Path to Becoming a Lawyer in Vietnam

1. Must have a Bachelor of Laws degree

According to the regulations in Article 10 of the Law on Lawyers 2006, a person who meets the standards of a Lawyer must have a Bachelor of Laws degree. The Bachelor of Laws degree is awarded upon completion of an undergraduate law program in Vietnam or abroad. Typically, a full-time student will need about 4 years of training or 2-3 years for part-time study.

2. Participate in Lawyer Training Course

After obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree, the individual participates in a Lawyer Training Course at institutions such as the Judicial Academy under the Ministry of Justice or the lawyer training facilities under the Vietnam Bar Federation.

The following individuals are exempt from participating in the Lawyer Training Course:

- Those who are judges, prosecutors, or investigators.- Professors, associate professors in law; doctors of law.- Senior court examiners, senior prosecutors; senior specialists, senior researchers, senior lecturers in the field of law.- Principal court examiners, principal prosecutors; principal specialists, principal researchers, principal lecturers in the field of law.

The current duration for participating in the course, as prescribed by the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Lawyers 2012, is: 12 months.

After completing the Lawyer Training Course, the trainee is awarded a Certificate of Lawyer Training.

3. Lawyer Internship

Except for those exempted from the lawyer internship, individuals with a Certificate of Lawyer Training can intern at a lawyer practicing organization (law firms, law offices, etc.):

- Those who are judges, prosecutors, senior investigators, intermediate investigators, professors, associate professors in law, doctors of law, senior court examiners, senior prosecutors, senior specialists, senior researchers, senior lecturers in the field of law.

The duration of the lawyer internship is twelve months, except for the following individuals who are entitled to a reduction in internship duration:

- Those who are primary investigators, principal court examiners, principal prosecutors, principal specialists, principal researchers, principal lecturers in the field of law: Reduced by two-thirds of the internship period, thereby reducing the internship period to four months;- Those with at least ten years of service in the ranks of specialists, researchers, lecturers in the field of law, court examiners, prosecutors: Reduced by half of the internship period, thereby reducing the internship period to six months.

Register for the internship at the Bar Association in the locality where the law practice organization they are interning at is located.

4. Examination of Lawyer Internship Results

After completing the lawyer internship program, individuals must undergo the examination of lawyer internship results organized by the Vietnam Bar Federation.

Those exempted from the lawyer internship do not need to participate in the examination of lawyer internship results.

5. Issuance of Lawyer Practicing Certificate

Individuals who meet the requirements of the lawyer internship results examination and those exempted from lawyer internship are issued a Lawyer Practicing Certificate.

Individuals requesting the issuance of a certificate must prepare a dossier according to Article 17 of the Law on Lawyers 2006, as amended by Clause 8, Article 1 of the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Lawyers 2012 and submit it to the Executive Board of the Bar Association or the Department of Justice where they are permanent residents.

The Ministry of Justice is the competent authority to decide the issuance of the Lawyer Practicing Certificate.

6. Joining the Bar Association

To practice as a Lawyer, the individual with a Lawyer Practicing Certificate must join a Bar Association of their choice and be issued a Lawyer Card.

Completing all the above steps allows one to practice as a Lawyer.

Legal Basis:

- Law on Lawyers 2006;- Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Lawyers 2012.

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