# "Esquire" claiming to be an attorney? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119 "2003-05-09T15:00:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/1 "2003-05-09T15:00:11Z")
Sometimes, just for giggles, I will append “Esq.” on my name. I was recently called to task and all but threatened with legal action by an attorney who lives somewhere in the Deep South. He claimed that my use of “Esq.” was essentially illegally claiming that I was an attorney at law, admitted before the Bar. I’d never heard this before. Is this a load of ballocks? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/2 "2003-05-09T15:14:06Z")
Depends. How did you use it? What kind of letter was it? Were you corresponding with an attorney, threatening legal action? We’d have to know more about the specifics of the situation, but unless the situation was such that your use was intended or seemed intended to imply that you were practicing law, it’s probably just hot air. Attorneys use “esq.”, but they/we don’t have a monopoly on the practice, as evidenced by that preeminent legal journal, Esquire magazine. Staff report on [Esquire](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mesquire.html) ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/3 "2003-05-09T15:50:59Z")
Tell you attorney friend that he needs to get a sense of humor, and, oh yeah, that he’s wrong. In America these days, people that put “Esq.” after their names are usually thought to be referring to themselves as attorneys, but “Esquire” is actually derived from a term of honor describing an English gentry just below a knight. From Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (via [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com)): > [@](#): > > \Es\*quire", n. [OF. escuyer, escuier, properly, a shield-bearer, F. ['e]cuyer shield-bearer, armor-bearer, squire of a knight, esquire, equerry, rider, horseman, LL. scutarius shield-bearer, fr. L. scutum shield, akin to Gr. ? skin, hide, from a root meaning to cover; prob. akin to E. hide to cover. See Hide to cover, and cf. Equerry, Escutcheon.] Originally, a shield-bearer or armor-bearer, an attendant on a knight; in modern times, a title of dignity next in degree below knight and above gentleman; also, a title of office and courtesy; – often shortened to squire. > > Note: In England, the title of esquire belongs by right of birth to the eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons in perpetual succession; to the eldest sons of younger sons of peers and their eldest sons in perpetual succession. It is also given to sheriffs, to justices of the peace while in commission, to those who bear special office in the royal household, to counselors at law, bachelors of divinity, law, or physic, and to others. In the United States the title is commonly given in courtesy to lawyers and justices of the peace, and is often used in the superscription of letters instead of Mr. Incidentally, because “esquire” is considered a term of honor, it’s usually considered bad form to refer to yourself as “Joe Blow, Esquire.” You append “Esq.” to the end of someone else’s name, but never to the end of your own name. That would be like referring to yourself as “Joe Blow, Better-than-you.” Of course, since it’s apparently done with tongue planted firmly in cheek, then I say, have a ball. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/4 "2003-05-09T15:53:03Z")
The courtesy title _Esquire_ does not necessarily imply that the holder is a lawyer: > [@](#): > > **Esquire** The abbreviation _Esq._ for _Esquire_ is often used in the United States after the surnames of professional persons such as attorneys, architects, professional engineers, and consuls, and also of court officials such as clerks of court and justices of the peace. . . . > > In Great Britain _Esquire_ is generally used after the surnames of people who have distinguished themselves in professional, diplomatic, or social circles. For example, when addressing a letter to a British surgeon or to a high corporate officer of a British firm, one should include _Esq._ after his surname . . . . _Webster’s Secretarial Handbook_ 215 (2d ed. 1983). ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/5 "2003-05-09T15:54:30Z")
And now that I’ve opened pravnik, Esq.'s link, I see that I’ve just repeated what’s already been made apparent. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/6 "2003-05-09T15:57:08Z")
But you did so elegantly and succicntly, **Age Quod Agis**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/7 "2003-05-09T16:04:35Z")
I did a google search on the subject. A link came up for Ohio that _appeared_ to be illegal to call oneself Esquire if they are not an attorney. However, I couldn’t open the link to view the whole subject. Your lawyer friend may very well know something you don’t about the law in your state. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/8 "2003-05-09T16:12:44Z")
Have the lawyer friend quote the law he’s talking about, with the precise clause that indicates that only a lawyer can use the term. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/9 "2003-05-09T16:34:38Z")
You may have been looking at something like [this](http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/BOC/Advisory_Opinions/1991/Op%2091-024.doc), **bernse** ; it’s an Ohio Board of Grievances opinion stating that it’s misleading to sign collections letters “Esq.” unless you’re licensed in that state. But that goes back to what I said earlier; context is everything. If you’re threatening legal action and deliberately creating the misleading impression that you’re a licensed attorney when you aren’t, that’s different from just signing your personal correspondence with “Esq.” ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/10 "2003-05-09T17:36:55Z")
Gotcha. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/11 "2003-05-09T18:21:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dogface \* > \*\*Sometimes, just for giggles, I will append “Esq.” on my name. I was recently called to task and all but threatened with legal action by an attorney who lives somewhere in the Deep South. He claimed that my use of “Esq.” was essentially illegally claiming that I was an attorney at law, admitted before the Bar. \*\* That dude would probably have a conniption fit if he ever saw _Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure_. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/12 "2003-05-09T18:58:17Z")
Oh, and Bernse? That’s Gotchya ya. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/13 "2003-05-09T19:55:51Z")
I was commenting about D&D on a discussion board, not mentioning any sort of legal activity. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/14 "2003-05-09T23:04:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dogface \* > \*\*I was commenting about D&D on a discussion board, not mentioning any sort of legal activity. \*\* Oh, then its OK to use ‘Esquire,’ since you’re a rules lawyer. ## Peace. (You have to be a player to understand.) ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/esquire-claiming-to-be-an-attorney/174119/15 "2003-05-10T01:17:26Z")
How long before this turns into the “How dare Ph.Ds call themselves doctors” thread?