No, this question is not a part of some cocktail party joke. It turns out there is really a difference between the two titles.

The Grammar Bible informs that “lawyer” and “attorney” (as opposed to attorney-at-law) are not interchangeable words. According to The Grammar Bible, a lawyer is someone who conducts lawsuits for various clients, and advises clients on legal matters. An attorney is a person who has been appointed legally to carry out business for another person. While and attorney can be a lawyer, he or she can also be a person who strictly carries out business matters.