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Often a party’s representative seems to be referred to in formal legal contexts as their “solicitors”, even when it appears to be a single individual who is managing the case on the party’s behalf. Why then is the representative so often referred to as their “solicitors”?

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Because "solicitors" refers to the firm

Historically, solicitors were only permitted to operate as sole traders or in partnership with other solicitors (but not with any other professionals). Either way, they were referred to as a firm. So when a person is represented, the firm is their "solicitors" plural.

Many jurisdictions have modified these historic practices to allow non-solicitors to be partners and/or to allow solicitors to operate through corporations.

Note that an in-house lawyer for a non-law firm only represents their employer and is not acting as a solicitor to the general public.

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  • Why were they disallowed from acting in partnership with any other professionals than other solicitors?
    – Seeking answers
    Feb 13 at 4:46
  • @Seekinganswers - that is still the case in most of the US. Here it has to do with a theory of professionalism and of issues of non-lawyers being able to influence the actions of lawyers.
    – George White
    Feb 13 at 6:22

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