Attorneys/Lawyers: Signing with Esq.= pretentious

[Anonymous]

I'm not an attorney, but a friend who is an attorney told me that writing his name with Esq. at the end is pretentious. Example: John Doe, Esq.

Is it true? I thought it was a common practice like Dr. John Doe.

[Anonymous]

Esq. may be used as an honorific to address someone, but not as a signature.

[Anonymous]

I've seen it when someone who went to LS is dealing with others who are not lawyers. Don't think lawyers sign that on court filings. Could be wrong tho. But this reminds me of someone at work who refers to himself as Dr (he has a PhD). It's comical since no one cares and you're probably way overqualified if you have that many credentials and that doesn't speak well of you if you work in your current position.

[Anonymous]

My understanding of esquire is that it's a term of respect you call someone else. Never something you call yourself. Like sir or mamn.

Lots of young lawyers need to be told to remove it from their email signatures.

[Anonymous]

It just is wrong. You only address others with it (for example, in the heading of a letter).

[Anonymous]

It's also a regional thing. It's done in Pennsylvania. In Connecticut lawyers call themselves "attorney" as a physician is addressed as "doctor."

[Anonymous]

Address someone else with Esq., not yourself. Think of it as signing your name, Mr. John Doe. Dumb right?

I have seen once instance where it is acceptable though -- on a hearing committee made up of two lawyers and one non-lawyer, the two lawyers are identified by Esq. just to make it clear everything is on the up and up, even though they are most often the ones writing the document. Or at least that's why I assume they do it.

[Anonymous]

This must be regional - DH is attorney as is my aunt and both have email signatures with Esq. Maybe a NY thing?

[Anonymous]

There is a dude in my agency who is basically a gal friday and he has like ten abbreviations after his name on signature line of email "John Doe, USN Ret, OPA, MPR, CRV, OSN"

[Anonymous]

OP here: Thank you for your responses. I asked because I've seen it so often that I thought it was customary until my attorney friend told me it was incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Its an honorific, and it doesn't even necessarily mean someone is a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Wife of one of my friends is a SAHM. She's a lawyer by training. She uses Esq. in emails to PTA, Neighborhood List Servs, etc. Husband says it's "because in those situations, people don't know she's a lawyer." Right. Because in those situations, she's not. Pretentious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wife of one of my friends is a SAHM. She's a lawyer by training. She uses Esq. in emails to PTA, Neighborhood List Servs, etc. Husband says it's "because in those situations, people don't know she's a lawyer." Right. Because in those situations, she's not. Pretentious.

That's silly she should use JD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This must be regional - DH is attorney as is my aunt and both have email signatures with Esq. Maybe a NY thing?

NY 25+ years lawyer here - It is NOT a NY thing. At all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wife of one of my friends is a SAHM. She's a lawyer by training. She uses Esq. in emails to PTA, Neighborhood List Servs, etc. Husband says it's "because in those situations, people don't know she's a lawyer." Right. Because in those situations, she's not. Pretentious.

OMG, that is soo stupid.