Esq

Esq., short for Esquire, is a courtesy title used in some English-speaking countries to indicate that the bearer is a licensed attorney. In the United States, Esq. is typically appended after the surname of a practicing lawyer (for example, John Smith, Esq.). It is not a degree, a license, or an official rank, and it does not by itself certify competence. The practice has its roots in medieval England, where esquire described a social class just below a knight; over time it became a generic courtesy title for men of higher status and, in modern America, for lawyers.

Usage varies by country. In the United States, lawyers commonly use Esq. on formal correspondence, in firm bios, or on business materials, though some attorneys omit it in casual writing. In the United Kingdom and much of the Commonwealth, the post-nominal Esquire is far less common and often considered old-fashioned; it is not used to denote a solicitor or barrister in contemporary professional practice, though it may appear in very formal or ceremonial writing.

Gender: historically associated with men, but today many female lawyers are addressed with or without Esquire depending on personal or firm preference, with some choosing not to use it at all. Style guides differ on whether to use Esq., and many firms advise using the title only when the lawyer directly requests it.