscounselor-at-law
  • Formal
713 4.3

A lawyer who speaks for someone in court

is the same role but emphasises formal qualification to plead in court
counselor
vscounselor-at-law
  • Formal
211 4.1

A lawyer who gives legal advice and represents people in court

is identical in meaning but differs only as a title form
advocate
vscounselor-at-law
  • UK
146 5.8

A lawyer who speaks for a client in court

focuses more on general courtroom advocacy rather than wider legal advice
trial lawyer
vscounselor-at-law
36 3.6

A person who represents people in court during trials

covers courtroom representation more generally, not only trial work
litigator
vscounselor-at-law
  • Specialized
20 6.8

A lawyer who represents people in court cases

is broader, covering courtroom work as part of general qualification
atty
vscounselor-at-law
  • Jargon
8 9.8

An informal short word for a lawyer who gives legal advice and represents people in court

is the formal legal role described with full professional standing
pleader
vscounselor-at-law
  • Archaic
1 7.8

A lawyer who speaks in court for someone

is similar but denotes the certified role rather than just the arguing act

Surface Forms

counselor-at-law singular
counselors-at-law plural

Morphology

counselor-at-law = counselor + law (transparent) = at + counselor + law

The phrase literally denotes a 'counselor' who is 'at law' (i.e., practising law), so the meaning follows directly from the components.

Etymology

Counselor-at-law begins with counsel, from an old word meaning 'advice' and the same idea you see in consult, while law here means 'the legal system'. So a counselor-at-law is an adviser who works in the law and can speak for clients in court.