in order to maintain professionalism, the practice of law is typically overseen by either a government or independent regulating body such as a bar association, bar council or law society. modern lawyers achieve distinct professional identity through specified legal procedures (e.g. successfully passing a qualifying examination), are required by law to have a special qualification (a legal education earning the student a bachelor of laws, a bachelor of civil law, or a juris doctor degree. higher academic degrees may also be pursued. examples include a master of laws, a master of legal studies, a bar professional training course or a doctor of laws.), and are constituted in office by legal forms of appointment (being admitted to the bar). there are few titles of respect to signify famous lawyers, such as esquire, to indicate barristers of greater dignity, and doctor of law, to indicate a person who obtained a phd in law.