Is it a crime to impersonate a lawyer?

Legal analysis: Whether it is illegal to impersonate a lawyer needs to be judged based on the specific circumstances. Specifically, it is not illegal to pretend to be a lawyer but not represent a case, nor maliciously defraud others of money. Anyone who pretends to be a lawyer to provide legal services will be ordered by the public security organs to stop illegal practice, their illegal gains will be confiscated, and they will be fined not more than 5,000 yuan and detained for not more than 15 days. Anyone who engages in litigation agency or defense business to seek economic benefits without obtaining a lawyer's practicing certificate shall be ordered by the judicial administrative department of the local people's government at or above the county level to cease illegal practice, confiscate the illegal income, and impose a fine of not less than 1 time but not more than 5 times the illegal income.

Legal basis: Article 46 of the "Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China" shall perform the following duties: (1) Ensure that lawyers practice law and safeguard their legitimate rights and interests; (2) Summarize and exchange lawyers' work experience; ( 3) Formulate industry norms and disciplinary rules; (4) Organize lawyer business training, professional ethics and professional discipline education, and assess lawyers’ professional activities; (5) Organize and manage internship activities for lawyer applicants, and assess interns; (6) Reward and punish lawyers and law firms; (7) Accept complaints or reports against lawyers, mediate disputes arising from lawyers' professional activities, and accept lawyer complaints; (8) Other duties stipulated in laws, administrative regulations, rules and the articles of association of lawyers. Industry norms and disciplinary rules formulated by the Bar Association shall not conflict with relevant laws, administrative regulations and rules.