Call To The Bar - Particular Jurisdictions

Particular Jurisdictions

Common law jurisdictions include Australia, England and Wales, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Nigeria, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and most other jurisdictions in the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United States (the See also section below contains links to articles on the laws of these jurisdictions).

• Canada: In common law Canadian provinces, despite the unified legal profession (lawyers are qualified as both barristers and solicitors), the certificate issued by the provincial Law Society to the newly-qualified lawyer generally indicates he or she having been called to the Bar and admitted as a solicitor. In the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, there are in fact two certificates issued by the respective provincial Law Society: one for call to the bar, and the other for admission as a solicitor. In Alberta, the newly qualified lawyer's supervisor, referred to as his or her principal, makes an application to the Provincial Court of Alberta or Court of Queen's Bench to have him or her admitted to the bar. In Quebec, the civil law notary is very similar to the solicitor.

• New Zealand: As in Canada, the legal profession is fused. A lawyer in New Zealand is admitted as either a Barrister Sole or a "Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand". Once admitted, New Zealand "Barrister and Solicitors" are able to practise in either mode provided they hold a practising certificate, while Barristers Sole are entitled only to practice as a Barrister. Admission is overseen by one of the fourteen District Law Societies.

• Nigeria: As in New Zealand, there is no formal distinction between Barristers and Solicitors. A lawyer in Nigeria is admitted as a "Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria." Once admitted, Nigerian lawyers may argue in any Federal trial or appellate court as well as any of the courts in Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Lawyers are regulated by the Nigerian Bar Association.

• Sri Lanka: In Sri Lanka a lawyer must be admitted and enrolled as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. This is referred to as the a call to the bar.

• United States: Generally, a lawyer is said to have been "admitted to the Bar" and become an "attorney at law" (some states still use the older term "attorney and counselor (or even spelled 'counsellor') at law") upon taking his or her oath of office. Historically, the institution of attorney was similar to that of the solicitor, whereas the office of the counselor was almost identical to that of the barrister, but today this distinction has disappeared. The phrase "called to the Bar" is still sometimes used informally by US attorneys to refer to their qualification as a lawyer.