Lawyer in 420: Antiphon writes Athens' first courtroom speeches

This page traces the lawyer from Antiphon's Athens and Rome's advocati through the Inns of Court and the modern billable hour to today's software-driven practice. It covers how lawyers train, what the work actually looks like day to day, who its most celebrated figures are, and how exposed the profession is to AI — a live question now that software can draft a contract or summarize a discovery production in minutes, though someone still has to argue the case and carry the liability if it goes wrong.

How many years does it take to become a lawyer? In most common-law countries it's five to seven years: a three-year undergraduate law degree, or a US-style JD after an unrelated bachelor's, plus one to two years of vocational training and supervised practice before bar admission. Civil-law countries often add a mandatory post-degree clerkship, so the full path to genuinely independent practice frequently runs seven to nine years.

What is the difference between a barrister and a solicitor? In England and a handful of Commonwealth countries, the profession is legally split: solicitors handle client relationships, contracts and case preparation, while barristers specialize in courtroom advocacy and are usually instructed by a solicitor rather than hired directly by the public. Most other countries, including the United States, merge both functions into a single lawyer or attorney role.