Attornies or Attorneys: Which Spelling Is Correct?

If you’re writing a letter, email, legal document, or professional message, you may pause over the plural of attorney: Is it attornies or attorneys? The correct spelling in modern American English is attorneys.

Attorneys is the correct plural of attorney. Attornies is an incorrect spelling in standard modern English. Using the correct form is especially important in formal and professional writing, where accurate spelling helps maintain clarity and credibility.

The confusion happens because many English nouns ending in -y change the y to -ies when they become plural, such as party → parties and company → companies. However, attorney follows a different pattern because the letter before the final y is a vowel. Therefore, you simply add -s to form the plural: attorney → attorneys.

Attornies or Attorneys: Which One Is Correct?

Attorneys is correct. Attornies is incorrect in standard modern English.

Spelling	Correct?	Example
attorneys	✅ Yes	The attorneys reviewed the contract.
attornies	❌ No	The attornies reviewed the contract.

The singular form is attorney, and its standard plural is attorneys.

• One attorney
• Two attorneys
• Several attorneys
• A team of attorneys

The spelling stays the same except for adding -s.

Why Is “Attornies” Incorrect?

The confusion comes from a common English plural rule. Many nouns that end in a consonant followed by y change y to ies in the plural:

• company → companies
• family → families
• party → parties
• policy → policies
• country → countries

But nouns ending in a vowel + y usually form their plural by simply adding -s:

• boy → boys
• day → days
• key → keys
• journey → journeys
• attorney → attorneys

In attorney, the letter immediately before the final y is e, which is a vowel. Therefore, the plural is formed by adding s, not by changing y to ies.

The Simple Rule

If a word ends in consonant + y, it often changes to -ies.

company → companies

If a word ends in vowel + y, it usually takes -s.

attorney → attorneys

This is why attornies looks reasonable at first glance but is not the standard plural spelling.

How Do You Spell the Plural of Attorney?

The correct spelling is attorneys.

The word is spelled:

A-T-T-O-R-N-E-Y → A-T-T-O-R-N-E-Y-S

You do not remove the y.

Singular and Plural Forms

Singular	Plural
attorney	attorneys
one attorney	two attorneys
an attorney	several attorneys
the attorney	the attorneys

For example:

• The attorney called the client.
• The attorneys called the clients.
• She hired an attorney.
• The company hired several attorneys.

What Does “Attorney” Mean?

An attorney is a lawyer, especially someone who is legally qualified to represent another person in legal matters. In the United States, attorney and lawyer are commonly used interchangeably in everyday speech.

For example:

She spoke with her attorney before signing the agreement.

The plural attorneys refers to more than one lawyer.

Several attorneys attended the meeting.

The word can refer to lawyers working in many areas, including criminal law, family law, business law, immigration law, real estate law, and personal injury law.

“Attorneys” vs. “Lawyers”: What’s the Difference?

In everyday American English, attorney and lawyer usually refer to the same profession. There can be technical distinctions in certain legal contexts, but most readers will understand both words to mean a person qualified to practice law.

Word	Meaning	Typical use
attorney	A lawyer, especially one acting for a client	Common in legal and professional writing
lawyer	A person who practices law	Very common in everyday speech
attorneys	More than one attorney	Plural
lawyers	More than one lawyer	Plural

For example:

• The attorney represented the defendant.
• The lawyer represented the defendant.
• The firm employs several attorneys.
• The firm employs several lawyers.

In the United States, attorneys is especially common in formal legal language.

Attorney vs. Attorneys: Singular and Plural

The difference is straightforward:

• Attorney = one
• Attorneys = more than one

Singular Examples

Use attorney when you’re talking about one person:

• I need to speak with my attorney.
• The attorney reviewed the document.
• Her attorney sent an email.
• He works as an attorney in Chicago.
• The attorney explained the legal options.

Plural Examples

Use attorneys when you’re talking about two or more people:

• The attorneys met before the hearing.
• Several attorneys reviewed the case.
• The company has three attorneys on staff.
• The attorneys discussed the agreement.
• Both attorneys appeared in court.

10 Examples Using “Attorneys” Correctly

Here are natural examples showing how attorneys works in different situations.

