Discussion

What is the difference between a lawyer and an attorney?

I often use 'lawyer' and 'attorney' interchangeably when discussing legal matters with my attorneys, but I’m not sure if that’s correct.

An attorney is someone who represents another person in legal matters. Specifically, an attorney is a lawyer who practices or appears in courtrooms. While all attorneys are lawyers, not all lawyers are attorneys. In practical terms, the distinction between the two is largely irrelevant today.