The Development of the Legal Profession of a Lawyer
In London, the job of a lawyer is developed into a legal profession with time and in society, it becomes a privilege to be represented by an attorney. Through time, successful lawyers formed a large proportion of the growing middle class and they gained respect as a profession. In early times, the job was divided up into two categories barristers and solicitors, usually being called attorneys until 1875. The number of people in this job continued to increase and by 1689 there were 3,000 barristers in England with over double the amount of attorneys. In the late 15th century, Attorneys were in general of less social standing than the barristers and attorneys in London, as they got more practice, began to be more respected as a profession. In the 18th century, the number of attorneys doubled, and many believed that because attorneys were too numerous, they could easily become dishonest. Finally, the status of the attorney rose with the reforms of the 19th century. The legal profession of the attorney became more successful and they became valuable members of the society. People looked at it as a privilege to have an attorney representing you in court and this changed with the society of the law, formed in 1823 with later a charter given in 1831 to regulate the profession. We see the development of this profession with the characters like Mr. Tulkinghorn in Charles Dickens' Beak House. that represent people in court.
Sources
“Lawyers in England and Wales.” FamilySearch Wiki, www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Lawyers_in_England_and_Wales.