The terms lawyer and attorney are frequently used interchangeably, though there is a difference between the two.
Both lawyers and attorney have legal education, thus they are legally qualified professionals.
The term lawyer means a person who holds a law degree. A person who has been educated in the law will always be addressed as a lawyer, even if he or she does not give legal advice to other people. A person who has a professional law degree, but is not admitted to a state bar is not an attorney at law but may be considered a lawyer since he/she has not met the requirements of a bar exam and does not hold a license issued by a state.
An attorney is a person who holds a law degree, and, in addition, has passed a bar exam and has obtained a licence to practice law. Attorneys can practice law as a profession. However a would-be attorney must pass the bar exam to be eligible to practice law within a specific jurisdiction. Apart from performing the basic functions of a lawyer, attorneys can also act as legal representatives for their clients.
