AD&D Character Class: Attorney

The attorney is not viewed as an adventurer class, but more of a city or town character which might under certain circumstances participate in an adventure. His primary abilities are research and manipulation of the law; the exact nature of the manipulation of the law depends on what fields of law are included in the campaign, and in which ones the character has expertise.

Research is very much within the province of the referee, first to decide whether particular information is recorded in any place available to the attorney, then to decide how much time is necessary to uncover the information. Generally, the attorney can discover most types of information from initial information; that is, given that a particular sword is a Holy Avenger, or a Vorpal Sword, or other specific type of sword, or given the name of a particular intelligent or legendary sword or other item, the attorney can probably discover in great detail what powers and command words were known by anyone in the past who might have recorded these things. He would also be able to learn information about monster types or specific powerful named creatures (e.g., named devils) or powerful characters. The time required to discover information (or to determine that such information is not available) will be determined by the referee with reference to a die roll; the die or dice will be selected according to the referee's assessment of how obscure the information is in the campaign. (It is recommended that the referee keep a record of such die rolls for reference.)

Attorneys fight as magic-users, but gain hit points and make saves as thieves. Proficiencies are: weapon 1+1/6, non-weapon 3+1/3. It is absolutely mandatory that the character invest at least one non-weapon proficiency in something which would be considered physical exercise, such as (depending on the milieu) martial arts, mountaineering, running, swimming, or other physical activity approved by the referee, and that he spend time getting such exercise every week as appropriate.

Attorneys are generally drawn from higher social classes; for this reason, oriental attorneys gain +5 on the character birth table, and others gain +10 on the social class table.

Advancement as an attorney includes an expanding knowledge of the law. He begins with general knowledge in every area of law, and expertise in one area. Each area lists those things which can be done by expertise. Some things are possible for an expert on a successful proficiency check (d20 against better of intelligence or charisma). These proficiency checks are bonused by +1 for every ten levels of experience (11, 21, 31).

For each level of advancement, the attorney adds one new area of expertise. All attorney expertise is at the attorney's current level, without regard for the level at which the expertise was gained.

Attorneys gain experience from the practice of law, gaining full experience for the proper amount of the bill, plus experience for any money collected from clients over and above the billed amount. Although attorneys may gain experience from adventuring or engaging in other combat situations or treasure retrievals, such experience is always half what would be earned by adventuring classes.

The cost of advancement includes the cost of such books as are necessary to keep current in general knowledge and all fields of expertise. In addition, the books required to gain expertise in a new field cost 2d12x100 gp. the referee may wish to assign these costs in advance (maintaining an average cost around 1300 gp) so that costs associated with mastering a particular field reflect the availability of information in that field, and influence the selection of areas.

The DM may decide that expertise in an area of law is not currently possible because no books are available. An attorney may in that case opt to directly research the area in whatever way is appropriate. For example, the study of commercial law would require going into the courts and libraries of one or more major cities, while the study of goblin law would require immersion into goblin society and culture. The referee determines the time required (generally six to twenty-four months) to learn the information and write the book, during which time the attorney may not practice law (although his office may continue to do business billed at his rate if run by assistant attorneys). Then, if a proficiency check vs. intelligence is successful (which may be modified if the character has been particularly diligent or lazy, or the area of law is particularly obscure or clear), the attorney gains special expertise. In addition to any appropriate skills of normal expertise, he is permitted to charge double for all work done by his firm in that field, and receives an additional d1000 x level gp per month in book sales and consulting fees for the rest of his life.

An attorney may hire any hirelings needed, including scribes, men-at-arms, clerks, bounty hunters, managers, and persons needed for client business. He may also select henchmen who fill slots in his business, up to the number dictated by his charisma.

At any time that he can afford to do so, an attorney may open an office. Such an office must have at least two rooms, a waiting room and an inner office. Attorneys may save costs by sharing a waiting room. Normally there is a clerk or scribe in the waiting room who keeps track of appointments. If the office has extra room, the attorney may take on apprentices. Apprentices work for room and board. There is a 1% chance per level per level of the attorney (1%, 3%, 6%, 10%) that an apprentice's family will pay each month 2d10 x the attorney's level in gp for the apprenticeship. It is not necessary to pay apprentices, but 1 to 10 gp per month will increase loyalty.

After 3d8 months, the apprentice becomes an attorney, and makes a loyalty check. If it fails, he leaves to start his own practice. Otherwise, he is willing to stay with the attorney who trained him provided the attorney will pay all costs (including advancement and book costs, a separate private room for an office, and any necessary help) and pay standard rates appropriate to his level. Note that all clients may be billed according to the level of the senior attorney. This also applies to the work of apprentices, scribes and clerks when they are performing billable tasks.

An attorney may have a total number of apprentice and assistant attorneys not exceeding the number of henchmen permitted by his charisma, in addition to any henchmen he has. Furthermore, each of his assistant attorneys may also have assistant and apprentice attorneys. The client is still billed at the senior attorney's rate; the assistant attorney is paid at his rate, and in turn pays his assistant at his rate. Loyalty checks of such lower-tier assistants are based on the highest loyalty base of attorneys directly in line above them modified by any treatment received from anyone in the firm.

Notwithstanding the charisma of assistant attorneys, the entire firm may not exceed a number of attorneys equal to the senior attorney's level times his maximum number of henchmen by charisma.

Each four attorneys require at least one scribe and one clerk. More may increase billable hours. Assistant attorneys may be made heads of satellite offices if desired, and this may also increase available client base.

These are the standard costs for attorney services; player characters may charge more or less if they desire, and such will affect the amount of work they attract. Of course, reputation may also affect client base.
   Court Time 100 gp/day times level
   Discovery 10 gp/hr times level
   Research 5 gp/hr times level
   Filing Paperwork 10 gp/hr times level
   Drawing Up Legal Papers* 5 gp/hr times level
   Office Time** 10 gp/hr times level
   (Typical 15 minute blocks) 3 gp/quarter hour times level
   Negotiations*** 15 gp/hr times level
   Unusual Travel Time, etc. 10 gp/hr times level
   or 100 gp/day times level
    *Contracts, wills, etc.
    **Client meetings.
    ***Plea bargains, government influence.

Details on specific abilities of attorneys, both general and expert, are given in the section of Areas of Law.

Attorneys may be kept on retainer (that is, paid a sum of money against which to bill services), but they cannot be taken on as henchmen or hirelings in any usual sense.

Any race may be an attorney, but the general field of law will normally be that of the character's race and society. The referee may permit an attorney character to apprentice in a different culture at a penalty, but such characters will not have general knowledge of their own cultural law unless they take expertise in it.

Level		From	To
0	Apprentice	Special	Special
1	Associate	0	1250
2	Orator	1251	2500
3	Debater	2501	5500
4	Advocate	5501	12000
5	Solicitor	12001	24000
6	Lawyer	24001	50000
7	Jurist	50001	90000
8	Judge	90001	150000
9	Barrister	150001	300000
10	Justice	300001	600000
11	Attorney	600001	900000
12		900001	1200000
13		1200001	1500000
14		1500001	1875000
15		1875001	2275000
16		2275001	2625000
17		2625001	3400000
18		3400001	3850000
19		3850001	5500000
20		5500001	6400000
21		6400001	7000000
22		7000001	7500000

500000 xp/level beyond the 22nd.

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