ATTORNEY

attorney. 1. Strictly, one who is designated to transact business for another; a legal agent. —

Also termed at-torney-in-fact; private attorney. 2. A person who practices law; LAWYER. — Also

termed  (in  sense  2)  attor-ney-at-law;  public  attorney.  Cf.  COUNSEL.  —  Abbr.  att’y.  Pl.

attorneys.[Cases:  Attorney  and  Client    63.  C.J.S.  Attorney  and  Client  §§  165–166,  179–181,

234.]

associate attorney. 1. See ASSOCIATE(2).2.Patents. An attorney who is registered to practice

before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, who has been appointed by a principal attorney, and

who  is  authorized  to  prosecute  a  patent  application  through  the  filing  of  a  power  of  attorney.

[Cases: Patents    97. C.J.S. Patents §§ 135–138, 145, 178.]

attorney ad litem (ad lI-tem  or -t<<schwa>>m). A court-appointed lawyer who represents a

child during the course of a legal action, such as a divorce, termination, or child-abuse case. • The

attorney  owes to  the  child  the  duties  of  loyalty,  confidentiality,  and  competent representation.  A

child’s right to legal representation in a juvenile proceeding was mandated in In re Gault, 387 U.S.

1, 87 S.Ct. 1428 (1967). The appointment of an attorney ad litem is a limited one — only  for a

specific  lawsuit.  —  Also  termed  child’s  attorney;  attorney  for  the  child.  Cf.  guardian  ad  litem

under GUARDIAN.

attorney not of record. 1. A lawyer who is not recognized as a party’s legal representative. Cf.

attorney of record (1).2.Patents & trademarks. An attorney whose name is not included in a power

of attorney on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent or trademark application.

• An attorney not of record may nevertheless prosecute a patent application if registered to practice

before the  U.S. Patent and  Trademark Office and appointed by the  principal attorney. 37 CFR §

1.34(a). Cf. attorney not recognized.

attorney  not  recognized.Patents.  An  attorney  appointed  by  a  patent  applicant  but  not

registered  to  practice  before  the  U.S.  Patent  and  Trademark  Office.  •  A  power  of  attorney

appointing an unregistered attorney is void. Cf. attorney not of record.

attorney of record. 1. The lawyer who appears for a party in a lawsuit and who is entitled to

receive, on the party’s behalf, all pleadings and other formal documents from the court and from

other  parties.  —  Also  termed  counsel  of  record.  See  OF  RECORD(1).  [Cases:  Appearance    3.

C.J.S.  Appearances  §§  9–12.]  2.Patents  &  trademarks.  The  attorney  or  agent  whose  name  is

included in the power of attorney filed by an applicant for a patent or a trademark registration. •

For a patent application, the attorney of record must be a patent attorney or a patent agent. [Cases:

Patents    97. C.J.S. Patents §§ 135–138, 145, 178.]

briefing attorney. 1. An attorney who specializes in brief-writing, particularly appellate briefs

and legal memo-randa. 2.CLERK(5).

research attorney. 1. An attorney who specializes in  providing legal support by researching,

by  writing  memoranda,  and  by  preparing  drafts  of  documents.  2.CLERK(5).  •  In  some

jurisdictions, a  research  attorney  is a  midlevel  law  clerk,  above  a  briefing  attorney  but below  a

staff attorney.

special attorney.See special counsel under COUNSEL.

staff attorney. 1.  A lawyer  who works for a court,  usu.  in a  permanent position,  on  matters

such  as  reviewing  motions,  screening  docketing  statements,  preparing  scheduling  orders,  and

examining  habeas corpus petitions. • Staff attorneys do  not rule on  motions or  decide cases, but

they review and research factual and legal points, and recommend proposed rulings to judges, as

well as drafting the orders implementing those rulings. See CLERK(5). [Cases: Courts    55. C.J.S.

Courts §§ 107–109.] 2. An in-house lawyer for an organization, esp. a nonprofit organization but

sometimes a corporation. Cf. in-house counsel under COUNSEL.[Blacks Law 8th]