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| Abbess, Christian Orthodox Abbot, Christian Orthodox Accountant Acting Official Adjutant General Admiral Admiral, Texas Navy Adventist Minister Alderman Archbishop, Catholic Archbishop, Christian Orthodox Archdeacon, Episcopal Archimandrite Architect Archpriest Ambassador, Goodwill Ambassador of one country to another country Ambassador of the U.S. to another country by a U.S. citizen Ambassador of the U.S. to the U.K. American Indian Chief Assemblyman U.S., State / or Assemblywoman Assistant Secretary Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice of a State Supreme Court Astronaut Attorney Attorney General Attorney General, Assistant Attorney, U.S. Australian Officials Awards, Name on an
Baron, Baroness British Officials, Royalty, Nobility Brother, Catholic Brother, Christian Orthodox Bishop, Catholic Bishop, Christian Orthodox Bishop, Episcopal Board Member Boy Brigadier General Business Cards
Canadian Officials Candidate Captain, USA, USAF, USMC Cardinal Certificate, Name on a Chairman Federal Reserve Chairwoman Chancellor Chaplain in the Armed Services Chaplain of Congress Chargé d’Affaires Chief Executive Officer Chief Judge Chief Justice, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice, of a State Supreme Court Chief of Police Chief of Staff Chief Operating Officer Child Chiropractor City Manager Clergy & Religious Officials Club Official Colonel, Kentucky Colonel, USA, USAF, or USMC Commandant Commissioner, Court Commissioner Commodore of a Yacht Club Congressman, U.S. Congresswoman, U.S. Consul and or Consul General Consultant Corporate Executive Councilman Councilwoman Counselor (Diplomat) Countess County Officials Couples U.S. Military U.S. Officials Private Citizens Same Sex Curator
Dalai Lama Deacon Dean, academic Dean, clergy Deceased Persons Degree, honorary Delegate, U.S., State Dentist Deputy Chief of Mission Deputy Marshal Deputy Secretary Designate, Elect, Pro Tempore Diploma, Name on a Diplomats Director District Attorney Doctor, Chiropractor Doctor of Dentistry Doctor of Medicine Doctor, Military Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Doctor, Optometrist Doctor of Osteopathy Doctor, Other Disciplines Doctorate Doctorate, honorary
Earl Elect, Designate Pro Tempore Emeritus/emerita Eminence Emperor Engineer Esquire, Esq. Excellency
Family Fiancee Firefighter First Names, Use of Formal / Informal First, Second, Third , etc . First Lady, Spouse of the President of the United States First Lady, Member of Her White House Staff First Lady, Spouse of a U.S. Governor or Lt. Gov. First Lady, Spouse of a U.S. Mayor First Lady of a Church First Lieutenant Former Officials Freeholder
Gay Couple Geshe General USA, USAF, USMC Girl Goodwill Ambassador Governor General Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Lt., Spouse Governor, Tribal Council Governor, U.S. State Governor, Former Governor Spouse of Governor's Staff, Member of Governors, Board of
High Commissioner Honorable, The Honorary Ambassador Honorary degrees Honorary doctorate Honourable, The Indian Chief Inspector General Interim Official Introductions Invitations Writing & Addressing Invitations Military: Writing & Addressing
Judge, former Judge of US City County or State Judge, US Federal Junior, Senior, I, II, III, etc . Justice, Associate Federal Supreme Court Justice, Associate State Supreme Court
King Knight
Late, The (deceased persons) Lawyer Lesbian Couple Lieutenant Lieutenant Colonel, USA, USAF, USMC Lieutenant General, USA, USAF, USMC Lieutenant Governor
Ma'am Major USA, USAF, USMC Major General, USA, USAF, USMC Man, business Man, social Marquess / Marchioness Married Women Marshal for a Judicial District, U.S. Mayor, U.S. City Mayor, Canadian City Mayor Pro Tempore Mayor, Vice Medic Minister, Protestant Clergy Miss Monk, Christian Orthodox Monsignor Most Reverend, The Mother Superior Mr. (Social) Mr. (Business) Mrs., Ms. (Use, Social Forms) Mrs. vs. Ms. Mr. & Mrs. / Couples
Name Badges or Tags Nobility, UK/British Nobility, Other & Former Nun, Catholic Nun, Orthodox Nurse
Officer, Police Optometrist Pastor, Christian Clergy Patriarch, Christian Orthodox Patriarch, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople People with Two Titles Permanent Representative Petty Officer Pharmacist Physician PhD Place Cards Plaque, Name on a Police Chief Police Officer Pope, Catholic Pope, Coptic Postmaster General Post-Nominal Abbreviations Presbyter, Orthodox President, corporate President of College or University President of a Secondary School President of a US State Assembly President (current) of the U.S.A. President (former) of the U.S.A. President of the U.S.A., spouse of President-elect of the U.S. Priest, Catholic Priest, Christian Orthodox Priest, Episcopal Prime Minister Principal Professionals & Academics Professor Pro Tempore, Elect, Designate Psychologist
Queen Rabbi Ranger, Texas Representative, U.S., Federal Representative, U.S., State Reservist, Military Resident Commissioner Retired Military 1. Formula For How to Address 2. Use of Rank by Retired Military 3. Q&A on How to Address Retired Military Retiree Reverend, The Right Reverend, The
Same Sex Couple Salvation Army School Board Member Second Lieutenant Secretary, U.S. Department, Member of the Cabinet Secretary of Defense, U.S. Secretary, Assistant Secretary General of the U.N. Senator, U.S., Federal Senator, U.S., State Senator, Canadian Senior, Junior, I, II, III, etc. Senior Judge Sergeant Sergeant at Arms Seventh Day Adventist Minister Sheriff Sister, Catholic Sir Solicitor General Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Specialist Spouse of the President of the U.S. Spouse of the Vice President of the U.S. Spouse of an Elected Official State Attorney Surgeon General Texas Ranger Titles & Forms of Address, Useless? Tombstones, Names on Town Justice Town Manager The Honorable Tribal Officials Two Titles, Person With Under Secretary US Attorney US Federal Officials US State Officials US Municipal Officials
