The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ADVOCATE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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More clues leading to the result ADVOCATE
- Recommend a Scottish lawyer
- Champion's trailer, very ordinary, and quaintly dainty
- Bill about to divide ballot for lawyer
- Plead for a date to have ballot about staying in
- Recommend a romantic partner to entertain very old Conservative
- Scottish lawyer Five-O caught in a meeting
- Recommend a solicitor?
- Recommend against commander breaking an engagement
- Support about to be found in commercial poll
- Brief support
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Recommend/solicitor?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case recommend/solicitor? = advocate.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ADVOCATE mean?
ADVOCATE noun- Someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel.
- Anyone who argues the case of another; an intercessor.
- A person who speaks in support of something.
- A person who supports others to make their voices heard, or ideally for them to speak up for themselves.
- To plead in favour of; to defend by argument, before a tribunal or the public; to support, vindicate, or recommend publicly.
- To encourage support for something.
- (with for) To engage in advocacy.