Chinese lawmakers are set to review a draft amendment to the lawyers law to strengthen foreign-related legal services, a spokesman said Friday.
The draft amendment seeks to improve the training of lawyers specializing in international legal affairs, Huang Haihua, spokesman for the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, told a press conference.
It also supports law firms in improving foreign-related services and encourages greater international exchanges and cooperation, Huang said.
The draft amendment will be submitted for a second reading at a session of the NPC Standing Committee from Aug 25 to 28.
The draft also allows legal practitioners from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and practicing lawyers from the Macao SAR who pass the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area lawyer qualification exam and obtain mainland practicing qualifications to provide legal services within the prescribed scope in the nine mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.
The draft amendment encourages and supports law firms and lawyers to participate in public-interest legal services, said Huang.
It also pushes for full lawyer representation in criminal cases.
According to Huang, the draft was open to public opinion from June 26 to July 25 and received extensive feedback from the public and NPC deputies. Some of the suggestions have been reflected in relevant provisions.