1. The two attorneys discussed the case before the meeting.
2. Several attorneys attended the legal conference.
3. The company has experienced attorneys on its legal team.
4. The clients asked their attorneys for advice.
5. Both attorneys reviewed the contract carefully.
6. The firm is looking for experienced attorneys to join its team.
7. The attorneys prepared the documents for the hearing.
8. The organization works with attorneys across several states.
9. The attorneys explained the agreement in simple language.
10. Our team consulted several attorneys before making a decision.

Notice that the plural form remains attorneys in every example.

Common Mistakes With “Attorneys”

The biggest mistake is changing the final y to ies.

Incorrect: Attornies

The company hired three attornies.

Correct: Attorneys

The company hired three attorneys.

Another common mistake is treating attorney like a noun such as company or party.

Compare:

• company → companies
• party → parties
• attorney → attorneys

The different plural forms depend on the letter immediately before the final y.

Attorney vs. Attornies: A Quick Comparison

Feature	Attorney	Attornies
Standard spelling	Yes	No
Singular	Yes	No
Plural	No	Intended as plural, but misspelled
Used in US English	Yes	No
Recommended in professional writing	Yes	No

If you’re deciding between the two, choose attorneys.

Why “Attorney” Takes an “S” Instead of “IES”

A useful way to remember the spelling is to look at the final two letters before making the word plural.

attorney ends in -ey.

Because e is a vowel, the word normally takes -s:

attorney + s = attorneys

Compare that with:

company → companies

Here, the letter before y is n, a consonant. That’s why the plural changes from y to ies.

More Examples

Singular	Plural
attorney	attorneys
journey	journeys
employee	employees
boy	boys
company	companies
family	families
country	countries
party	parties

The pattern becomes easier to remember once you notice the vowel before the y.

Is “Attorneys” Appropriate in Formal Writing?

Yes. Attorneys is fully appropriate for formal, professional, and legal writing.

You can use it in:

• Legal documents
• Business emails
• Academic writing
• News writing
• Resumes
• Job descriptions
• Company websites
• Government documents
• Professional correspondence

For example:

The organization consulted with several attorneys regarding the agreement.

This is grammatically correct and professional.

“Attorneys” in Professional Emails

When writing a professional email, attorneys is the standard plural form.

For example:

Several attorneys from the firm reviewed the proposal.

Or:

We contacted two attorneys to discuss the matter.

Avoid attornies, especially in professional communication, because it is a spelling error and can make otherwise polished writing look careless.

“Attorneys” in a Resume

If you’re describing legal work on a resume, attorneys is also the correct form.

Examples:

• Assisted attorneys with case preparation and document organization.
• Scheduled meetings for attorneys and clients.
• Provided administrative support to multiple attorneys.
• Prepared correspondence for attorneys and legal staff.

If you’re referring to only one lawyer, use attorney instead:

Assisted an attorney with client communications.

“Attorneys” in Academic Writing

The spelling attorneys is correct in essays, research papers, reports, and other academic work.

For example:

Attorneys play an important role in helping clients understand their legal rights.

If your paper discusses multiple lawyers, attorneys is the standard plural form.

“Attorneys” in Everyday Conversation

Americans commonly use attorneys in ordinary conversation, although lawyers is also very common.

For example:

The company has several attorneys.

You could also say:

The company has several lawyers.

Both sound natural in American English. The choice often depends on context. Attorney can sound somewhat more formal or legal, while lawyer is especially common in casual conversation.

Attorney vs. Lawyer: Which Sounds More Formal?

Neither word is incorrect, but attorney often has a more formal or legal tone in American English.

Situation	Natural choice
Casual conversation	lawyer
Legal document	attorney
Professional email	attorney or lawyer
Resume	attorney
Law firm website	attorney or lawyer
Everyday discussion	lawyer or attorney
Formal legal context	attorney

For example, a law firm might write:

Our attorneys have extensive experience handling complex cases.

In casual conversation, someone might simply say:

I talked to my lawyer yesterday.

US vs. UK Usage

Attorney is strongly associated with American English, although the word is known in other varieties of English. In the United States, attorney commonly means a lawyer who is authorized to practice law. In the United Kingdom, legal professionals are more often described using terms such as solicitor and barrister, depending on their role. This doesn’t mean that attorney is a spelling error in British English. Rather, the legal terminology and professional system differ between countries. For US readers, attorney and attorneys are standard terms.

