Attorneys

Records of attorneys can be found among those of the court in which they were admitted to practice. The annually published Law List from 1775 should be consulted. We hold a selection from 1799 to 1976. Attorneys and solicitors represented the parties involved in litigation, but did not plead in court. The Attorneys and Solicitors Act 1728, required them to serve a five year period as clerks under articles before being admitted to practice, and have their names entered on the roll of attorneys and solicitors. A further act of 1749, required that affidavits confirming completion of the period of clerkship be entered with the court within three months of admission. From 1785 an annual certificate of admission was required.

Provincial attorneys practising in Chester and Wales could enrol in the Westminster courts after 1830. From 1843 those working in the courts of the Duchy and Palatinate of Lancaster, and Palatinate of Durham could enrol at Westminster.

The Law Society, set up in 1843, has some records of attorneys and solicitors. These include a register from 1843, with lists of admissions from 1845, and additional lists from about 1790 of admissions to courts. The Law Society also holds some articles of clerkship from 1860. These records are held at the Law Society, Ipsley Court, Redditch, Worcestershire.

Admissions to the Kings Bench

Admission papers, including articles of clerkship, have not survived. Affidavits of due execution of articles survive in KB 105, KB 106 and KB 107. There are arranged in several sub series starting in 1749. Up to 1840 they are filed by date of execution, after by date of admission to the court. Indexes and registers are in KB 170. Rolls of attorneys are in KB 172, of which the most informative are the ´Private´ rolls covering 1729 to 1875.

Admissions to the Common Pleas

Before 1750 admissions to the Court of Common Pleas exceed those of any other court. Registers of Articles of Clerkship are arranged in chronological order of filing with the court. There are indexes covering 1758 to 1867 in CP 71/1-2. Admission papers for those admitted to the Common Pleas are in the series CP 5, covering 1729 to 1838, and there is a personal name index with the series list. These include articles of clerkship, affidavits, etc. Further series of Admission Books are in CP 10/1-4 from 1729 to 1848, and CP 72/1-6 from 1740 to 1875.

Rolls of attorneys are in series CP 11 from 1730 to 1750 and show the names and addresses of attorneys practising in the Common Pleas. Oath rolls covering 1779 to 1847 are in CP 70.

Admissions to the Exchequer

Admissions to the Exchequer of Pleas, the common law side of the Court of Exchequer, only survive from 1833. Before then only the court officers could practice in this court. Registers of affidavits of due execution of articles from 1833 to 1855 are in E 4/3, and rolls of attorneys are in E 4/1, 2, and 4-6. Rolls of attorneys admitted to other courts seeking to practice in the Exchequer are in E 3/6-10.

Admissions to the equity side of the Court of Exchequer

The equity side of the Exchequer had a similar jurisdiction to the Chancery Court. An entry book of annual licences from 1785 to 1843 is in E 108/1. Oath rolls can be found in E 200/1 covering 1772 to 1843 and Attorneys´ Certificate Books are in E 109/1-2, covering the period 1729 to 1841.

Admissions to Chancery and the Supreme Court

The main series of surviving records relating to attorneys and solicitors are in C 216. The title of attorney was superseded by that of solicitor after 1875. Rolls of admission covering 1729 to 1875 are in C 216/21-25. Although indexes survive to affidavits and articles of clerkship the papers themselves no longer survive.

Only a sample of records survives for the later period. Articles of clerkship from 1838 to 1904 are in J 89/4/1-4/65. Affidavits of Due Execution of Clerkship from 1875 to 1903 are in J 89/5/1-5/12.