How to Address an Attorney | Lawyer
For use of Esquire (Esq.) in the U.S. when addressing a lawyer or attorney see Esquire
How to Address a Lawyer in the United States
How to Address an Attorney in the United States
—-Envelope or address block on letter or email on a legal matter:
——–(Full Name), Esq.
——–Name of Firm
——–(Address)
—-Social/Personal envelope at all other times:
——–Mr./Ms./etc. (full name)
——–(Address)
—-Salutation official & social:
——–Dear Mr./Ms./etc. (surname):
—-Conversation official and social:
——–Mr./Ms./etc. (surname)
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
—-#1) ‘Esquire’, abbreviated ‘Esq.’, is a courtesy title, and as such is used by others when addressing an attorney regarding a case, which he or she is provides representation. ‘Esq.’ is not used by the attorney with his/her name on letterhead or his/her business card and not used when addressing an attorney socially.
—-#2) Individuals with a Juris Doctor will use the academic post-nominal abbreviation JD or J.D. as part of the official form of their name in academic environments.
—-#3) I get questions asking whether faculty at law schools are addressed as ‘Dr. (Name)’ like their academic colleagues holding doctorates? In practice, legal faculty are addressed as ‘Mr./Ms. (Name)’ in the style of their practicing legal colleagues.
—-#4) See next post for a lawyer or attorney and spouse (Joint form of Address).
—-#5) Use the social forms above for a retired attorney or lawyer.
– Robert Hickey How to Address a Lawyer -or- How to Address an Attorney
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
How to Address a Lawyer or Attorney and Spouse?
I have to write to and acknowledge donors for an upcoming community event.
—-#1) A local attorney made a significant contribution, He’s the attorney, she is not.
—–#2) A married couple – both attorneys – made a contribution too.
How to I address the envelopes?
—-—-—-—-– PM, Meeting Coordinator
Dear PM,
—-#1) Husband is an attorney and she is not.
—-—-Attorneys are ‘Mr./Ms. (Name)’. No special honorific. The post nominal ‘Esq.’ is not used in social/personal correspondence. Traditionally, if husband & wife use the same surname they are:
—-—-Mr. and Mrs. (His Full Name)
—-—-(Address)
—-—-Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Nelson
—-—-(Address)
—-Or if she uses another surname, or has a special honorific of her own, she is listed second with her full name.:
—-—-Mr. Thomas Nelson and Ms. Nancy Henderson
—-—-(Address)
—-—-Mr. Thomas Nelson and Dr. Nancy Nelson
—-—-(Address)
—-#2) Both are attorneys? Same forms shown above apply.
—–—–If you’d like to read about other options for writing women’s / spouse’s names, follow the link in the list at right to ‘Mrs. vs. Ms.’
– Robert Hickey How to Address a Lawyer -or- How to Address an Attorney
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?
You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.) The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them.
___What I don’t cover on this site are many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions, etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.
Not Finding Your Answer?
—-#1) At right on desktops, at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones, is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.
—-#2) If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail. I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so (unless I am traveling.) Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.
—-#3) If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question – but always change all the specifics.
— Robert Hickey
Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”
Recommended Resources: The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW) and Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA) For more information see the Protocol Resources page.