An advocate is one who speaks on behalf of another, especially in a legal context. It is used particularly in reference to the system of Scots law, Anglo-Dutch law and Israeli law. Scots law (or Scottish law) is the law of Scotland. ... South Africa has a number of sources of legislation and law. ...

Implicit in the concept is the notion that the represented lacks the knowledge, skill, ability, or standing to speak for themselves. The broad equivalent in many English law-based jurisdictions is "barrister". English law is a formal term of art that describes the law for the time being in force in England and Wales. ... English barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions who employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ...

Scotland

Advocates, members of the Faculty of Advocates, are counsel who are licensed to present cases in the supreme courts of Scotland: the Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary. Advocates wear wigs, white bow-ties, and gowns as dress in court. The Faculty of Advocates is the collective term by which what in England are called barristers are known in Scotland. ... Look up counsel in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - UK Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78,772 km... The Court of Session is the supreme civil court in Scotland. ... Seal of the High Court of Justiciary © Crown Copyright The High Court of Justiciary is Scotlands supreme criminal court. ...

Faculty of Advocates

Main article: Faculty of Advocates

Advocates are regulated by the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh. The Faculty of Advocates has about 750 members, of whom about 460 are in private practice. About 75 are Queen's Counsel. The Faculty is headed by the Dean of the Faculty who, along with the Vice-Dean, Treasurer, Clerk are elected annually by secret ballot. The Faculty of Advocates is the collective term by which what in England are called barristers are known in Scotland. ... The Faculty of Advocates is the collective term by which what in England are called barristers are known in Scotland. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city. ... Cherie Booth QC wearing her ceremonial robes (including full-bottomed wig) as Queens Counsel at the Bar of England and Wales. ... In an educational setting, a dean is a person with significant authority . ... In many governments, a treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury. ... The word clerk, derived from the Latin clericus meaning cleric, i. ... The Polling by William Hogarth (1755); Before the secret ballot was introduced voter intimidation was commonplace Wikisource has original text related to this article: A History of the Australian Ballot System in the United States The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voters choices are confidential. ...

The Faculty has a service company, Faculty Services Ltd, to which almost all advocates belong and which organises the stables and fee collection. This gives a guarantee to all newly-called advocates of a place. There is an agreement with the Law Society of Scotland, which is the professional body for Scottish solicitors, about the payment of fees, as traditionally advocates were not permitted to sue for their fees because these were honoraria. The Law Society of Scotland is the professional governing body for Scottish solicitors, based in Edinburgh. ... A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Australia New Zealand and Canada, but not the United States (in the United States the word has a quite different meaning—see below). ... Sue may refer to: Look up sue on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Love gift Man presents a cut of meat to a youth with a hoop. ...

Independent working

Advocates do not operate in chambers; they are entirely independent, although organised in eleven 'stables' for administrative purposes, and work out of the Advocates Library in Parliament House where the Court of Session is situated, in a similar way to barristers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The High Court of Justiciary, where advocates plead criminal cases, is situated across the Royal Mile from Parliament House. They do not act directly for members of the public, taking instructions from a solicitor, a non-Scottish lawyer, or certain categories of professional given this ability by legislation - most notably accountants and trade union officials. The Advocates Library is a law library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, founded in 1682. ... The Robert Reid designed facade to Parliament Square Parliament House in Edinburgh, Scotland was home to the Scottish Parliament, and is now used by the High Court of Justiciary and the Court of Session. ... The Court of Session is the supreme civil court in Scotland. ... Motto:  (Latin for Who will separate us?)[1] Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (de facto), Ulster Scots, Irish3, Northern Ireland Sign Language, Irish Sign Language Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of... Seal of the High Court of Justiciary © Crown Copyright The High Court of Justiciary is Scotlands supreme criminal court. ... Much of the Royal Mile is cobbled, as seen in this view looking east down the High Street past the old Tron Kirk. ...

