In receiving telephone inquiries about a wide range of criminal law matters, the question sometimes comes up of whether I am a criminal justice attorney. My answer is that in an everyday sense, I suppose I am a criminal justice attorney.
An Australian Lawyer
However, under the legal profession legislation in the various states and territories around Australia the term “Australian Lawyer” is used. Hence, saying that I am an Australian Lawyer has a legal basis in the various legislation. I can also use the term Barrister and Solicitor as my admission to the legal profession pre-dated the legislation that refers to Australian lawyers.
The term criminal defence attorney or criminal law attorney is used in the US. The term attorney there has the equivalent meaning of solicitor here in Australia.
The Birthplace of Common Law
The UK is the birthplace of the common law system thereby governing how we practice law here in Australia. The terms barrister and solicitor were founded in the UK the former being the legal practitioner who prepares the matter for trial and the latter the legal practitioner who argues the matter in court.
The only title that I can find in Australia that includes the term attorney is a Patent Attorney or Trademark Attorney which requires a completed degree in hard science or engineering and not law.