solicitor

[suh-lis-i-ter]

noun

1. a person who solicits.

2. a person whose business it is to solicit business, trade, etc.

3. an officer having charge of the legal business of a city, town, etc.

4. (in England and Wales) a member of that branch of the legal profession whose services consist of advising clients, representing them before the lower courts, and preparing cases for barristers to try in the higher courts.

   Synonyms: counselor, attorney, lawyer

solicitor

/ səˈlɪsɪtə /

noun

1. (in Britain) a lawyer who advises clients on matters of law, draws up legal documents, prepares cases for barristers, etc, and who may represent clients in certain courts Compare barrister

2. (in the US) an officer responsible for the legal affairs of a town, city, etc

3. a person who solicits

Other Word Forms

• solicitorship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of solicitor¹

1375–1425; late Middle English solicitour < Anglo-French; Middle French soliciteur. See solicit, -or ²

Example Sentences

Operating from a solicitor's office in Huddersfield, he said he had "customers in every city".

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The boy "welcomes" the judge's decision to set out a clear roadmap for his return to the UK, said his solicitor, James Netto, of the International Family Law Group.

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According to the group's solicitor, Julia Eriksen, of law firm Leigh Day, campaigners believe government approval came "despite a number of flaws" in the application.

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Her solicitors, Leigh Day, had argued that a lack of insurance and "unspecified" concerns about staff safety do not provide universities carte blanche to restrict freedoms.

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Emma Norton, the family's solicitor and director of the Centre for Military Justice, said that while there had been some improvements to the Army's process for handling complaints, they did not go far enough.

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Related Words

• barrister 
• counselor