Code of Practice for Lawyers (2nd Revision)

Article 2: This Code is a guideline for lawyers to make their practice compliant, a set of professional standards for evaluating the practice of lawyers and a code of conduct for self-restraint by lawyers.

Article 3: If the practice of a lawyer breaches a mandatory provision of this Code, he or she will be disciplined or punished in accordance with the relevant regulatory documents. With respect to the discretionary provisions hereof, lawyers shall comply with them with self-discipline.

Article 4: This Code shall apply to the lawyers and law firms that are members of the All China Lawyers Association. Matters relating to other professional personnel of law firms shall be handled with reference to this Code.

Part Two: Basic code of conduct for the practice of lawyers

Article 5: A lawyer shall be faithful to the Constitution and the law, and adhere to the professional ethics and practice discipline of lawyers.

Article 6: Lawyers shall act in good faith, with due diligence and, based on the facts and the law, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of concerned parties, safeguard the correct implementation of the law and safeguard social fairness and justice.

Article 7: A lawyer shall attach great weight to cultivation of the profession, and consciously safeguard the reputation of the legal profession.

Article 8: A lawyer shall keep confidential the state secrets and trade secrets to which he or she is privy in the course of his or her practice activities, and may not disclose private matters of concerned parties.

A lawyer shall keep confidential clients' and other persons' matters and information to which he or she is privy in the course of his or her practice activities and that such clients and other persons do not wish disclosed, with the exception of facts and information about a criminal offence that jeopardises state security or public safety, or seriously jeopardises the safety of the person or property of another and that a client or another person is about to perpetrate or is in the process of perpetrating.

Article 9: A lawyer shall respect his or her peers, compete fairly and assist his or her peers as they assist him or her.

Article 10: Lawyers associations shall advocate that lawyers pay attention to, support and actively participate in public welfare undertakings.

Article 11: When practising, a lawyer may not engage in the provision of legal services other than in his or her capacity as a lawyer.

A lawyer may practise with only one law firm.

A lawyer may not continue practising while he or she has been suspended from practice, or continue to practise in the name of his or her original law firm while such firm has suspended operations to undergo rectification or after it has been deregistered.

Article 12: A lawyer may not act for both parties in a case or act in a legal matter in which he, she or a close family member has a conflict of interest.

Article 13: If a lawyer serves as a member of a standing committee of a people's congress at any level, he or she may not act as an agent ad litem or an advocate during his or her term of office.

Article 14: A lawyer may not do any of the following acts:

(1) an act that causes an adverse social impact or that damages the reputation of the legal profession;

(2) an act that interferes with the lawful exercise by a state judicial or administrative authority of its functions and powers;

(3) participation in a body, organisation or association prohibited by law;

(4) another act that violates laws, regulations, the professional code of the lawyers association or professional ethics; or

(5) another act that violates public morals or seriously damages the image of the legal profession.

Part Three: Code of conduct for the promotion by lawyers of their business

Section One: Business promotion principles

Article 15: When promoting their legal business, lawyers and law firms shall abide by the principles of equality and good faith, comply with lawyers' professional ethics and practice discipline and comply with the professional standards generally accepted by the legal profession and compete fairly.

Article 16: Lawyers and law firms shall engage in and promote their legal business through means such as enhancing their own comprehensive quality, enhancing the quality of their legal services and strengthening their own business competitiveness.

Article 17: Lawyers and law firms may legally publicise their lawyers and law firms as well as their own business fields and specialities through advertising.

Article 18: Lawyers and law firms may publicise their own special fields by way of activities such as the publication of academic articles, case analyses, answers to special topics, teaching of courses and dissemination of legal knowledge.

Article 19: Lawyers and law firms may publicise their specialities through the organisation of, or participation in, single issue or professional symposia.

Article 20: A lawyer may participate in various public welfare activities in his or her own name or in the name of the law firm with which he or she serves.

Article 21: In their business promotion activities, lawyers and law firms may not carry out acts of unfair competition.

Section Two: Advertising for promotion of legal business

Article 22: To promote their business, lawyers and law firms may publish advertisements that provide information that enables the public to understand the legal services provided by individual lawyers and the law firm.

Article 23: When publishing advertisements, a lawyer shall abide by state laws, regulations, rules and this Code.

Article 24: The advertisements published by a lawyer shall be distinctive, enabling the public to know that they are advertisements by a lawyer.

