‘Catch Me If You Can’... Fake Foreign Lawyers Infiltrate Law Firms

Unlike Korean Lawyers Whose Credentials Can Be Verified,
Authenticity Is Difficult to Confirm Through Networks
No Separate Oversight System for Unregistered Individuals

The issue of unqualified 'fake' foreign lawyers continues to be raised both inside and outside of the legal community. It is pointed out that the authenticity of foreign lawyer qualifications is difficult to verify in Korea, and even when legitimate qualifications exist, there are cases where individuals engage in activities without completing the required registration process as foreign legal consultants, resulting in regulatory blind spots.

The problem of fake foreign lawyers is not limited to rumors; it has been confirmed in court verdicts. According to a loan lawsuit judgment (2025Gadan211258) at the Seoul Southern District Court, Mr. A deceived his spouse by pretending to have a UK lawyer qualification, married her, and was later sued for failing to repay money borrowed during the annulment proceedings. He acted as if he had obtained a UK lawyer qualification, applied to the Military Manpower Administration for a draft deferment, and presented himself as a UK lawyer when giving lectures at academic conferences and participating in lawyer gatherings. He introduced himself on his business card as a visiting professor (lawyer) at a university and even showed his spouse a certificate allegedly issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in the UK. This is a case where the authenticity of foreign lawyer credentials became an issue.

Similar accounts have been reported in the field. A foreign lawyer who requested anonymity said, "I have seen someone who did not complete the required training process for overseas legal qualifications working at a major Korean law firm." This means that individuals who cannot practice law in their home countries are coming to Korea and performing work as foreign lawyers.

The difficulty in verifying the authenticity of these qualifications is also due to the unique nature of foreign lawyer credentials. Korean lawyers have dense personal and professional networks through the Judicial Research and Training Institute, universities, or law schools, but foreign lawyers are not easily subject to such cross-verification. Law firms and companies may require documents proving qualifications and experience when hiring foreign lawyers, but accurately verifying their authenticity is difficult. Though it is necessary to directly check with the relevant country's law society or regulatory body, realistically, it is not easy to verify every single case.

However, this does not mean there is no way to check. The Ministry of Justice and the Korean Bar Association publish lists of registered foreign legal consultants on their websites, so it is at least possible to confirm whether someone is legally registered to practice as a foreign lawyer in Korea.

The Foreign Legal Consultant Act stipulates the requirements for foreign legal consultants to work in Korea and prescribes penalties for violations. According to Articles 6 and 10, foreign legal consultants intending to work in Korea must obtain approval from the Ministry of Justice and register with the Korean Bar Association. Violations, such as handling legal matters for profit or acting as an intermediary without proper qualifications, are punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won (Article 46). In addition, using the title or indicating such work without proper qualifications is punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won (Article 48).

However, there is no separate system in place for the continuous monitoring of unregistered practitioners. The Ministry of Justice stated, "Under the Foreign Legal Consultant Act, we have the authority to manage and supervise the approval and disciplinary measures for foreign legal consultants," but also said, "There is no separate management or supervisory procedure at the Ministry of Justice level for unregistered individuals who have not obtained approval."

In fact, there have been cases where the Korean Bar Association has directly reported individuals who practiced without registration. Foreign lawyer Mr. B, without registering as a foreign legal consultant, posted information on the website of his immigration office from 2021 to April 2025 indicating that he handled foreign legal matters. The Korean Bar Association deemed this a violation of the Foreign Legal Consultant Act and filed a report against Mr. B. The case was referred to the prosecution in August 2025.

Kim Jisoo, Legal Times Reporter

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.