Litigation solicitors are forms of legal aid that are common in many law jurisdictions. That being said, the profession has become obsolete in the United States of America; in modern times the term "litigation solicitors" refers to government lawyers.
A litigation solicitor is in essence a joint profession; one half of the occupation is in relation to legal representation while the other form relates to soliciting. This term simply means that the litigation professional has direct contact with clients. Litigation solicitors are legal professionals who traditionally tackle any legal matter apart from conducting proceedings in courtrooms.
Historically speaking, litigation solicitors existed in the United States, through the term was more synonymous for legal aids who argued cases in courts of equity. This structure is held in contrast to an attorney who appeared strictly in courts of law. As equity courts disappeared in the United State's legal system, the need for litigation solicitors proportionally waned.
As a result of this transition, litigation solicitors are commonly attached to government lawyers who are appointed to represent a government agency. The federal government and all state governments have lawyers working for them to fight legal battles against individuals suing communities or government agencies.
The professional organization responsible for enforcing the code of conduct and rules for local litigation solicitors is the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association. On the federal level, litigation solicitors are employed and regulated by the various federal departments they represent. For example, the Department of Labor, the Department of the Interior, and the Solicitor general all possess litigation solicitors that are appointed to represent a government agency before the Supreme Court.