Article 25: A legal advertisement may be published in the lawyer's own name or in the name of his or her law firm. A legal advertisement published in a lawyer's own name shall indicate the name of the firm with which he or she is practising and his or her lawyer's licence number.

Article 26: A lawyer or law firm may not publish legal advertisements if:

(1) he, she or it has not passed the annual assessment;

(2) he or she has been suspended from practice or its operations have been suspended for rectification; or

(3) he, she or it has been the subject of a circulated notice of criticism or public rebuke and less than one year has elapsed since that time.

Article 27: The information in a lawyer's personal advertisement shall be limited to his or her name, image, age, sex, academic record, academic degree, speciality and practice permission date; the name of the law firm with which he or she is serving and the length of time for which he or she has been practising with such law firm; fee rate and contact information; the scope of legal services that, according to law, he or she can provide to the public; and his or her practice record.

Article 28: The information in a law firm's advertisement shall be limited to its name, domicile, telephone number, fax number, postal code, e-mail address and web address; the lawyers association of which it is a member; a brief description of its practising lawyers and the scope of legal services that, according to law, it can provide to the public; and its practice record.

Article 29: Lawyers and law firms may not produce advertisements in a manner that runs counter to a lawyer's mission or damages the image of lawyers, or produce advertisements using the artistic exaggeration of general commercial advertisements.

Article 30: Legal advertisements may not contain information that violates the relevant provisions on the administration of legal advertising of the relevant lawyers association.

Section Three: Publicity by lawyers

Article 31: Lawyers and law firms may not carry out publicity that twists the facts or the law, or could give the public unreasonable expectations of lawyers.

Article 32: Lawyers and law firms may publicise a certain specialised legal service field in which they are engaged, but may not self-declare themselves to be, or imply that they are generally acknowledged or have been proven to be, an authority or expert in a certain special field.

Article 33: Lawyers and law firms may not carry out publicity that compares lawyers or law firms.

Part Four: Code on the relationship between lawyers and clients or concerned parties

Section One: Appointed agent relationship

Article 34: A lawyer shall hold consultations with a client on the scope and details of the assignment, authority, fees, term, etc., and once they reach a consensus thereon, the law firm and client shall execute an engagement agreement.

Article 35: A lawyer shall fully utilise his or her professional knowledge, complete the assignment in accordance with the law and the engagement agreement and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the client or the concerned party.

Article 36: A lawyer and the law firm with which he or she serves have the right in accordance with the law, fairness, justice and professional ethical standards of lawyers to select the plan by which to realise the client's or the concerned party's objective.

Article 37: A lawyer shall handle an assignment in strict accordance with the deadline and limitation of actions specified by law and the time agreed upon with the client. With respect to a request made by the client in order to understand the progress of the handling of an assignment from the client, a response shall be given in a timely manner.

Article 38: A lawyer shall open legal matter files and keep complete work records.

Article 39: A lawyer shall duly keep the originals of evidence, original objects, masters of sound and video recordings and other materials provided by the client or concerned party.

Article 40: Once a lawyer has accepted an assignment, he or she shall carry out the practice activities within the scope of authority bestowed on him or her by the client, and may not exceed such authority.

Article 41: Once a lawyer has accepted an assignment, he or she may not refuse to act as advocate or agent, or otherwise terminate the assignment without legitimate cause. If the assignment runs counter to the law, the client utilises the services provided by the lawyer to engage in illegal activities or the client deliberately withholds crucial facts relating to the case, the lawyer shall have the right to inform the client and demand that he or she rectify the matter, the right to refuse to act as advocate or agent or otherwise terminate the assignment, and the right to charge legal fees for the matters that he or she has already performed.

Article 42: When handling an assignment, a lawyer shall notify the client and report to his or her law firm in a timely manner an insurmountable difficulty or risk that has arisen or could arise.

Section Two: Prohibition against fraudulent undertakings

Article 43: A lawyer shall carry out an analysis on the basis of the facts and evidence provided by the client and on the basis of the law, and provide to the client an analytical opinion.

Article 44: That a lawyer's defence or agency opinions are not accepted shall not constitute a fraudulent undertaking.

Section Three: Prohibition against illegal attempts to obtain a client's benefits

Article 45: A lawyer or law firm may not take advantage of his, her or its provision of legal services to attempt to obtain the benefits disputed by the concerned party.