American English

• attorney
• attorneys
• lawyer
• lawyers

British Legal Terminology

Depending on the role, you may encounter:

• solicitor
• barrister
• lawyer

The plural of attorney remains attorneys when the word itself is being used.

Does “Attornies” Ever Look Correct?

Yes, it can look correct because English has many words that change y to ies when pluralized.

For example:

• city → cities
• company → companies
• family → families
• policy → policies

That pattern can make attornies seem logical.

However, attorney belongs with words such as boy, day, and journey, which form plurals by adding -s.

So the correct spelling is:

attorney → attorneys

Not:

attorney → attornies

A Simple Memory Trick

Remember:

Attorney keeps the Y and adds S.

Think of the ending as -ey:

attorney → attorneys

You can also remember the vowel rule:

Vowel + Y → add S

Examples:

• boy → boys
• day → days
• key → keys
• attorney → attorneys

By contrast:

Consonant + Y → often change Y to IES

Examples:

• company → companies
• party → parties
• family → families

This quick rule will help you avoid the spelling attornies.

What Is the Plural of Attorney at Law?

The plural is attorneys at law.

For example:

The firm employs several attorneys at law.

However, in most ordinary writing, simply saying attorneys is enough when the context is clear. You don’t need to add at law every time you mention lawyers.

Attorney General vs. Attorneys General

One related phrase deserves special attention: attorney general. Its plural is traditionally attorneys general, not attorney generals.

For example:

• one attorney general
• two attorneys general

This is a different plural pattern because attorney general is a compound noun in which attorney is the main noun.

Example:

Several attorneys general joined the legal action.

This shouldn’t be confused with the ordinary plural of attorney, which is simply attorneys.

Attorney’s vs. Attorneys’: What’s the Difference?

Another common source of confusion is the apostrophe.

Attorney’s

Attorney’s is the singular possessive form. It means something belongs to or is associated with one attorney.

The attorney’s office was closed.

Attorneys’

Attorneys’ is the plural possessive form. It means something belongs to or is associated with multiple attorneys.

The attorneys’ offices were closed.

Attorneys

Attorneys is simply the plural.

Several attorneys attended the meeting.

Form	Meaning	Example
attorney	One lawyer	The attorney called.
attorney’s	Belonging to one attorney	The attorney’s office
attorneys	More than one lawyer	The attorneys called.
attorneys’	Belonging to multiple attorneys	The attorneys’ offices

The apostrophe changes the meaning, so use it carefully

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Common Search Questions About “Attornies or Attorneys

Quick Reference: Attorney Spelling Rules

Keep these forms handy:

• One: attorney
• More than one: attorneys
• One person’s: attorney’s
• More than one person’s: attorneys’
• Incorrect plural: attornies

The key distinction is simple:

Attorney + S = Attorneys

Don’t change the y to ies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, attorneys is the correct spelling of the plural form of attorney. The spelling attornies is incorrect because words ending in -y after a vowel typically keep the y when forming the plural. Therefore, the correct form is attorneys, not attornies.

Using the correct spelling is especially important in professional, legal, and academic writing. Whether you are referring to two attorneys, a group of attorneys, or attorneys at a law firm, attorneys should always be used as the standard plural form.

Remembering this distinction can help you avoid a common spelling mistake. If you are ever unsure, simply start with the singular word attorney and change it to attorneys for the plural. This simple rule makes the correct spelling easy to remember and use confidently.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell the plural of attorney?

The correct spelling is attorneys. Add -s to attorney rather than changing the final y to ies.

Is “attornies” correct?

No. Attornies is a misspelling in standard modern English. The correct plural is attorneys.

Why is it attorneys and not attornies?

Because attorney ends in a vowel followed by y. Words with this ending generally form their plural by adding s, giving attorneys.

What is the singular of attorneys?

The singular is attorney. For example, one attorney and two attorneys.

Is attorney or lawyer more common in American English?

Both are common, but lawyer is especially natural in everyday conversation, while attorney is common in legal and professional contexts.

What is the difference between attorney and attorney’s?

Attorney is the singular noun, while attorney’s is the singular possessive form. For example, the attorney spoke versus the attorney’s office was closed.

What is the plural possessive of attorney?

The plural possessive is attorneys’. For example, the attorneys’ offices means the offices belonging to multiple attorneys.