Becoming an advocate

The process of becoming an advocate is referred to as devilling. All Intrants will hold an LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) and the Diploma in Legal Practice qualifying them as solicitors or be members of the Bar in another common law jurisdiction. Devilling is the period of training or pupillage undertaken by a person wishing to become an Advocate in Scotland. ... The degree of Bachelor of Laws (or Baccalaureate of Laws) is the principal academic degree in law in most common law countries other than the United States, where it has been replaced by the Juris Doctor degree. ... A bar association is a professional body of lawyers who, in some jurisdictions, are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession. ... This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

Devilling

Devilling, as the period of pupillage or training to become an advocate is generally known, lasts between eight and nine months, and comprises a mix of skills training courses and time spent working with a devilmaster. The compulsory skills training courses, are spread across the devilling period and last for about ten weeks in total. For the balance of the period of devilling, devils work closely with their devilmasters. Devilling is the period of training or pupillage undertaken by a person wishing to become an Advocate in Scotland. ... A pupillage, in England and Wales, is the barristers equivalent of the training contract that a solicitor undertakes. ... Devilling is the period of training or pupillage undertaken by a person wishing to become an Advocate in Scotland. ...

All devils have a principal devilmaster who is a practising member of the junior bar of at least seven years standing, and working primarily in civil practice. Devils will also spend part of the time with another devilmaster practising in the criminal courts, and many devils spend a short period of time with a third devilmaster working in a different aspect of civil work from his or her principal devilmaster. All devils and devilmasters are issued with the current edition of the Faculty's Devil's Handbook. In the common law, civil law refers to the area of law governing relations between private individuals. ... Criminal justice system flowchart Criminal justice refers to the system used by government to maintain social control, prevent crime, enforce laws, and administer justice. ...

In order to take a devil, a devilmaster must be approved by the Dean of Faculty. The Clerk of Faculty maintains a list of approved devilmasters, who may be contacted by email or via the Clerk's office.

Devils are expected to attend court with their devilmasters, and to attend consultations with solicitors instructing their devilmaster and with the solicitors' clients. A devil will also discuss the preparation and presentation of the cases in which their devilmaster is involved and will be required to draft written pleadings and opinions.

During the period of devilling, devils also carry out work for the Free Representation Unit. This is part of the Faculty's commitment to providing access to justice for everyone. The Free Representation Unit enables devils to provide advice and representation to clients of Citizens Advice Bureau from across Scotland.

Admission to the Faculty of Advocates

At the end of the devilling period, a devil's admission to the Faculty is dependent on certification by his or her principal devilmaster that the devil is a fit and proper person to be an advocate, and that the devil has been involved in a wide range of work in the course of his or her devilling. A devil's competence in a number of aspects of written and oral advocacy is assessed during devilling, and if a devil is assessed as not to be competent, he or she will not be admitted to the Faculty. Further details of this process can be found in the assessment section.

Recent developments

In recent years, more advocates have come to the Scottish Bar after some time as solicitors, but it is possible to qualify with a law degree, after a year's traineeship in a solicitor's office and almost a year as a 'devil', or apprentice advocate. There are exceptions for lawyers who are qualified in other European jurisdictions, but all must take the training course as devils.

Every year, a number of young European lawyers have a placement with advocates under the European Young Lawyers Scheme organised by the British Council. They are known as 'Eurodevils' in distinction to the Scottish 'devils'. Logo of the British Council British Council building in London The British Council is a non-departmental public body and registered charity for cultural relations in the United Kingdom. ...

Professional development

Since the Faculty began to offer skills training to devils and members in 1994, the programme, particularly for devils has developed extensively and continues to evolve, and is now recognised^{[citation needed]} as one of the best in the world. Members of Faculty have regularly travelled to the United States, Australia, South Africa, England and Ireland to take part in advocacy training events, while the Faculty has welcomed leading advocacy instructors from those countries to Scotland. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - UK Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78,772 km...

Every member admitted to the Faculty since 1995 has undertaken some form of skills training. In addition periodic skills workshops are arranged for practising members, so that the majority of the practising bar has now undertaken skills training. The Faculty's training programme is built on the experience and commitment of practising members who have been trained as skills instructors, both in Scotland and in other places. Over the life of the programme so far more than 60 members have been trained as instructors, and they give freely of their time and experience to train new generations of advocates. 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A bar association is a professional body of lawyers who, in some jurisdictions, are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession. ...