Article 46: A lawyer or law firm may not unlawfully create an economic connection with the client in respect of the disputed benefits or come to an agreement with the client that the subject matter of the dispute will be sold to him, her or it; and may not entrust a third party to acquire or lease the subject matter of the dispute between the client and another party for himself, herself, itself or for a close family member.

Article 47: A law firm may lawfully enter into an agreement with a concerned party or client under which, provided that the amount or the object in question is recovered, it shall charge a certain percentage of the money or physical goods as its lawyer's fee.

Section Four: Reviews of conflicts of interest

Article 48: A law firm shall establish a system for the review of conflicts of interest. Before accepting an assignment, a law firm shall conduct a review of conflicts of interest and render its decision on whether or not to accept the assignment.

Article 49: If a lawyer handling an assignment has a material interest in or a conflict of interest with the client, he or she may not accept such assignment and shall recuse himself or herself at his or her own initiative.

Article 50: A lawyer or a law firm may not establish or maintain an engagement relationship with a concerned party if:

(1) the lawyer is acting as the agent of both parties in a case or is acting in a legal matter in which he or she himself or herself, or a close family member, has a conflict of interest;

(2) the lawyer is handling a litigation or non-litigation matter and a close family member is the legal representative or agent of the other party;

(3) he or she personally dealt with or tried/heard a matter or case in his or her capacity as a member of the working personnel of an administrative authority, a judge, a procurator or an arbitrator and after becoming a lawyer he or she is again handling the relevant matter or case;

(4) different lawyers from the same law firm are serving as the injured party's agent and the suspect's or defendant's advocate in the same criminal case, unless there is only one law firm in the county area in question and the consent of the parties has been secured in advance;

(5) in a civil action, administrative action or arbitration case, different lawyers from the same law firm are acting as the agents of both parties to the dispute, or the firm or a member of its working personnel is one of the parties thereto and another lawyer of the firm is acting as the agent of the other party;

(6) in a non-litigation matter, except in the case of joint engagement by all of the concerned parties, lawyers from the same law firm are acting as the agents of concerned parties that are mutually materially interested;

(7) after the termination of an engagement relationship, the same law firm or the same lawyer accepts the engagement of the other party in a subsequent trial/hearing or the handling of the same case; or

(8) another conflict of interest similar to the circumstances set forth in Items (1) to (7) of this Article and according to which, based on lawyers' practice experience and common knowledge in the profession, it can be determined that voluntary recusation is required and that the matter may not be handled.

Article 51: In any of the following circumstances, a lawyer shall inform the client and propose to recuse himself or herself, unless the client agrees to his or her acting as agent or continuing to handle the matter:

(1) he or she has accepted the engagement of a party in a civil action or arbitration case and another lawyer from the same firm is a close family member of the other party in the case;

(2) he or she is serving as the advocate for the suspect or defendant in a criminal case and another lawyer from the same firm is a close family member of the injured party in the case;

(3) a law firm accepts another legal matter entrusted by the party opposing a party for which it is currently acting in a litigation case or non-litigation matter;

(4) a legal service relationship exists between a law firm and a client and in a certain legal action or arbitration case such client has not asked the law firm to act as his or her agent and a lawyer from the law firm is acting for the party opposing the client;

(5) within one year after the termination of an engagement relationship, a lawyer accepts, in the same legal matter, the engagement of the other party that has a material interest in the original client; or

(6) another circumstance similar to the circumstances set forth in Items (1) to (5) of this Article and that can be determined based on lawyers' practice experience and common knowledge in the profession.

If a lawyer or law firm becomes aware of the existence of any of the foregoing circumstances, he, she or it shall inform the client of the facts of the conflict of interest and the potential consequences thereof and the client shall decide whether to establish or maintain the engagement relationship. If the client decides to establish or maintain the engagement relationship, he or she shall sign a letter of informed consent indicating that he or she is aware of the basic facts of the existence of the conflict of interest and the potential legal consequences and that he or she expressly agrees to establish or maintain an engagement relationship with the law firm and its lawyers.

Article 52: If the clients are aware of the circumstances and sign letters of informed consent to express their waiver, each of the handling lawyers shall maintain the confidentiality of the case information of his or her respective client in the course of handling the cases, and may not disclose information relating to the case to the handling lawyer of the counterparty.

