NEW YORK, June 22 (Reuters) - Defendants who pose as attorneys and steal more than $1,000 from their victims could face felony rather than misdemeanor charges under a bill passed by the state legislature this week.

The legislation will now go to Governor Andrew Cuomo for his approval. His office did not immediately comment Friday on whether he would sign the bill into law.

Impersonating an attorney is currently a misdemeanor in New York, though posing as a doctor, accountant, social worker or a number of other licensed professionals carries a felony charge.

Fraudsters posing as lawyers frequently prey on immigrant communities, where there is a supply of potential victims who want to apply for green cards and other legal papers but find it difficult to navigate the bureaucracy.

The legislation would make it a Class E felony to impersonate a lawyer, a crime punishable by up to four years in prison.

"By passing this law we are standing up for the rights of all New Yorkers to ensure that individuals receive proper legal assistance," said Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, a Queens Democrat who introduced the bill in the assembly.

Senator Charles Fuschillo, a Long Island Republican, sponsored the Senate version of the bill.

(Reporting by Joseph Ax)

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