Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China (Amended in 2026)
Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China (Amended in 2026)
Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China (Amended in 2026)
Order of the President of the People's Republic of China No. 84
August 28, 2026
(Adopted at the 19th Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress on May 15, 1996; amended for the first time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending the Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 25th Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress on December 29, 2001; revised at the 30th Session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress on October 28, 2007; amended for the second time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending the Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 29th Session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress on October 26, 2012; amended for the third time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending Eight Laws Including the Judges Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 29th Session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress on September 1, 2017; and amended for the fourth time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending the Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on August 28, 2026.)
Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Licensing for the Practice of Law
Chapter III Law Firms
Chapter IV Practice, Rights and Obligations of Lawyers
Chapter V Lawyers Associations
Chapter VI Legal Liability
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution with a view to improving the system governing lawyers, regulating the practice of law by lawyers, ensuring that lawyers practice in accordance with law, and leveraging the role of lawyers in the development of the socialist rule of law.
Article 2 For the purposes of this Law, a lawyer means a professional who has obtained a lawyer's practice certificate in accordance with law and accepts an engagement or appointment to provide legal services to a client.
A lawyer shall protect the lawful rights and interests of clients, ensure the correct implementation of law, and safeguard social fairness and justice.
Article 3 The work of lawyers shall uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, implement the guidelines, principles, policies, decisions, and arrangements of the Party and the State, and serve Chinese modernization.
Organizations of the Communist Party of China shall be established in law firms, and Party activities shall be carried out, Party building shall be strengthened, and the political guiding role of Party organizations and the exemplary vanguard role of lawyers who are Party members shall be brought into play, in accordance with the Constitution of the Communist Party of China and relevant intra-Party regulations. Law firms shall provide the necessary conditions for the activities of Party organizations.
Article 4 In practicing law, a lawyer shall play an exemplary role in abiding by the Constitution and laws and observe the professional ethics and practice discipline of lawyers.
In practicing law, a lawyer shall base the practice on facts and take law as the criterion.
A lawyer shall practice with integrity and in compliance with laws and regulations, conscientiously fulfill social responsibilities, and be subject to supervision by the State, society, and the parties concerned.
Article 5 The lawful practice of law by lawyers shall be protected by law. No organization or individual shall infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of lawyers.
People's courts, people's procuratorates, public security authorities, state security authorities, judicial administration departments, and relevant entities shall establish and improve their systems for safeguarding lawyers' rights to practice and shall, within the scope of their respective duties, safeguard such rights in accordance with law.
Article 6 The judicial administration departments shall supervise and provide guidance to lawyers, law firms, and lawyers associations pursuant to this Law.
Article 7 The State shall actively develop the sector of foreign-related legal services, strengthen the training of lawyers specializing in foreign-related matters, support law firms in enhancing their capabilities for providing foreign-related legal services, and encourage the legal profession to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, thereby safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of clients, and serving high-quality development and high-standard opening up.
Chapter II Licensing for the Practice of Law
Article 8 A lawyer shall meet the following conditions:
(1) upholding the Constitution of the People's Republic of China;
(2) upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China and China's socialist rule of law;
(3) having passed the national unified legal professional qualification examination and obtained the legal professional qualification;
(4) having completed a full year's internship at a law firm; and
(5) being of good character and conduct.
Certificates of passing the national unified judicial examination and lawyer qualification credentials obtained before the implementation of the national unified legal professional qualification examination shall have the same effect as the national unified legal professional qualification certificate.
Article 9 A person who intends to practice as a lawyer shall submit an application to the judicial administration department of the people's government of a city divided into districts or of a district of a municipality directly under the Central Government and submit the following materials:
(1) the national unified legal professional qualification certificate;
(2) materials issued by the lawyers association certifying that the applicant has passed the assessment upon completion of the internship;
(3) the applicant's proof of identity; and
(4) a certificate issued by a law firm stating that it agrees to accept the applicant.
A person applying to practice as a part-time lawyer shall also submit a certificate from the entity where the applicant works consenting to the applicant's part-time practice as a lawyer.
The department accepting the application shall review it within 20 days from the date of acceptance and submit its review opinion and all application materials to the judicial administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government. The latter department shall review the materials within 10 days from the date of receipt and decide whether to permit the applicant to practice. If practice is permitted, it shall issue a lawyer's practice certificate to the applicant; if practice is not permitted, it shall explain the reasons to the applicant in writing.
Article 10 A lawyer's practice certificate shall not be issued to an applicant under any of the following circumstances:
(1) where the applicant has no capacity or limited capacity for civil conduct;
(2) where the applicant has been subjected to criminal punishment, except for a negligent crime; or
(3) where the applicant has been dismissed from public office or has had a lawyer's or notary's practice certificate revoked.
Article 11 A person who has a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution of higher education, has engaged in professional work for at least 15 years in a field where legal service professionals are in short supply, has a senior professional title or an equivalent level of professional expertise, and possesses the corresponding specialized legal knowledge may apply to practice as a full-time lawyer and may be permitted to practice upon passing an assessment by the judicial administration department under the State Council.
......
