Lawyers dealing with estate business were solicitors/attorneys, and they were much lower down the social scale than barristers, the lawyers who dealt with court litigation. There were two different branches of the legal profession in England. It was from among prominent barristers that Judges were appointed, and then they would receive titles. Solicitors/attorneys had no hope of being appointed as Judges e.g. in P&P, Miss Bingley sneered at Lizzy's uncle Mr Phillips, an attorney/solicitor, as being in the same profession but different line from Darcy's great uncle who was a Judge.