Venerable, The Veteran (not Retired) Veterinarian Very Reverend, The VFW Officer/Official Vice Mayor Vice President of the U.S. Spouse of the Vice President of the U.S. Vice President-elect of the U.S. Viscount and/or Viscountess Warrant Officer Widow White House Staff Woman, business Woman, social Yacht Club Officer
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| How to Address an Attorney or Lawyer In the United States
Envelope to an attorney on a legal matter: (Full Name), Esq. Name of Firm (Address)
Envelope to an attorney at all other times: Mr./Ms. (Full Name) (Address) Letter salutation: Dear Mr./Ms. (surname): NOTE: Esquire, abbreviated Esq. is a courtesy title, and as such is used by others when officially addressing an attorney regarding a case he or she is providing representation. Esq. is not used by the attorney with his or her own name on letterhead or his or her business card and not used when addressing an attorney socially. For more information on why this is true, see my post on this page How Do I Write My Name as an Attorney? Individuals with a Juris Doctor will use the academic post-nominal abbreviation JD or J.D. in academic situations. I get questions asking whether faculty at law schools are addressed as Dr. (Name) like their academic colleagues holding doctorates? In practice, legal faculty are typically addressed as Mr./Ms. (Name) in style of their practicing legal colleagues.
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FYI, here is what's come in to the Blog that relates to this office/rank. For recent questions sent in, check out Robert Hickey's Blog. For specific offices/ranks, check out Robert Hickey's On-Line Guide.
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| How Do I Use "Esquire" With My Name, Or An Attorney's Name, in Writing? I am not sure if I should write my name followed by Esq., J.D. or Esq., Dr. or Dr., Esq. or just Esq. or J.D. Any help would be appreciated. -- Kenneth Millard
I am an attorney and I do not use Esq. following my surname. Although I am a practicing attorney, it strikes me that to insert the Esq. would project a self-importance I do not feel. What's the traditional way to use Esq.? -- Robert Simpson
Dear Mr. Millard: In the much of the U.S.'s public's mind Esq. is used after a name to identify a lawyer in exactly the same way M.D. after a name identifies a doctor. But in fact they are not equivalent. The traditional use of Esq. is in the U.S.A. is for others to add it to the attorney's name when writing to a practicing attorney (e.g., on a letter) to note/specify that the attorney is being addressed in his or her role as counsel in litigation / as professional representation in a legal matter. E.g.: Kenneth Millard, Esq. Use of Esq. is important among the ethics rules of the legal profession which require communications from an attorney (on one side) be with the opposing side's attorney rather than directly with the opposing side. By addressing the other side's attorney as Esq., the person initiating the communication is being clear that he or she is following correct procedure. However, traditionally Esq. is not used reflexively ... that is, one does not call oneself an Esq. when presenting one's name on one's own letterhead or business card. Thus on a business card or letterhead names of the principals, partners, associates, are be presented without post nominals: Kenneth Millard Attorney at Law J.D. is most often used in academic contexts. If you are the author of a article that's published in an academic journal or teach at a university and are listed in the catalog, then using your specific academic degree is pertinent and traditional: Kenneth Millard, J.D. And finally: Esq. and J.D. are not used in combination. I'd say that it is very, very, very rare for a person holding a J.D. to want to be addressed as Dr. (name). Dr. is not used after an attorney's name in any circumstance. -- Robert Hickey
How to use Esq. with Academic Post Nominals? I cannot find a reliable source that addresses the use of Esq. with my academic credentials. I received a JD/MBA in 2004 and I am licensed to practice in both Georgia and Florida. Since most attorneys admitted to practice in my jurisdictions do not have graduate business credentials, I think there is a competitive advantage if my clients and prospective clients know that I have and MBA in addition to my law licenses. What is the proper way for me to include these post nominals on my business cards, letterhead and email signature block? -- Gordon L. Pendleton, Atlanta, Georgia
Dear CAM: I include a chapter on courtesy titles and post-nominal abbreviations in my book. There is no mention of using both Esq. and Academic Post Nominals for a reason: JD and MBA are academic post-nominal abbreviations. They are ordered high to low after your name, and included only if they are professionally pertinent. Esq. is a courtesy title. It is used in direct address by others, not by the person reflexively: You never use it with your own name. The rule is: academic post nominals are not used with courtesy titles. It is strictly either/or. * It is traditional for others to address attorneys in legal correspondence with the courtesy title Esq. after their name. Esq. is not used on social correspondence. * Those in academia are more likely to use (and be addressed with) the academic post nominal abbreviation JD. If you want to include your academic post-nominals, present your name using the academic formula and include your profession after your name: Gordon L. Pendleton, JD, MBA Attorney at Law
