# Question about "at law" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2009, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781 "2009-01-11T08:23:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781/21 "2009-01-12T17:54:45Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yeah, they have gold fringe on their courtroom flags. I don’t care who you are, that’s funny right there. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781/22 "2009-01-12T17:55:38Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I think that another now-defunct distinction is that in merry olde England there used to be equity courts that were distinct from the law courts, so some people were only attorneys-at-equity. Not just in England. Some U.S. states still have separate equity/chancery courts (Delaware and Tennessee, I think). ---
**Author:** ![constantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@constantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constantine)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781/23 "2009-01-12T20:39:55Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I don’t know about the UK, but **I know for a fact** that in the US, admiralty cases are handled in federal district court by federal district judges and **plain old lawyers under US admiralty law**. So what I stated was not only technically accurate, but it was essentially accurate and not misleading at all in any way in the US for quite some time. What you are saying is that the Courts have been combined and there are no juries and some separate procedure rules, which is correct. This is like the difference in probate court in state courts. Same judges, different rules. This is sort of right. Admiralty was traditionally a separate bar, and that tradition persists. In California, for example, admiralty is one of the areas of the law where you can become a certified specialist. I believe, but don’t know for sure, that the situation is similar in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781/24 "2009-01-12T21:33:23Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Not just in England. Some U.S. states still have separate equity/chancery courts (Delaware and Tennessee, I think). Indeed. I am going through the joys of filing in Delaware Chancery Court at the moment. And when I took the bar in Virginia, there were separate sections on law and equity, which I believe have now been folded into one. Lucky stiffs taking the exam now. And it was uphill both ways to the ice hockey rink where we had to take it, sat in suit, tie and sneakers. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781/25 "2009-01-13T01:13:23Z")
I’ve known a few lawyers that have told me “Yeah I don’t practice law anymore,” They do things like research at law firms and manage clients interests at their firm. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781/26 "2009-01-13T01:35:03Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Note that in Canada (and, I presume, other Commonwealth countries), there is another use of “-at-law” and that is a “student-at-law” - a person who has obtained their law degree and is now doing their articles with a more senior lawyer, prior to being called to the bar. A “law student” is anyone who is taking legal training, but a “student-at-law” is the most junior member of the profession. “Most junior member” is very, very true! I am reminded of that status daily. Spoons Student-at-Law 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-at-law/480781.md?page=1)