An attorney, or legal practitioner, is a person certified to give legal advice who advises clients in legal matters. Some attorneys represent clients in courts of law and in other forms of dispute resolution.

Law is a theoretical and abstract discipline, and working as an attorney represents the "practical" application of legal theory and knowledge to solve real problems or to advance the interests of those who retain (i.e., hire) attorneys for legal services.

The role of the attorney varies significantly across legal jurisdictions, and therefore can be treated on this site in only the most general terms. Before an attorney can accept a client's case, he or she must interview the client and determine whether it is worth taking.

Attorneys In Courtroom Generally, there is no obligation to take a case, with the exception of public defenders, who must defend all indigent criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney. The lawyer must also stay in regular contact with the client and advise them about the case's status and possible outcome.

In the United States law is primarily taught at law schools. In the United States and countries following the American model, (such as Canada with the exception of the province of Quebec) law schools are graduate/professional schools where a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for admission.

Most law schools are part of universities but a few are independent institutions. Law schools in the United States (and some in Canada and elsewhere) award graduating students a J.D. (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Law) (as opposed to the Bachelor of Laws) as the standard law degree. However, the J.D. is not equivalent to the Ph. D., because it does not require the submission of a full dissertation based on original research.

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