Lawyers

Abstract

This entry summarizes the definition, roles, and organization of lawyers and the legal profession, from an American and comparative perspective. Discussion includes legal education and entry into the profession, identification and counting of members, regulation of lawyers, scholarly views on the profession, and sociological issues involving women and minorities. Geographic examples include the U.S. and United Kingdom, as well as such civil law jurisdictions as Japan, France, and Germany. Given that there is no shared concept of the legal profession, cross-cultural comparisons are difficult and often erroneous, but often make political fodder. Current and classic writings on the legal profession are considered.