Advocate / Lawyer

Last Update on 07/06/2024

Practising as an Advocate

General Information

In order to practice as an advocate in the Republic of Cyprus, one needs to enroll to “Register of Advocates”, kept by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and  obtain an annual practicing licence by the Cyprus Bar Council.

Practicing as an advocate in Cyprus, as defined in the Advocates Law, means:

  • Appearing before any Court to conduct any proceedings on behalf of any person or the Republic;
  • Preparing or perusing of any document intended to be used in connection with any proceedings before any Court (pleadings);
  • Registering of Trade Marks or Patents and appearing before any administrative authority for this purpose;
  • Drawing, reviewing and amending any Memorandum or Articles of Association of a company of any form or any application, report, declaration, affidavit, judgment or other document
    in connection with the incorporation, registration, organization, reorganization or dissolution of any legal entity;
  • Registering ships and preparing any document in relation to the establishment, transfer, alteration or cancellation of any right on a ship as well as the appearance before a competent authority for this purpose;
  • Giving legal opinions on any legal issue submitted to the lawyer;
  • Preparing and perusal of any document to be filed in Court in relation to the administration of an estate pursuant to the Law on the Management of Assets of Deceased Persons.

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/her 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 pursuant to article 17 of the relevant legislation;
  • Is a citizen of the European Union or a spouse or child of a citizen of the European Union;
  • 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 Article 146 of the Constitution, Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Evidence law, Civil Offences, Criminal Law, Civil and Criminal Procedure, Immovable Property Law, Succession Law, Company Law, Family Law, Court of Justice Law.

The training period is 12 months (with the possibility of shortening in exceptional cases – minimum required 6 months) and for its completion, success in the exams of the Legal Council is required.

  • For Registration in the “Register of Advocates”

A lawyer who has received a “Letter of Approval” from the Legal Council submits that letter directly to the competent authority for enrolment in the “Register 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 “Register 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: info@cba.org.cy
Website: http://www.cyprusbarassociation.org

  • For Registration in the “Register of Advocates kept by the Cyprus Bar Association (CBA)”

 Lawyers who are registered in the “Register of Advocates” of the Supreme Court, are automatically registered in the “Register of Advocates kept by the Cyprus Bar Association” in case they do not wish to be registered in the “Register of Practicing Advocates”.

With the exception of practicing advocates who are registered in the “Register of Practicing Advocates” and retired lawyers, a lawyer who is registered in the “Register of Advocates kept by the Cyprus Bar Association” shall pay to the Bar Council of the Cyprus Bar Association annually, no later than December 31 of each year, starting from the date of entry into force of the Lawyers (Amendment) (No. 2) Law of 2023, an annual subscription, the amount of which is determined by the Bar Council of Cyprus Bar Association and revised by the Council when this is deemed appropriate.

The following persons are exempt from the above obligation:

(i) The Attorney General, the Assistant Attorney General and attorneys serving in the Legal Service:

Provided that, in the definition of the term “lawyers serving in the Legal Service” are included:

(aa) public prosecutors;

(bb) indefinite-term employees; and

(cc) permanent officials or indefinite-term officials who serve in the Legal Service on secondment or transfer from other Ministries/Services/Departments of the public sector or the wider public sector;

(ii) serving in judicial or prosecutorial positions in European or international bodies, as well as employees in such or other European or international bodies, who, according to the duties of their position, carry out work of a legal nature;

(iii) those serving in the Judicial Service (Judiciary, Legal Assistants, Registrars) and those serving in any service in which, according to the duties of the position, they carry out work of a legal nature;

(iv) lawyers who obtain public offices, due to the possession of which, the exercise of another profession is prohibited;

(v) lawyers who obtain public office and who during their term of office do not wish to practice law.

The application for registration in the “Register of Advocates kept by the Cyprus Bar Assciation”, must be submitted directly to the competent authority:

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 “Register of Advocates”

    The “Letter of Approval” is accompanied by a payment of a fee of €100,00.

    Following the enrolment in the “Register 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 “Register of Practicing Advocates” (lawyers who practice law)

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

    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.

    • For Registration in the “Register of Advocates kept by the Cyprus Bar Association (CBA)”

     A lawyer who completes his/her registration in the “Register of Advocates” of the Supreme Court, is automatically registered in the “Register of Advocates kept by the Cyprus Bar Association” in case he/she does not wish to be registered in the “Register of Practicing Advocates”, and he/she should then create his/her personal profile on the Cy Bar Association’s website, in order to pay the annual subscription in accordance with the corresponding provision of the Advocates Law.

  • “Register of Advocates”

Registration fee is €100,00.

  • “Register of Practicing Advocates”

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.

  • “Register of Advocates kept by the CBA”

The lawyer who is included in the said register should pay the CBA’s Council the amount of €100 annually until the 31st of December of each year, with the obligation starting from the year 2023 for earlier years.

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.

The Cyprus Bar Association keeps the “Register of Practicing Advocates” and issues the annual license of Practicing Advocate.

The annual licence expires on the thirty first day of December next following the date of issue and a fee is payable to the Bar Council the amount of which is fixed with regulations issued by the Bar Council and approved by the General Meeting of the Cyprus Bar Association.

Legal Council, Pension Fund, Cy BAR Council

For any issue against the Council of the Cyprus Bar Association or the Lawyers’ Pension Fund or the Legal Council, a lawsuit or application shall be filed before a court within twelve (12) months from the date of the contested decision.

Disciplinary Council

The Attorney General of the Republic, the convicted or the accused may, within two (2) months from the issuance of the Disciplinary Council’s decision, appeal it to the Court of Appeal, in accordance with the procedure provided for in the procedural code issued by the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal, after hearing the appeal, has the power to: 

(i) ratify the decision of the Disciplinary Council.

(ii) annul the decision of the Disciplinary Council.

(iii) to modify the decision of the Disciplinary Council.

or

(iv) to issue a decree as it deems necessary.

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 or to both of these penalties.

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 any amount, by way of fine, which does not exceed €20,000;
  • 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.

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