The Difference Between an Advocate and a Solicitor

If you’re considering going to court for a legal issue, you might want to know what’s the difference between a solicitor and an advocate.

We’ll be discussing what advocates and solicitors do and which one you should hire to help with your legal case.

Advocates

Typically, an advocate provides specialised consults to their clients. They also represent private individuals and institutions in court and written representation.

Role of an Advocate

Clients usually hire advocates to represent the client’s case in court. Their role is to present the client’s arguments and facts to persuade the jury to get a result in their client’s best interests.

Generally, advocates practice one field of law. This can include any specialty such as criminal defence, chancery, common law, family law, etc.

Their duties consist of arguing the client’s case, examining and cross-examining, and redirecting testimony. They also attempt to persuade the court to rule in favour of their client according to relevant case law and legislation. Simply put, advocates negotiate possible settlements on behalf of their clients.

Advocates can be self-employed, employed by a solicitors firm, other law firms, or institutions like the Crown Prosecution Service(CPS).

Solicitors

A solicitor is also a lawyer who is legally qualified to advise clients and offer them legal support. They also provide legal services to private individuals, businesses, and other institutions in both the public and private sectors.

Role of a Solicitor

After listening to their clients’ concerns, solicitors provide legal advice to clients that lie in their best interests. Generally, UK-based solicitors are mainly litigators.

Solicitors also negotiate with opposing councils on behalf of their clients on maintenance, damages, contract terms, etc. They also ensure that all parties involved in the case, like advocates, are up to speed and coordinate as a team.

Solicitors tend to work directly with the client, including determining whether the client’s needs can be met by their or their firm’s services. They make sure the legal advice and procedures are authentic and in line with the country’s laws and regulations.

The primary function of the solicitor is to perform important paperwork and facilitate communication between the client and their advocate. Solicitors are required to draft important letters, contracts, and other legal documents for the client or court.

In a nutshell, when people say they need a lawyer for an accident at work claim, loan agreement disputes, or getting a divorce – they should hire a solicitor.

At Wembley Solicitors, we handle all sorts of sensitive cases, from everyday commercial paperwork to consulting on life-altering criminal trials.

Call us now to get counsel in Wembley today.