Advocate

Advocate is a person, a lawyer, who pleads in a court of law on someone's behalf. An advocate is a authorized person to appear in a litigation on behalf of a party in a case. An advocate possesses a law degree and is enrolled with a Bar Council.

In India, an advocate is enrolled as prescribed by the Advocates Act, 1961. Advocates are the only class of persons legally entitled to practise law. They provide legal advice. After being authorized to appear in a case by a client who has signed a vakalat, advocates prepare cases and argue them in Court. In the Bombay and Calcutta High Courts there is a separate class of legal practitioners, known as solicitors, who prepare the case, but do not argue in Court. When appearing in a courtroom, an advocate usually dresses in black and white, and wears a band and gown. Any complaint against an advocate is made to the Bar Council of India.