Solicitor is a term associated with the judicial system. These are a kind or sub category of the lawyers. In different countries solicitor has a different meanings. Solicitor basically means a lawyer who handles the office work, meets the clients, work on all the legal documents and also works for the business houses on there legal matters. Also in the cases where the negotiations are to take place there also solicitors are preferred. Basically solicitors are synonymous with the big business houses where they need to carry out the legal or professional negotiations with there probable clients to finalize the deals. These also give the advice on the matters related to the finances or taxes. As compared to barristers these solicitors have firms where many people work with different clients.
Solicitor needs to have special skills like negotiation power, they should look at all the finer details, should be able to make good relationship with the clients, also as businesses working hours can be extended so these solicitors also should be flexible about there working hours.
Sometimes solicitors are confused with the barristers. These confusions are not misplaced. These confusions are due to the fact that in some countries barristers and solicitors are the same thing while in other countries they operate in differently. In countries which follow the legal system of United Kingdom lawyers are divided into two parts one are solicitors and other ones the barristers. In these types of systems basically solicitors handle all the matters out of court. They do everything except fighting the case in the courts. Barristers are the ones who specialize in the field of fighting cases in the courts. Solicitors are the ones who will work on your case will tell you whether you are in the need of a barrister for legally fighting your case in the court or if any other step is required to complete your case. As in the case of barristers possessing a graduate degree in law is a must there is no such compulsion in the field of solicitors. Bachelors degree in any field followed by a one year course of law is enough for you to start working as a solicitor.
This in turn explains why the UK solicitors are not the ones to fight the cases in the courts as they are not actually trained to do that. There field of work is mainly based on the direct interaction with the client and then giving them the required legal advise.
Source: What is a Solicitor?
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