Lawyer is a general term for a person who is qualified to advise people about the law, to prepare legal documents for them and/or to represent them in a court of law. * lawyer 泛指律师，有资格提供法律咨询、为当事人准备法律文件、在法庭上代表当事人。
In England and Wales, a lawyer who is qualified to speak in the higher courts of law is called a barrister. In Scotland a barrister is called an advocate.在英格兰和威尔士，有资格在高等法院出庭辩护的律师叫 barrister；在苏格兰 barrister 称作 advocate。
In NAmEattorney is a more formal word used for a lawyer and is used especially in job titles.在美式英语中，attorney 较 lawyer 正式，尤用于职务头衔：◆district attorney地方检察官
Counsel is the formal legal word used for a lawyer who is representing someone in court. * counsel 为正式的法律用语，指代表当事人出庭的律师：◆counsel for the prosecution控方律师
Solicitor is the BrE term for a lawyer who gives legal advice and prepares documents, for example when you are buying a house, and sometimes has the right to speak in a court of law. * solicitor 为英式英语，指提供法律咨询、准备法律文件（如购买房屋时）、有时有权出庭辩护的律师。
In NAmEsolicitor is only used in the titles of some lawyers who work for the government.在美式英语中，solicitor 只用于政府某些法务官员的头衔：◆Solicitor General司法部副部长