The courts
attorney
A lawyer licensed to practice in a jurisdiction and to represent someone else in court. Counsel means the same thing in most legal usage.
In full
Licensing is by state, which is why a lawyer admitted in one state must be admitted specially to appear in another. Representation carries duties that outlast the case: confidentiality, loyalty, and the obligation not to mislead the court. Government lawyers add another: their client is the office and the public interest, not the officeholder personally.
Also written as: counsel, lawyer
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.