solicitor在英国指初级律师（与counsel/barrister相对）、而在美国指法务官和顾问（adviser）,包括法律顾问。
lawyer作名词时，有通用的律师含义，在美国是指执业律师，在英国还指法律工作者。lawyer还可以作动词。

solicitor = a lawyer who gives advice, prepares legal cases and appears in lower courts (解答疑难,准备案件并出席下级法庭的)事务律师

lawyer = a person whose business it is to advise people about laws and to represent them in court; lawyers in Britain are either solicitors or barristers. 律师

(barrister = a lawyer in Enland who has the right to speak and argue in the higher courts of law 在英格兰,有权在高等法院出庭辩论的) (讼务)律师)