Glossary
Lawyer
Same as an attorney: a person licensed to practice law. The two terms are synonyms in modern American usage. "Lawyer" is more colloquial; "attorney" is more formal.
Some old usage distinguished "lawyer" (someone who studied law) from "attorney" (someone who represents clients). That distinction is dead in the U.S.: both words mean licensed to practice law.
In British English, the distinction between "barrister" (courtroom advocate) and "solicitor" (advisor and document drafter) still exists, but the U.S. doesn't have that split. American lawyers do everything from drafting wills to arguing appeals.