Attornies or Attorneys: Which Plural Is Correct?

Attornies or attorneys? This plural spelling trips up many writers, because most words ending in y form their plural with ies, as in baby becoming babies. Attorney looks like it should follow the same pattern, but it does not. The reason is a simple rule about the letter before y. This guide explains the rule, the meaning, the possessive forms, and a special title case, with clear examples. This article is only about spelling and terminology, not legal advice.

Quick Answer

Quick Answer: Attorneys is correct. Attornies, with ies, is a misspelling. Attorneys is the plural of attorney, a person legally qualified to represent someone in legal matters. The rule is: when a word ends in a vowel plus y, add s only, as in attorney becoming attorneys. When a word ends in a consonant plus y, change y to ies, as in baby becoming babies. Attorney ends in e plus y, a vowel plus y, so it takes s, giving attorneys, not attornies.

Why Is It Attorneys, Not Attornies?

The rule depends on the letter before y. If the letter before y is a vowel, a, e, i, o, or u, just add s. If the letter before y is a consonant, change y to i and add es, giving ies. Attorney ends in ey, e is a vowel, so add s: attorneys. This is the clear rule the competitor article missed, and it explains the spelling in one step. Do not use an “e before y” memory trick, because it does not state the rule. The rule is vowel plus y, add s. Consonant plus y, change to ies.

Same rule: key to keys, monkey to monkeys, journey to journeys

Key ends in ey, vowel plus y, so keys, not keies. Monkey ends in ey, vowel plus y, so monkeys, not monkies. Journey ends in ey, vowel plus y, so journeys, not journies. All three follow the same rule as attorney, and all three keep the y and add s.

Contrast: baby to babies, city to cities

Baby ends in by, y is a consonant, so change y to i and add es, giving babies, not babys. City ends in ty, y is a consonant, so change y to i and add es, giving cities, not citys. The contrast shows why attorney is different. Attorney has a vowel before y, so it keeps y. Baby and city have consonants before y, so they change y to ies. Other tricky spellings also become easier when you check the letter before y, instead of guessing from the sound.

Meaning of Attorney

An attorney is a person legally qualified to practise law and to represent a client in legal matters, such as in court, in negotiations, or in preparing legal documents. In American English, attorney is the common word for a lawyer. In British English, the legal profession is split into solicitors and barristers, and attorney is less common as a job title, but it is still understood. The plural, attorneys, refers to two or more such people, as in the attorneys met the client.

Attorney vs Lawyer vs Solicitor vs Barrister

• Attorney: in American English, a lawyer, a general word for a legal professional.
• Lawyer: a general word, in both American and British English, for a person qualified in law.
• Solicitor: in British English, a lawyer who deals directly with clients, prepares documents, and handles cases outside higher courts.
• Barrister: in British English, a lawyer who argues cases in higher courts, usually instructed through a solicitor.

In American writing, attorney and lawyer are often used for the same person. In British writing, solicitor and barrister are more precise. The spelling rule is the same in both regions: attorneys, with ys, not attornies, with ies.

Possessives

The singular possessive is attorney’s, with an apostrophe before s, as in the attorney’s office, meaning the office of one attorney. The plural possessive is attorneys’, with an apostrophe after s, as in the attorneys’ offices, meaning the offices of two or more attorneys. Note the difference. Attorney’s, apostrophe before s, is one attorney. Attorneys’, apostrophe after s, is many attorneys. The plural itself, attorneys, has no apostrophe. An apostrophe appears only when showing possession.

Attorneys General or Attorney Generals?

The correct plural of the title Attorney General is Attorneys General, not Attorney Generals. This is because in this title, general is a postpositive adjective, coming after the noun, and the noun, attorney, is the word that becomes plural. So one Attorney General, two Attorneys General. The same pattern appears in other titles, such as Surgeons General, and Courts Martial. In everyday writing, Attorneys General is the formal, correct plural, and it is worth knowing, because Attorney Generals looks logical but is wrong in formal use.

Comparison Table

Word	Correct?	Rule
Attorneys	Yes	Vowel plus y, add s.
Attornies	No	Wrong, ies is for consonant plus y only.
Keys	Yes	Vowel plus y, add s.
Babies	Yes	Consonant plus y, change to ies.

Examples in Sentences

• The attorneys met the client on Monday.
• She hired two attorneys for the case.
• The attorney’s office is on Main Street.
• The attorneys’ offices are in the same building.
• The Attorneys General issued a joint statement.
• He spoke to his attorney before signing.

Common Mistakes

• Wrong: The attornies met the client. Correct: The attorneys met the client.
• Wrong: The attorney’s offices, for many attorneys. Correct: The attorneys’ offices, for many attorneys, apostrophe after s.
• Wrong: Attorney Generals, as the plural title. Correct: Attorneys General, as the plural title.
• Wrong: Attorneys, with an apostrophe, as a plain plural. Correct: Attorneys, with no apostrophe, as a plain plural.

The most common error is applying the ies rule to a vowel plus y word. Checking the letter before y prevents it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Attornies or Attorneys

Conclusion

Attorneys is correct, and attornies is a misspelling. The rule is simple: vowel plus y, add s, as in attorney to attorneys, key to keys, and journey to journeys. Consonant plus y, change to ies, as in baby to babies. Remember the letter before y, and the plural will be right every time.