A lawyer must be nominated by the Lord Chancellor in order to become a QC, and they must then go through a rigorous selection process that involves evaluating their legal knowledge, professional experience, and behaviour. The Queen then appoints the chosen candidates on the Lord Chancellor’s advice.
Senior Counsel (SC), Scotland’s equivalent of a QC, is a lawyer. Although they do not dress in silk gowns like their English counterparts, Scottish lawyers who are appointed as Senior Counsel are also known as silks.
Particularly in the United States, the suffix “esquire” is frequently used to indicate a lawyer. It is crucial to remember that “esquire” is not a recognized title for attorneys in the UK. As a courtesy title, it is instead applied to people who have acquired a specific level of social standing, such as gentry or members of the landed aristocracy. Although it is not a formal or official title, the term “esquire” is occasionally used in the legal context to designate a young lawyer.
The feminine equivalent of “esquire” is “esquirette,” albeit neither the phrase nor the formal title are used much. Regardless of their degree of experience or seniority, female lawyers are typically addressed as “Ms.” or “Mrs.” followed by their last name.
Especially in the US, the acronym “JD” is frequently used to indicate a law degree. The legal profession does not, however, formally accept it as a suffix or title. Instead, it is merely a shorthand for “Juris Doctor,” which is the title normally conferred upon successful completion of legal education for law students in the United States. Although it is neither a formal or official title, lawyers with this degree may be referred to as having a “JD” informally.
Esquire, a title frequently used in the legal industry, is abbreviated as “Esq.” Particularly in the United States, it is frequently used as a suffix to a person’s name to denote that the person is an attorney. It is derived from the word “esquier,” which means squire in Old French and originally denoted a young man who wanted to be a knight.
The postgraduate degree in law known as an LLM, or Master of Laws, enables students to specialize in a particular area of law and acquire in-depth knowledge and abilities in that field. Law graduates who want to improve their job chances or increase their knowledge and competence in a particular area of the law frequently seek it. Many colleges across the world offer LLM programs, which can be finished either full- or part-time.