-- Robert Hickey Many many thanks for your prompt response and sage guidance. I will definitely add your book to my library. -- Gordon L. Pendleton, Atlanta, Georgia
How to Address an Attorney and Spouse? I have to write to and acknowledge several donors for an upcoming community event. How to I address the envelopes? 1st couple, he is an attorney, she is not 2nd couple both are attorneys -- PM, Meeting Coordinator
Dear PM, 1) Socially attorneys are Mr./Ms. (Name) ... the post nominal Esq. is not used socially. Unless you are writing to them on a matter of which he is the legal counsel (and since you are including his spouse it's unlikely that his participation is as an attorney) ... no Esq. Thus, socially an attorney and his wife are simply: Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wilson or Mr. Thomas Nelson and Ms. Nancy Henderson
Another option, if you want to include her given name or you know she prefers Mrs. is: Mr. Thomas Nelson and Mrs. Nancy Henderson ... but I wouldn't do it unless you know she likes Mrs. since traditionally Mrs. Nancy Henderson is the form used by a divorced woman who want to continue using her former husband's family name.
2) Socially, if both are attorneys and use the same family name ... use the same forms noted above. -- Robert Hickey Can You Address an Attorney as Dr.? It is my understanding that a non-practicing lawyer (i.e., no longer licensed) does not use Esq. May we use Dr. to address her (since her academic rank is J.D.)? -- Rod
Dear Rod: The short answer is: attorneys are not addressed as Dr. (Name). I have never encountered an attorney (practicing, retired, or even a law professor) who requested to be addressed as Dr. (Name). Of the attorneys I have polled (that is many), all had a very negative view of use of Dr. by attorneys in any circumstance. I spare you how they described the few attorneys who did. Every attorney said to that the use of Mr./Ms. is the tradition. Since it's the opinion of one's peers which matters the most, address this and any attorney as Mr./Ms. (Name). -- Robert Hickey When Does a Law Professor Use Esq.? When Does a Law Professor Use JD? When does one become an esq., and when does that status end? What about law professors who don't keep their licenses active? Is the "Esq." credential acquired upon receiving a law degree, or does it not take effect until they have been admitted to a state bar? -- D.Y.U. APR, Stetson University College of Law, Tampa, FL
Dear D.Y.U.: USE OF Esq.: I have a note above in How Do I Write My Name as an Attorney? about why attorneys are addressed as Esq. USE OF JD vs. Esq.: Today one when graduates from law school, one is typically granted a Juris Doctor or JD. A graduate from a law school, when wanting to include his or her degree would write: (Full Name), JD When you are addressing a practicing attorney use the traditional form of address for a practicing attorney in the US: (Full Name), Esq. When to Use Esq.: Addressing a professor who also practices might be either depending on what is pertinent. *** JD's in an academic context (teach at a university) use JD .... following the tradition within academia to use academic degrees. You should use JD on official correspondence to an academic just like you would PhD or MD. *** While most academics holding a doctorate are addressed as Dr. in oral conversation or a salutation, law professors are not. Address as Professor (Name). *** If writing to a law professor who also practices the law -- relating to his practice of the law in official correspondence -- address as a practicing attorney: (Full Name), Esq. *** If writing to a retired attorney, who is no longer be 'open for business' -- Esq. is not pertinent. If you are sending personal correspondence to a law professor or a practicing attorney -- or to either when retired ... they are simply: Mr./Ms. (Name) Post nominals are not used on social correspondence. -- Robert Hickey
Who Has Higher Precedence: Doctors or Lawyers? If ever a host is to receive a medical doctor and a lawyer, with regards to the table seating, who would have precedence: the doctor or the lawyer? -- Marie Ange
Dear Ms. Ange, I am not aware of any situation in which precedence would be given to physicians and/or lawyers simply due to their profession (outside of an university event, e.g., a their graduation.) At official events doctors and lawyers have the precedence of any other citizen, are listed alphabetically in a roster, and would not receive preferential seating. However, if he or she held an office (or attended an event in a role) that gave them higher precedence -- a doctor or lawyer might be seated by the precedence of their office. For example, as president of the local medical board and attending an event as the official representative the organization, a doctor might be seated with other community leaders. Or a doctor or lawyer is the guest of honor, then he or she would be seated to the right of the host at a table. -- Robert Hickey | |
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All information on www.formsofaddress.info is copyright © 2019 by Robert Hickey. All rights reserved. The Protocol School of Washington® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Honor & Respect is dedicated to Dorothea Johnson, Founder of The Protocol School of Washington®
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