A person who engages in dubious or underhand practices for the sake of personal gain; spec. a low-ranking lawyer who abuses the law. Obsolete.

Originally: an inferior legal practitioner who dealt with petty cases; formerly occasionally also as a professional name (see quot. 1688) (now histo…

(apparently) a lawyer, perhaps of a particular kind.

A lawyer who deals with petty legal matters or engages in petty quibbling. Cf. pettifogger, n.1 1. Obsolete.

Scottish. A lawyer favoured by a particular judge. Now historical.

= pettifogger, n.1

Chiefly U.S. Philadelphia lawyer n. a very able and intelligent lawyer, esp. one expert in the exploitation of legal technicalities; a shrewd or…

a lawyer; spec. one who is keen and astute.

a contemptuous term for a lawyer; also, a young lawyer, a law-student; also attributive.

‘A lawyer who practises in an unprofessional or tricky manner; especially, one who haunts the prisons and lower courts to prey on petty criminals…

= legal beagle n.