Legal analysis: Generally, only in criminal proceedings, the lawyer hired will be called a defender, but our country's law does not stipulate that only lawyers can serve as defenders. Minors do not have full capacity to act and cannot serve as defenders.
Legal basis: "Article 33 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China. In addition to exercising their own defense rights, criminal suspects and defendants may also entrust one or two people to serve as defenders. The following persons Can be entrusted as defenders:
(1) Lawyers;
(2) People's organizations or the unit where the criminal suspect or defendant works recommended by people's organizations;
(3) Guardians, relatives and friends of criminal suspects and defendants
Those who are being sentenced or whose personal freedom is deprived or restricted in accordance with the law shall not be dismissed as defenders.
Those who hold public office and have had their lawyer's practicing certificate or notary's practicing certificate revoked may not serve as defenders, except for guardians or close relatives of criminal suspects or defendants.