Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

PROFESSION, PROFESSIONAL [L. profiteor, profiteri / to acknowledge, to make a statement; to offer or promise] A statement of opinion or belief; a statement openly and publicly made, as the profession of one's innocence. A vocation requiring specialized training and skill acquired through many years of schooling and preparation, e.g., the medical profession. An activity usually requiring a license or certificate from some licensing authority. A professional is a person meeting the qualifica tions of his profession. A professional association is a group of persons in the same profession organized to practice together; many law firms are organized as professional associations. A professional corporation is a corporation organized by a group of professionals to conduct their practices together in corporate form. Professional Responsibility is the study and application of ethical principles in the practice of a profession, especially the legal profes sion. PROFITEER [L. proficio, proficere / to advance or make progress; to be of use] One who takes advantage of a period of stress or crisis, e.g., a natural disaster or war, to profit unreasonably or excessively from the sale or exchange of essential commodities in short supply. PRO FORMA [L. pro + formo , formare / to form, shape, fashion] For the sake of form; as a matter of form. Done as a mere formality or per functorily. Also, a document which assumes certain facts and then utilizes them to estimate or project future activities or results. A pro forma statement is a financial statement forecasting the results of business operations or of a particular business transaction. PROGRESSIVE [L. pro / forth, forward + gradior, gradi / to step forward, walk] Moving forward; improving. Characterized by or participating in progress. A progressive tax is a tax which imposes increasingly higher rates as the income of the taxpayer increases. The U.S. income tax system is essentially a progressive tax system. PRO HAEC (HAC) VICE [L. pro + hic, haec, hoc / this + vicis / change, exchange, turn; instead of] For this one particular occasion. A lawyer licensed in one state may be admit ted pro haec vice in another state to argue a motion or try a case. The admis sion is only for these limited purposes. PROHIBIT [L. pro + habere / to have or hold] To forbid, enjoin; to prevent the commission of some act. To forbid by stat ute, administrative regulation or court order. For example, the law prohibits

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