China Revises Lawyers Law to Bolster Practice Rights, Mandate Party Loyalty

China has enacted targeted amendments to its Law on Lawyers, aiming to strengthen legal protections for attorneys against interference from state agencies while explicitly mandating loyalty to the ruling Communist Party.

Passed on Aug. 28 after two rounds of deliberation by the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, the revised law takes effect Tuesday. An official from the Civil Law Office of the legislature’s Legislative Affairs Commission described the changes as a minor but significant overhaul comprising 10 modified articles.