Section Five: Custody of client property

Article 53: A law firm may execute a written custody agreement with a client whereunder it shall duly keep the client's property and strictly perform the custody agreement.

Article 54: When a law firm is engaged to keep custody of a client's property, it shall keep the same strictly separated from its own and its lawyers' personal property.

Section Six: Sub-assignment

Article 55: Without the consent of the client, a law firm may not sub-assign a legal matter assigned by a client to another law firm for handling, except in urgent circumstances where a sub-assignment may be carried out to safeguard the interests of the client and provided that the client is informed thereof in a timely manner.

Article 56: When a lawyer who has been engaged cannot perform the engagement agreement due to sudden illness, a transfer or other such urgent circumstance, he or she shall report the same to the law firm in a timely manner and the law firm shall designate another lawyer to take over and, in a timely manner, inform the client thereof.

Article 57: Without the consent of the client, the client's expenses may not be increased due to a sub-assignment.

Section Seven: Termination engagement relationships

Article 58: A law firm shall terminate an engagement relationship if:

(1) the client requests termination of the engagement agreement;

(2) the lawyer is punished by having his or her licence revoked or being suspended from practice and, following consultations, the client does not agree to replacement of his or her lawyer;

(3) it becomes aware of a conflict of interest as specified in Article 50 hereof;

(4) the engaged lawyer is not suitable to continue performing the engagement agreement for health reasons and, following consultations, the client does not agree to replacement of his or her lawyer; or

(5) continued performance of the engagement agreement would violate laws, regulations, rules or this Code.

Article 59: In any of the following circumstances, a law firm may terminate the engagement agreement if the client fails to rectify the matter after it is brought to his or her attention:

(1) the client is using the legal services provided by the lawyer to engage in an illegal or criminal activity;

(2) the client demands that the lawyer achieve an objective that is impossible to realise or is unreasonable;

(3) the client has failed to perform his or her obligations under the engagement contract;

(4) where the same was unforeseeable, the provision of legal services by the lawyer would cause him or her to bear an unreasonable expense burden or would cause him or her to incur unbearable or unreasonable difficulties; or

(5) another lawful reason.

Article 60: If a law firm terminates its acting as agent or terminates an assignment pursuant to Article 58 or 59 hereof, a client and the law firm terminates the agreement through consultations, or a client unilaterally terminates the appointed agent agreement, the law firm shall have the right to charge the client for those services it has already provided.

Article 61: Once the engagement relationship between a law firm and a client has terminated, the law firm shall return the originals of the documents, the original physical evidence, masters of audio-visual materials and other such evidence provided by the concerned party and may retain photocopies thereof for its files.

Part Five: Code for the participation by lawyers in legal actions and arbitration proceedings

Section One: Investigation and gathering of evidence

Article 62: A lawyer shall investigate and gather evidence in accordance with the law.

Article 63: A lawyer shall not submit evidence to a judicial authority or arbitration institution that he or she clearly knows to be false.

Article 64: If a lawyer appears in court to give evidence as a witness, he or she may not accept an engagement to appear in court as an advocate or an agent in the case.

Section Two: Respecting the court and compliant contact with judicial personnel

Article 65: A lawyer shall abide by court and arbitration tribunal discipline and comply with the time for appearing in court, deadline for adducing evidence, time limit for submitting legal documents and other procedural provisions.

Article 66: In the course of a trial or hearing, a lawyer shall respect the court or arbitration tribunal.

Article 67: In the course of practice, if a lawyer wishes to contact the case-handling person or exchange opinions with such person because his or her opinion in respect of the truthfulness of a fact, the authenticity of an exhibit or the correct application of the law differs from that of the opposing party in a legal action, or for the purpose of submitting new evidence to the case-handling person, he or she shall do so in the place designated for such purpose on the premises of the judicial authority.

Article 68: In the course of handling a case, a lawyer may not have ex parte contact with judicial or arbitration personnel connected with the case he or she is handling.

Article 69: A lawyer may not bribe personnel of a judicial authority or arbitration institution or transact with judicial or arbitration personnel handling his or her case by means such as promising a reward or providing other benefits (including material benefits and non-material benefits).

A lawyer may not act as intermediary in offering a bribe or instruct or induce the concerned party to offer a bribe.

