Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers | May 15, 2025 | Personal Injury
In medieval times, the term esquire was used to describe a nobleman of a certain rank. In fact, esquire was a rank right below a knight. This term has faded out of common usage. The only time you are likely to run into it these days is among lawyers, where people use it occasionally.
The rules governing the practice of law necessitate the careful use of this term. Negative consequences can ensue if you use the term inappropriately or dishonestly.
Can You Refer to Yourself as “Esquire” if You Are a Licensed Attorney?
Yes, you can refer to yourself as esquire if you are a licensed attorney. Nevertheless, it is rather awkward to do so under many circumstances. “Esquire” appears almost exclusively written English, not spoken English.
It might be appropriate for you to sign your name John Doe, Esq. or Mary Roe, Esq. on a legal document. You might also use it on your business card. Other than that, it is probably best to simply let other people refer to you as esquire.
Can You Refer to Yourself as “Esquire” If You Are a Retired Attorney?
Yes, you can refer to yourself as esquire even if you are a retired attorney. However, to avoid confusion, it is best to clarify that you are retired and no longer eligible to practice law.
Can You Refer to Yourself as “Esquire” If You are a Law Student?
Absolutely not, and you might get into trouble for doing so. If you have never been qualified to practice law, you have no business referring to yourself as esquire, any more than you could refer to yourself as a CPA if you are not a Certified Public Accountant.
The Illegal Use of the Term Esquire
Under certain circumstances, the inappropriate use of the term “esquire” might even be against the law, for more than one reason. Please see below for a listing:
- Deceptive trade practices under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-1.1. You might suffer a stiff fine for deceptive trade practices. The government must show actual harm to win.
- Fraud: If you lead someone to believe you are a lawyer, they can sue you for fraud if they relied on your claim to their detriment. They must prove actual harm to win.
- Contempt of court: If you trick a court into believing that you are a lawyer, such as by approaching the bar or by referring to a participant as “my client”, the court might sanction you for contempt of court.
- The unauthorized practice of law is a criminal offense–namely, a Class 1 misdemeanor under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 84-8. You can go to jail for this offense.
You might suffer more than one of these penalties at the same time. Don’t risk it.
Do You Need a North Carolina Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you’ve suffered a minor car accident or another incident in North Carolina that didn’t involve any injuries or property damage, you might not need a personal injury lawyer to represent you.
Under most other circumstances, such as a slip and fall accident or a motorcycle accident, you might. At the least, it’s likely in your best interest to reach out to an attorney for a free consultation.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer from Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers for Help Today
For more information, please contact Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in North Carolina today. We have twelve convenient locations in North Carolina, including Greenville, Raleigh, Goldsboro, Jacksonville, Kinston, Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Winston-Salem & Garner.
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Greenville Office
300 E Arlington Blvd Suite 2A #110, Greenville, NC 27858
252-397-7400
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Raleigh Office
4600 Marriott Dr STE 500, Raleigh, NC 27612
919-459-7855
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Goldsboro Office
601 N Spence Ave, Goldsboro, NC 27534
919-759-6963
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Jacksonville Office
3391 Henderson Dr, Jacksonville, NC 28546
910-910-1860
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Kinston Office
807 N Queen St, Kinston, NC 28501
252-397-0134
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Charlotte Office
1914 J N Pease Pl Suite 142, Charlotte, NC 28262
704-781-7980
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Greensboro Office
7B Corporate Center Ct Suite 15, Greensboro, NC 27408
336-395-5349
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Durham Office
100 E Parrish St STE 200, Durham, NC 27701
919-925-6039
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Fayetteville Office
2517 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28305
910-387-0861
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Wilmington Office
1608 Queen St Suite 12, Wilmington, NC 28401
910-889-3926
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Winston-Salem Office
102 W 3rd St, Ste 1007, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
336-396-6310
Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers – Garner Office
500 Benson Rd Suite 111, Garner, NC 27529