In the field of law, each word has precise meaning that can affect delivery. As a layperson, I’ve been hearing these three words – lawyer, attorney and general counsel – used interchangeably. So, I investigated, do they all mean the same thing?  Well, here’s what I learned:

• Lawyer: “A person trained in the law”
• Attorney: ”An attorney, or attorney-at-law is also a lawyer. They have attended law school and presumably “practice” the study of law as a career.”
• General Counsel: ”The chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States.”

So for further clarification, here are some examples:
- My girlfriend is a lawyer but not an attorney, because she’s not practicing law.
- My brother-in-law is general counsel at a company.
- My cousin is an attorney for her firm.

An attorney is a lawyer, but a lawyer may not necessarily be an attorney!

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