Advocate / Lawyer

Every physical person can receive from the Legal Council a certificate stating that he is entitled to be enrolled as an advocate if he satisfies the Legal Council that:

• Has completed his twenty-first year of age;
• Is of good character and he/she is not an unsuitable person to become accepted as an advocate due to any kind of behaviour which would satisfy the Disciplinary Board taking measures;
• Is a citizen of the European Union with permanent residence in the Republic of Cyprus;
• Holds a law degree:
  (i) of a university of a member state, which is recognized by the competent authority of that particular member state, or

          (ii) of any other university, whether in the Republic or in a Third Country, as the Legal Council may from time to time determine by notification published in the Official Gazette of the Republic.

Provided that the qualifications recognized under the provisions of sub-paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of paragraph (d), as they were valid before the entry into force of the Lawyers (Amendment) (No. 3) Law of 2020, are still recognized qualifications.

It is further provided that the degrees which the Legal Council has determined as law degrees by notices published in the Official Gazette of the Republic, prior to the commencement of the Lawyers (Amendment) (No. 3) Law of 2020 shall continue to be considered as such.

• Has completed a training period of not less than twelve months at the office of an advocate practicing for at least five years or the Attorney General’s Office; and
• Has passed an examination satisfying the Legal Council. The examinations are conducted by the Legal Council on certain subjects including Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Evidence law, Torts, Criminal Law, Civil and Criminal Procedure, Immovable Property Law, Wills and Succession Law, Company Law, Family Law, Court of Justice Law.

For Registration in the “Registry of Advocates”
The lawyer who has received a “Letter of Approval” from the Legal Council submits that letter directly to the competent authority for enrolment in the “Registry of Advocates”:

Supreme Court
Charalambou Mouskou Street,
1404 Nicosia
Tel. 357 22 865741
Email: chief.reg@sc.judicial.gov.cy
Website: http://www.supremecourt.gov.cy

For Registration in the “Registry of Practicing Advocates”

The application for the issue of the annual licence of a Practicing Advocate to the Cyprus Bar Association must be submitted directly to the competent authority:

Bar Council of the Cyprus Bar Association
11 Florinis street, 1065 Nicosia
Tel. 357 22 873300
Fax. 357 22 873013
Email: cybar@cytanetcom.cy
Website: http://www.cyprusbarassociation.org

1. For Registration in the “Registry of Advocates”

   The “Letter of Approval” is accompanied by a payment of a fee of €51,26.

   Following the enrolment in the “Registry of Advocates” kept by the Chief Registrar, the Chief Registrar issues a “Certificate of Enrolment” under the seal of the Supreme Court.

   For Registration in the “Registry of Practicing Advocates”

   The advocate should present the following certificates before the Bar Council, in order to have his/her annual licence issued:

   • the “Certificate of Enrolment”;
   • a professional indemnity insurance (according to the regulations issued by the Bar Council);
   • a registration to the Advocates Pension Fund (an obligation under Advocate’s Law).

   Notably, in case the advocate is practicing the profession, at the time of issue of his/her annual licence, he/she submits to the Bar Council the Statement/Declaration with a relevant confirmation from his local bar association, stating that his principal profession is the exercise of the legal profession and that he is ready to exercise it. The local bar association, before issuing the confirmation, ensures through the Department of Social Insurance, that the advocate is registered as an advocate-contributor to the Social insurance fund.

Registration fee for “Registry of Advocates” is €51,26.

Any advocate who practices as an advocate for a period up to ten years must pay the fee for the issue of the annual licence of €68 and €171 if the practicing of the profession exceeds the 10 years.

Lawyers intending to register for the first time with the Advocates Pension Fund must pay a registration fee of €50,00. Please note that new member registrations with the Advocates Pension Fund cannot be processed through JCCsmart but must be made at the offices of the Advocates Pension Fund (11 Florinis Str., office 202).

For the purpose of renewing their licence to practice the profession, lawyers must pay to the Advocates Pension Fund the amount of €480.00 in respect of the previous year during which they held a licence to practice the profession. Payments may be made either at the offices of the Lawyers Pension Fund (11 Florinis Str., office 202) or through JCCsmart.

Administrative Action Against a Competent Authority’s Decision

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative court against a decision, act or omission of any competent authority or body.

Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:
I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and re-examine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such a decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated. However, such a revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

• The Advocates Law (Cap. 2)

Registered advocate are obliged to comply with the provisions of the Advocates Law and the Advocates Code of Conduct Regulations as periodically amended.

Any person who practices as an advocate without being enrolled or without being the holder of an annual licence in force at the time is guilty of an offence and is liable to imprisonment not exceeding three months or to fine not exceeding €855.

The disciplinary provisions of the Advocates Law (Articles 15 to 17) apply to all practicing advocates:

• Every advocate is deemed to be an officer of justice and is liable to disciplinary proceedings;
• A Disciplinary Board exercises control and disciplinary jurisdiction over every advocate.

If any advocate is convicted by any Court of any offence which, in the opinion of the Disciplinary Board, involves moral turpitude or if such advocate is, in the opinion of the Disciplinary Board, guilty of disgraceful, fraudulent or unprofessional conduct towards the profession or if he has acted or behaved in a manner contravening or conflicting with the provisions of the Advocates’ Code of Conduct Regulations, the Disciplinary Board may:

• Order the name of the advocate to be struck off the Register of Advocates;
• Suspend the advocate from practicing for such period as the Disciplinary Board may think fit;
• Order the advocate to pay, by way of fine;
• Warn or reprimand the advocate;
• Make such order as to the payment of the costs of the proceedings before the Disciplinary Board as the Disciplinary Board may think fit.