I’m watching a law- and court-related TV show, and the following terms are being used. What are the differences between them? I’m interested in the differences in connotation if there are any. Or are they more or less interchangeable?

* litigator
* counsel
* attorney

I’ve looked the terms up in a dictionary but since I am not a native speaker of English, I don't understand the nuances in meaning.

Definitions according to [Oxford Dictionary](http://oxforddictionaries.com/):

* [litigator](http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/litigate?q=litigator#litigate__3)
	+ to litigate: resort to legal action to settle a matter; be involved in a lawsuit
* [counsel](http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/counsel?q=counsel)
	+ a barrister or other legal adviser conducting a case
* [attorney](http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/attorney?q=attorney)
	+ a person, typically a lawyer, appointed to act for another in business or legal matters