Section Three: Appearance and language in court

Article 70: When a lawyer participates in a court trial or arbitration tribunal hearing as an advocate or agent, he or she shall, in accordance with provisions, wear lawyers' court dress and his or her court badge, and shall pay heed to the professional image of lawyers.

Article 71: When speaking before a court or arbitration tribunal, a lawyer shall bear himself or herself with dignity and good taste, and be proper and correct in his or her choice of words.

Part Six: Code for the relationship between lawyers

Section One: Respect and cooperation

Article 72: Lawyers shall assist and respect each other.

Article 73: The lawyers of each party shall respect each other in the course of a court trial or negotiations and may not use mordant, sarcastic or insulting language.

Article 74: A lawyer or law firm may not express or publish on a public occasion or in the media remarks that maliciously derogate, defame or damage the reputation of other lawyers or law firms.

Article 75: When a lawyer changes firms, he or she shall safeguard the interests of clients and his or her former law firm. When a law firm accepts a lawyer from another law firm, it may not harm the interests of such law firm.

Article 76: In the event of a dispute between a lawyer and a client, the law firm's solution shall fully respect the lawyer's own opinion and the lawyer shall accept the law firm's resolution for resolving the dispute.

Section Two: Prohibition on unfair competition

Article 77: Lawyers and law firms may not use unfair means to compete for business, harming the reputation or other lawful rights and interests of other lawyers and law firms.

Article 78: A lawyer shall be deemed to be engaging in unfair competition in his or her practice if he or she:

(1) defames the credibility or reputation of another lawyer or law firm;

(2) solicits business using fee rates lower than those of the competition in the same region without a legitimate reason, or by means such as undertaking to give clients, intermediaries or referrers kickbacks, money, property or other benefits;

(3) deliberately foments a dispute between a client and the lawyer representing him or her;

(4) expressly or implicitly indicates to a client that he or she himself or herself or his or her law firm has a special relationship with a judicial authority, government department, an association or the working personnel thereof;

(5) gives a fraudulent undertaking in respect of the results of his or her legal services or the outcome of a legal action; or

(6) expressly or implicitly indicates that he or she can assist the client in achieving an illegitimate objective or will use illegitimate means or measures to achieve the client's objective.

Article 79: In his, her or its contacts with administrative authorities, industry administration departments or enterprises, a lawyer or a law firm may not take the following illegitimate means to compete for business with other lawyers or law firms:

(1) soliciting business by monopolising a certain type of legal service matter through a certain authority, department or industry; or

(2) limiting a client to accepting the legal services provided by a lawyer or law firm designated by him, her or it thereby limiting the fair competition by other lawyers or law firms.

Article 80: In his, her or its contacts with a judicial authority and its judicial personnel, a lawyer or law firm may not compete for business by taking means such as using another capacity that a lawyer has to affect the normal handling and trial/hearing of the matter that he, she or it is handling.

Article 81: A lawyer or law firm that has, in accordance with relevant provisions, secured the qualifications to engage in the provision of legal services within a specific scope may not engage in the following acts of unfair competition:

(1) restricting a client from accepting the legal services provided by another lawyer or law firm that has been certified by a statutory authority;

(2) compelling a client to accept the legal services provided by him, her or it or by a lawyer designated by him, her or it; or

(3) with respect to a client that resists the foregoing acts, refusing, suspending, delaying or reducing the necessary legal services or overcharging him or her.

Article 82: Lawyers or law firms may not take the following means to exclude fair competition from competitors:

(1) colluding to raise or lower fees;

(2) for the purpose of soliciting business, illegitimately obtaining the fee schedules or other conditions for the provision of legal services of other lawyers and law firms; or

(3) disclosing information that has yet to be made public, such as fee schedules or other conditions for the provision of legal services, thereby harming the lawful rights and interests of the relevant law firms.

Article 83: A lawyer or law firm may not use, without authorisation or illegally, a public exclusive name or a name that is relatively well known and the logos, graphic characters and codes that represent such name so as to confuse and mislead clients.

For the purposes of this Code, the term “public exclusive name” and “name that is relatively well known” refers to:

(1) the name of a relevant political party, judicial authority, administrative authority or industry association;

(2) the name of an institute of higher learning for legal studies or research institute that is relatively well known among the public;

(3) the name of a non-lawyer public personality that is known to and has a relatively high degree of recognition among the public; or

(4) the name of a famous lawyer or law firm.