Lawyers in other EU states (but not England and Wales) may have limited rights of audience in the Scottish supreme courts if they appear with an advocate, and a few solicitors known as 'solicitor-advocates' have rights of audience, but for practical purposes advocates have almost exclusive rights of audience.

Some well-known advocates

Some well known Scottish advocates are John Balfour, Alexander Boswell, James Boswell, David Dalrymple, Henry Home and Alexander Wedderburn. The Right Honourable John Blair Balfour, 1st Baron Kinross, PC, QC (July 11, 1837 - January 22, 1905) was a Scottish lawyer and politician. ... Alexander Boswell (1706-1782), lord of Auchinleck, was a judge of the supreme courts of Scotland. ... James Boswell James Boswell (October 29, 1740 - May 19, 1795) was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes (October 28, 1726 - November 29, 1792), Scottish advocate, judge and historian, was born at Edinburgh. ... Henry Home, Lord Kames (1696 - December 27, 1782) was a Scottish philosopher of the 18th century. ... Alexander Wedderburn, 1st Earl of Rosslyn (February 13, 1733–January 2, 1805), Lord Chancellor of Great Britain, was the eldest son of Peter Wedderburn (a lord of session as Lord Chesterhall), and was born in East Lothian. ...

Advocates in the Channel Islands

Advocates, properly called Advocates of the Royal Court, are the only lawyers with rights of audience in the Channel Islands. To become an advocate, one has to possess a valid law degree or diploma, plus a qualification as an English barrister or solicitor, or a French avocat. They must then study for the Guernsey or Jersey Bar for 6 months. In Guernsey, three months of study of Norman law at the Université de Caen is required; in Jersey it is only required that the applicant speak French. Guernsey Advocates dress in the same way as barristers, but substitute a black biretta-like toque for a wig, while those in Jersey go bare-headed. Advocates are entitled to prefix their names with 'Advocate'; e.g. Mr Tostevin is called to the Guernsey Bar and is henceforth known as Advocate Tostevin. This article is about the British dependencies, for the islands off Southern California, please see Channel Islands of California. ... English barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions who employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Australia New Zealand and Canada, but not the United States (in the United States the word has a quite different meaning—see below). ... Avocat can refer to: Avocat, Trinidad and Tobago, a village in southern Trinidad, near Fyzabad a lawyer Category: ... Norman conquests in red. ... Caen University is a university in Caen, France. ... A traditional biretta The biretta is a square cap with three or four ridges or peaks, sometimes surmounted by a tuft, traditionally worn by Roman Catholic clergy, as well as by some clergy of the Anglican Churches. ... The ‘Langtry’ toque A toque (pronounced /tok/; for /tuk/ see Canadian variant below) is a type of hat with a narrow brim or no brim at all. ...

Advocates in England and Wales

In England and Wales Advocates were counsel in the ecclesiastical courts. Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ... This article is about the country. ... An ecclesiastical court (also called Court Christian) is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. ...

See also

• Advocatus
• Barrister
• Lawspeaker
• Lexist
• Ombudsman
• Solicitor
• Solicitor-Advocate
• blind is advocate's dad

An advocatus was an advocate in the Middle Ages. ... English barrister A barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions who employ a split profession (as opposed to a fused profession) in relation to legal representation. ... A Lawspeaker (Old Swedish: laghmaþer or laghman, Norwegian: lagmand, Icelandic: lög(sögu)maðr) was a unique Scandinavian legal office. ... LEXIST: a professional who studies, develops, applies or otherwise deals with the law and holds a recognised qualification in law. ... An ombudsman is an official, usually (but not always) appointed by the government or by parliament, who is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints reported by individual citizens. ... A solicitor is a type of lawyer in many common law jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland, Australia New Zealand and Canada, but not the United States (in the United States the word has a quite different meaning—see below). ... A Solicitor Advocate is a solicitor who is qualified to represent clients as an advocate in the higher courts in England and Wales or Scotland. ...

External links

Look up advocate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• The Faculty of Advocates official website