Every crime in California is defined by a specific code section. Our attorneys explain the law, penalties and best defense strategies for every major crime in California.
Crimes by Code
Every crime in California is defined by a specific code section. Our attorneys explain the law, penalties and best defense strategies for every major crime in California.
California DUI
DUI arrests don't always lead to convictions in court. Police officer mistakes, faulty breathalyzers and crime lab errors may get your charges reduced or dismissed. Visit our California DUI page to learn more.
Post Conviction
A criminal record can affect job, immigration, licensing and even housing opportunities. In this section, we offer solutions for clearing up your prior record.
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There is a subtle difference between the meaning of attorney and lawyer. You are a “lawyer” if you graduate from law school. You then become an “attorney” if you pass the bar exam and enter the State Bar Association for the state in which you practice law.
If a lawyer does not go on to become an attorney, then that person cannot practice law in a particular jurisdiction. But if the lawyer does move on, then the person can:
While some lawyers also become attorneys, some do not.
Note that the “attorney-client privilege” exists between an attorney and his/her client. However, the privilege does not extend to lawyers and people they are helping.
The attorney-client privilege is a legal privilege that makes the communications between attorneys and their clients privileged and confidential.
Attorneys are legal professionals who:
The formal title of an attorney is “attorney at law.”
Attorneys are free to perform a wide variety of legal roles and tasks. For example, they can:
Note that most attorneys either practice across a variety of practice areas, or they specialize in one field of law (for example, intellectual property, family law, personal injury, or real estate).
Attorneys can either practice on their own as solo-practitioners, or they can practice as members of a law firm or law office.
Lawyers are professionals that succeed as law students and earn a law degree from an accredited law school.
Unlike attorneys, however, they do not ncessarily go on to take or pass the bar exam or become a member of a state bar association.
If a lawyer does not move on to become an attorney, he/she is not authorized to:
But a lawyer can do so if he or she passes the bar and becomes a member of a state bar association. So while some lawyers may not be licensed to practice law, some of them are.
If you are a lawyer and do not go on to become an attorney, you can still work under a licensed attorney.3 However, if you engage in the practice law and provide legal advice, you could face criminal charges.
In addition to “lawyer” and “attorney,” there are other terms attorneys or professionals use for people associated with the legal profession. Some of the most popular include:
The attorney-client privilege is a type of evidentiary law in most states that makes the communications between attorneys and their clients privileged and confidential.
In particular, most state’s attorney client privilege laws say that:
The purpose of these rules is to help attorneys and clients furnish and obtain legal advice and assistance.5
Note that there are some exceptions to the attorney-client privilege. For example, the privilege does not apply to any communications between a client and his/her attorney that are made in order to enable someone to
While the privilege exists between an attorney and a client, it does not extend to lawyers and people they may be helping.
A former Los Angeles prosecutor, attorney Neil Shouse graduated with honors from UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School (and completed additional graduate studies at MIT). He has been featured on CNN, Good Morning America, Dr Phil, The Today Show and Court TV. Mr Shouse has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Criminal and Top 100 Civil Attorneys.