Lawyers welcome client protection
A proposed regulation to forbid lawyers from disclosing information about their clients to protect the privacy of people involved in lawsuits is being welcomed by many members of the legal sector in Beijing.
The Beijing Lawyers' Association, which is affiliated with the Beijing Justice Bureau and has strong government backing, is seeking its members' opinions on the regulation.
Sun Shuyi, a lawyer with the Beijing law firm Chai & Fu, said the draft rules were the first to spell out what lawyers could and could not say when handling lawsuits.
'The current laws on moral standards for lawyers, issued by the All China Lawyers Association, have a confidentiality clause, but it is quite vague. This regulation makes things much clearer.'
The regulation says a client's address, contact information, medical history, personal interests, names of relatives and properties must be kept secret. Lawyers, legal assistants and trainees would be barred from releasing this information - even after the case is finished - without their clients' permission.
Zhang Yong, a lawyer with the Beijing law firm Deshan, said: 'This regulation will protect the privacy of those involved in lawsuits, as well as providing lawyers with clear behavioural guidelines.'
He admitted that the regulation might not be welcomed by many lawyers who turn to the media in order to publicise their cases, or by reporters looking for good stories.
It is not yet known when the regulation will come into effect.