Order of the President of the People's Republic of China No. 84
August 28, 2026
(Adopted at the 19th Session of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress on May 15, 1996; amended for the first time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending the Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 25th Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress on December 29, 2001; revised at the 30th Session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress on October 28, 2007; amended for the second time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending the Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 29th Session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress on October 26, 2012; amended for the third time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending Eight Laws Including the Judges Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 29th Session of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress on September 1, 2017; and amended for the fourth time in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Amending the Lawyers Law of the People's Republic of China adopted at the 24th Session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress on August 28, 2026.)
Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Licensing for the Practice of Law
Chapter III Law Firms
Chapter IV Practice, Rights and Obligations of Lawyers
Chapter V Lawyers Associations
Chapter VI Legal Liability
Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1 This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution with a view to improving the system governing lawyers, regulating the practice of law by lawyers, ensuring that lawyers practice in accordance with law, and leveraging the role of lawyers in the development of the socialist rule of law.
Article 2 For the purposes of this Law, a lawyer means a professional who has obtained a lawyer's practice certificate in accordance with law and accepts an engagement or appointment to provide legal services to a client.
A lawyer shall protect the lawful rights and interests of clients, ensure the correct implementation of law, and safeguard social fairness and justice.
Article 3 The work of lawyers shall uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, implement the guidelines, principles, policies, decisions, and arrangements of the Party and the State, and serve Chinese modernization.
Organizations of the Communist Party of China shall be established in law firms, and Party activities shall be carried out, Party building shall be strengthened, and the political guiding role of Party organizations and the exemplary vanguard role of lawyers who are Party members shall be brought into play, in accordance with the Constitution of the Communist Party of China and relevant intra-Party regulations. Law firms shall provide the necessary conditions for the activities of Party organizations.
Article 4 In practicing law, a lawyer shall play an exemplary role in abiding by the Constitution and laws and observe the professional ethics and practice discipline of lawyers.
In practicing law, a lawyer shall base the practice on facts and take law as the criterion.
A lawyer shall practice with integrity and in compliance with laws and regulations, conscientiously fulfill social responsibilities, and be subject to supervision by the State, society, and the parties concerned.
Article 5 The lawful practice of law by lawyers shall be protected by law. No organization or individual shall infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of lawyers.
People's courts, people's procuratorates, public security authorities, state security authorities, judicial administration departments, and relevant entities shall establish and improve their systems for safeguarding lawyers' rights to practice and shall, within the scope of their respective duties, safeguard such rights in accordance with law.
Article 6 The judicial administration departments shall supervise and provide guidance to lawyers, law firms, and lawyers associations pursuant to this Law.
Article 7 The State shall actively develop the sector of foreign-related legal services, strengthen the training of lawyers specializing in foreign-related matters, support law firms in enhancing their capabilities for providing foreign-related legal services, and encourage the legal profession to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation, thereby safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of clients, and serving high-quality development and high-standard opening up.
Chapter II Licensing for the Practice of Law
Article 8 A lawyer shall meet the following conditions:
(1) upholding the Constitution of the People's Republic of China;
(2) upholding the leadership of the Communist Party of China and China's socialist rule of law;
(3) having passed the national unified legal professional qualification examination and obtained the legal professional qualification;
(4) having completed a full year's internship at a law firm; and
(5) being of good character and conduct.
Certificates of passing the national unified judicial examination and lawyer qualification credentials obtained before the implementation of the national unified legal professional qualification examination shall have the same effect as the national unified legal professional qualification certificate.
Article 9 A person who intends to practice as a lawyer shall submit an application to the judicial administration department of the people's government of a city divided into districts or of a district of a municipality directly under the Central Government and submit the following materials:
(1) the national unified legal professional qualification certificate;
(2) materials issued by the lawyers association certifying that the applicant has passed the assessment upon completion of the internship;
(3) the applicant's proof of identity; and
(4) a certificate issued by a law firm stating that it agrees to accept the applicant.
A person applying to practice as a part-time lawyer shall also submit a certificate from the entity where the applicant works consenting to the applicant's part-time practice as a lawyer.
The department accepting the application shall review it within 20 days from the date of acceptance and submit its review opinion and all application materials to the judicial administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government. The latter department shall review the materials within 10 days from the date of receipt and decide whether to permit the applicant to practice. If practice is permitted, it shall issue a lawyer's practice certificate to the applicant; if practice is not permitted, it shall explain the reasons to the applicant in writing.
Article 10 A lawyer's practice certificate shall not be issued to an applicant under any of the following circumstances:
(1) where the applicant has no capacity or limited capacity for civil conduct;
(2) where the applicant has been subjected to criminal punishment, except for a negligent crime; or
(3) where the applicant has been dismissed from public office or has had a lawyer's or notary's practice certificate revoked.
Article 11 A person who has a bachelor's degree or higher from an institution of higher education, has engaged in professional work for at least 15 years in a field where legal service professionals are in short supply, has a senior professional title or an equivalent level of professional expertise, and possesses the corresponding specialized legal knowledge may apply to practice as a full-time lawyer and may be permitted to practice upon passing an assessment by the judicial administration department under the State Council.
......