Article 84: A lawyer or law firm may not fabricate or illegally use an honorary title for legal services. If an honorary title for legal services by a lawyer or law firm that has been obtained is to be used, the date the same was obtained and the term thereof shall be indicated. A lawyer or law firm may not alter an honorary title that he, she or it has obtained for use in advertising and publicity. If a law firm has been closed down, the honorary titles that it obtained may not continue to be used.

Part Seven: Code for the relationship between a lawyer and the law firm with which he or she serves

Article 85: A law firm is the organisation in which a lawyer practises. A law firm bears the duties of educating, managing and monitoring its practising lawyers.

Article 86: A law firm shall establish sound practice management, conflict of interest review, fee and financial management, complaint investigation and handling, annual assessment, file management, employment contract management and other such systems and monitor whether its lawyers abide by professional ethics and practice discipline in the course of their practice activities.

Article 87: A law firm shall safeguard the lawful rights and interests of its lawyers and other working personnel in accordance with the law and provide the working conditions necessary for its lawyers to practice.

Article 88: A law firm shall centrally accept assignments for its lawyers, execute a written engagement contract with the client and collect the fees in accordance with state provisions.

Article 89: Lawyers and law firms must pay taxes in accordance with the law.

Article 90: A law firm shall regularly arrange current affairs, political and vocational studies for, and the summarisation and exchange of practice experience among, its lawyers to enhance their practice level.

Article 91: A law firm shall diligently guide interns in their internships, and truthfully issue internship assessment materials and related supporting documentation.

Article 92: A law firm may not engage in business activities other than the provision of legal services.

Article 93: Lawyers and law firms shall perform their legal aid obligations in accordance with state provisions, provide legal services to recipients of legal aid and safeguard the lawful rights and interests of such recipients.

Article 94: A law firm may not assign a person without a lawyer's licence or a lawyer who has been suspended from practice to provide legal services in the capacity of a lawyer.

Article 95: With respect to an error committed by a paralegal assigned to handle a matter, a law firm shall take measures to halt or remedy the same and bear the liability therefor.

Article 96: A law firm is under obligation to manage lawyers and interns in respect of business and professional ethics.

Part Eight: Code for the relationship between lawyers and lawyers' associations

Article 97: Lawyers and law firms shall comply with the code and rules for the legal profession formulated by the lawyers' association. Lawyers and law firms shall have the rights and bear the obligations specified in the charter of the lawyers' association.

Article 98: Lawyers shall participate in and complete the lawyers' vocational study and assessments organised by the lawyers association.

Article 99: If a lawyer joins and becomes a member of an international lawyers' organisation or attends a meeting abroad as a PRC lawyer, he or she shall report the same to the domestic lawyers' association for the record.

Article 100: If a lawyer or law firm becomes a defendant in a criminal or civil case, or is investigated and penalised by an administrative authority, as the result of a practice act, he, she or it shall report the same in writing to the lawyers' association.

Article 101: A lawyer shall actively participate in the legal business research activities organised by the lawyers' association, complete the business research tasks assigned by the lawyers' association and participate in the public welfare activities organised by the lawyers' association.

Article 102: Lawyers shall duly handle disputes arising in their practice and perform the settlement agreements reached through mediation by the lawyers' association.

Article 103: A lawyer shall perform the handling decision rendered by the lawyers' association in respect of a practice dispute.

A lawyer shall perform the disciplinary decision rendered by the lawyers' association in accordance with laws, regulations, rules and the charter and rules of the lawyers' association.

Article 104: A lawyer shall punctually pay his or her membership fees.

Part Nine: Supplementary provisions

Article 105: If a lawyer or law firm breaches this Code, the lawyers' association shall impose sanctions in accordance with the Rules for Punishing Violations of Rules by Members of Lawyers' Associations and relevant regulatory documents of the profession.

Article 106: A local lawyers' association may formulate implementing rules based on this Code and taking into consideration the circumstances in its area. Such implementing regulations may not conflict with this Code and shall be implemented after being submitted to the All China Lawyers Association for the record.

Article 107: This Code shall be effective as of the date of issuance. This Code shall be revised by way of a bill of amendment; such bill of amendment shall be implemented on a trial basis after approval by the executive council and be officially implemented after approval by the council.

Article 108: The executive council of the All China Lawyers Association is in charge of interpreting this Code.