Translation guide
A law office is a place where lawyers work. In Japanese, the term depends on the type of legal professional and the nature of the office. The most common general term is 法律事務所, but other terms like 弁護士事務所 or 司法書士事務所 are used for specific types of legal professionals.
A general office where legal services are provided, typically by lawyers (弁護士).
The most common and general term for a law office. It can refer to any office providing legal services, but is most often associated with lawyers (弁護士).
彼は法律事務所で働いています。
He works at a law office.
Specifically a lawyer's office (弁護士 = attorney). This is more precise than 法律事務所 and is commonly used in signs and advertisements.
駅の近くに弁護士事務所があります。
There is a law office near the station.
Sometimes used in a broader sense to include offices of judicial scriveners (司法書士) or administrative scriveners (行政書士), but this is less common.
あの法律事務所には司法書士もいます。
That law office also has a judicial scrivener.
An office where a judicial scrivener (司法書士) handles legal document preparation, registration, and small claims.
The standard term for the office of a judicial scrivener. Judicial scriveners handle real estate registration, corporate registration, and some legal document preparation.
司法書士事務所で登記の手続きを依頼した。
I requested registration procedures at the judicial scrivener's office.
An office where an administrative scrivener (行政書士) prepares documents for government agencies, such as permits and licenses.
The standard term for the office of an administrative scrivener. They handle documents for immigration, business permits, and other administrative procedures.
ビザの申請は行政書士事務所に相談しました。
I consulted an administrative scrivener's office about the visa application.
A larger law firm, often with multiple lawyers and a corporate structure.
Also used for larger law firms. In this context, it may be part of a name like '○○法律事務所'.
大手法律事務所に就職した。
I got a job at a major law firm.
Refers to a law firm organized as a legal professional corporation. This is a specific legal structure for law firms in Japan.
その弁護士法人は複数の弁護士を抱えている。
That law firm has multiple lawyers.
法律事務所 is the broader term and can include offices of various legal professionals, but in practice it is often synonymous with 弁護士事務所. 弁護士事務所 explicitly indicates an attorney's office. For a general audience, 法律事務所 is safe.
In Japan, legal services are provided by different qualified professionals: 弁護士 (attorneys), 司法書士 (judicial scriveners), 行政書士 (administrative scriveners), etc. Their offices have distinct names. Using 法律事務所 for a judicial scrivener's office may be misleading.