[toast0]

Well, you can have a 'power of attorney' without being a lawyer. I think there's some of the difference there.

[rootusrootus]

IIRC the 'attorney' in 'power of attorney' is a one-off that doesn't really have any relationship to contemporary use of the term.

[pdonis]

I think actually it does: the original meaning of "attorney" was someone who was appointed to act for you or on your behalf. An attorney at law does that when you need legal representation. Someone with a power of attorney does that in other areas, such as finances.