Attorneys in the United States are practitioners in a court of law who are legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Strictly speaking, an attorney is one who acts on behalf of another person in some capacity. An attorney-at-law, or lawyer, is a person trained and licensed by a relevant jurisdiction to practice law by representing clients in legal matters and giving legal advice. In the United States, the term attorney generally refers to this meaning. Almost all U.S. jurisdictions require successful completion of a bar exam to be licensed as an attorney.
Once admitted to practice by the highest court of a state (a function sometimes administered by the state's bar association), an American attorney may file legal pleadings and argue cases in any state court (federal courts usually require separate admission), provide legal advice to clients, and draft important legal documents such as wills, trusts, deeds, and contracts. Often, lawyers brief a court in writing on the issues in a case before the issues can be orally argued. They may have to perform extensive research into relevant facts and law while drafting legal papers and preparing for oral argument.
Working as a lawyer involves the practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge to solve specific individualized problems, or to advance the interests of those who retain lawyers to perform legal services. Practicing law includes interviewing a client to identify the legal question, analyzing the question, researching relevant law, devising legal solutions to problems, and executing such solutions. In many countries, only lawyers have the legal authority to do drafting of wills, trusts, and any other documents that ensure the efficient disposition of a person's property after death.
Spokane is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, and is the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest. According to 2006 census estimates, Spokane has a population of 198,081, making it the second most populous city in the State of Washington, and the third largest in the Pacific Northwest, after Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon.
Much of Spokane is reflected in its large variety of neighborhoods. Neighborhoods range from the late Victorian-era style Browne's Addition, to the Davenport Arts District of Downtown, to the more contemporary neighborhoods of North Spokane. The new Kendall Yards development on the northside of Downtown Spokane along the Spokane River will become one of the largest construction projects in the city's history. Spokane is home to many higher education institutions including Gonzaga and Whitworth, and the public Community Colleges of Spokane system.
The region's healthcare needs are served primarily by Seattle-based Providence Health & Services and Spokane-based Empire Health Services, two non-profit organizations who run the two biggest hospitals in Spokane, Sacred Heart Medical Center, and Deaconess Medical Center, respectively. Downtown Spokane has undergone a major rebirth in recent years after the completion of RiverPark Square mall.