全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于修改《中华人民共和国律师法》的决定 附：修正本 Decision of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Co

by the department a law firm practice certificate within 30 days of receiving the application. Those who fail to meet the conditions provided for in this Law shall not be issued a law firm practice certificate and shall be notified of the matter in writing within 30 days of receiving the application.

　　Article 20 A law firm may establish branch offices. The establishment of a branch office shall be subject to examination and verification conducted in accordance with the prescribed conditions by the judicial administration department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the proposed branch office is to be located.

　　A law firm shall undertake liability for the debts of a branch office it has established.

　　Article 21 A law firm shall report to the original examination and verification department changes it wishes to make in important matters such as its name, domicile, articles of association, and partners, or dissolution of the firm.

　　Article 22 A law firm shall, in accordance with the articles of association, arrange for lawyers to carry out business, study laws and State policies, and summarize and exchange work experience.

　　Article 23 When lawyers undertake business, their law firm shall centrally accept authorization, sign written authorization contracts with the clients and, in accordance with State regulations, collect fees from the parties and truthfully enter them in its accounts.

　　Law firms and lawyers shall pay tax in accordance with law.

　　Article 24 Law firms and lawyers shall not solicit business by unfair means such as slandering other lawyers or paying middleman's fees.

　　Chapter IV

　　Business, Rights and Obligations of Practising Lawyers

　　Article 25 A lawyer may engage in the following business：

　　（1）to accept engagement by citizens, legal persons or other organizations to act as legal counsel;

　　（2）to accept authorization by a party in a civil or administrative case to act as agent ad litem and participate in the proceedings;

　　（3）to accept engagement by a criminal suspect in a

criminal case to provide him with legal advice and represent in filing a petition or charge or obtaining a guarantor pending trial; to accept authorization by a criminal suspect or defendant or accept appointment by a People's Court to act for the defense; and to accept authorization by a private prosecutor in a case of private prosecution or by the victim or his close relatives in a case of public prosecution to act as agent ad litem and participate in the proceedings;

　　（4）to represent clients in filing petition in all types of litigation;

　　（5）to accept authorization by a party to participate in mediation and arbitration activities;

　　（6）to accept authorization by a party involved in non-litigation legal matters to provide legal services; and

　　（7）to answer inquiries regarding law and to represent clients in writing litigation documents and other documents regarding legal matters.

　　Article 26 A lawyer acting as legal counsel shall provide opinions regarding legal issues to the person who has engaged him, draft and review legal documents, act as agent to participate in litigation, mediation or arbitration activities, handle other legal matters authorized by the person who has engaged him, and protect the lawful rights and interests of the person who has engaged him.

　　Article 27 A lawyer acting as agent in litigation or non-litigation legal matters shall, within the limits of authorization, protect the lawful rights and interests of the client.

　　Article 28 A lawyer representing a defendant in a criminal case shall present, on the basis of facts and law, materials and arguments to prove that a criminal suspect is innocent or is less guilty than charged, or that his criminal responsibility should be reduced or relieved, in order to protect the lawful rights and interests of the criminal suspect or defendant.

　　Article 29 A client may refuse to be further defended or represented by a lawyer, and may authorize another lawyer to act in his defense or to represent him.

　　After accepting authorization, a lawyer shall not, without good reason, refuse to defend or to represent a client. However, if the matter authorized violates law, the client uses the service provided by the lawyer to engage in illegal activities or the client conceals facts, the lawyer shall have the right to refuse to defend or to represent the client.

　　Article 30 A lawyer participating in litigation activities may, according to the provisions of procedure laws, collect and consult the materials pertaining to the case he is undertaking, meet and correspond with a person whose personal freedom is restricted, appear in court, participate in litigation, and enjoy other rights provided for in the procedure laws.

　　When a lawyer acts as agent ad litem or defend clients, his right to argue or present a defense shall be protected in accordance with law.

　　Article 31 When undertaking legal matters, a lawyer may, with the consent of the relevant units or individuals, address inquiries to such units or individuals.

　　Article 32 In practice activities, a lawyer's right of the person shall not be violated.

　　Article 33 A lawyer shall keep confidential secrets of the State and commercial secrets of the parties concerned that he comes to know during his practice activities and shall not divulge the private affairs of the parties concerned.

　　Article 34 A lawyer shall not represent both parties involved in the same case.

　　Article 35 A lawyer shall not commit any of the following acts in his practice activities：

　　（1）to accept authorization privately, charge fees to the client privately, or accept money or things of value from the client;

　　（2）to seek the disputed rights and interests of a party or accept money or things of value from the opposing party by taking advantage of providing legal services;

　　（3）to meet with a jud

ge, prosecutor, or arbitrator in violation of regulations;

　　（4）to entertain and give gifts to a judge, prosecutor, arbitrator or other relevant working personnel or bribe them, or instigate or induce a party to bribe them;

　　（5）to provide false evidence, conceal facts or intimidate or induce another with promise of gain to provide false evidence, conceal facts, or obstruct the opposing party's lawful obtaining of evidence; or

　　（6）to disrupt the order of a court or an arbitration tribunal, or interfere with the normal conduct of litigation or arbitration activities.

　　Article 36 A lawyer who once served as a judge or prosecutor shall not act as agent ad litem or defend clients within two years after leaving his post in the People's Court or the People's Procuratorates.

　　Chapter V

　　Lawyers Associations

　　Article 37 A lawyers association is a public organization with the status of a legal person and shall be the lawyers' self-disciplinary organization.

　　The All-China Lawyers Association is established at the national level, while local lawyers associations are established by provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government. Local lawyers associations may be established according to need by cities divided into districts.

　　Article 38 The articles of association of lawyers associations are formulated centrally by the national congress of the members and submitted to the judicial administration department under the State Council for the record.

　　Article 39 A lawyer must join his local lawyers association. A lawyer who has joined his local lawyers association is at the same time a member of the All-China Lawyers Association.

　　In accordance with the articles of association of lawyers association, members of lawyers associations shall enjoy the rights granted by, and perform the obligations specified in, the articles of associations.

　　Article 40 Lawyers associations shall perform the following duties：

　　（1）assuring that lawyers practise according to law and protecting lawyers' lawful rights and interests;

　　（2）summarizing and exchanging lawyers' work experience;

　　（3）organizing professional training for lawyers;

　　（4）conducting education in, inspection of, and supervision over, the professional ethics and practice discipline of lawyers;

　　（5）making arrangements for exchanges between Chinese and foreign lawyers;

　　（6）mediating disputes arising in lawyers' practice activities; and

　　（7）other duties prescribed by law.

　　Lawyers associations shall give awards to or take disciplinary measures against lawyers in accordance with the articles of association.

　　Chapter VI

　　Legal Aid

　　Article 41 A citizen who needs the assistance of lawyers in respect of matters such as livelihood support, work-related injuries, criminal procedure, claims for State compensation or claims for lawful payment of pensions for the disabled or families of the deceased, but cannot afford lawyers fees, may obtain legal aid in accordance with State regulations.

　　Article 42 A lawyer must undertake the duty of legal aid in accordance with State regulations, and provide the recipient with legal services in fulfilment of his duty responsibility.

　　Article 43 Specific measures for legal aid shall be formulated by the judicial administration department under the State Council and submitted to the State Council for approval.

　　Chapter

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