Trainee Advocate

A person can be enrolled in the «Registry of Trainee Advocates» by the Legal Council if he/she satisfies the Legal Council that:

• He/she has completed his twenty first year of age;
• He/she is of good character and he is not an unsuitable person to become accepted as an advocate due to any kind of behavior which would justify the Disciplinary Board taking measures against him;
• He/she is a citizen of the Republic or citizen of another Member State or spouse or child of a citizen of the Republic or other Member State with permanent residence in the Republic of Cyprus during the training period;
• He/she holds any of the following qualifications: (i) holder of a Law degree or diploma obtained in any other manner or by correspondence, from any University of Greece or Turkey or, (ii) he/she is a barrister-at law of England, Northern Ireland or an advocate of Scotland, or (iii) he/she is a holder of a Law degree obtained in any other manner or by correspondence from any University of the United Kingdom, of Great Britain and northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, or (iv) he/she is a holder of such Law degree or diploma obtained in any manner or by correspondence, from any University or Institution as the Legal Council may from time to time determine with a notice published in the Official Gazette of the Republic.

The letter for enrollment as a Trainee Advocate to the Legal Council should be submitted, no later than thirty days from the date on which he/she has commenced training at the office of a practicing advocate or at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Republic directly to the competent authority:

Legal Council
Apellis 1, 1403 Nicosia
Tel. +357 22 889205, +357 22 889207
Fax. +357 22 667498
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.legalcouncil.org.cy

1. Fill in the appropriate letter of application, as found on the website of the Legal Council (link in the “Related Links”), and attach the following accompanying documents:

   • Copy of University Degree and a transcript, but he/she has to present the originals before the Legal Council to check the authenticity. In case he/she has not yet received the Degree a verification that he/she has passed all the lessons and is waiting for the Degree to be published;
   • Copy of Citizens identification card or Passport (in case the applicant is not a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus or any other EU member state but married to Cypriot/EU member state citizen, wedding certificate needs to be attached);
   • Affidavit from the practicing advocate’s office stating the exact date on which the applicant has commenced his/her training;
   • Recent clear criminal record certificate.

   When the Legal Council is convinced that the applicant holds the qualifications stated above, enters applicant’s name in a book kept by the Chief Registrar, which is called «Registry of Trainee Advocates» and the Chief Registrar issues him/her a Certificate of Trainee Advocate.

There are no fees applicable.

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 reexamine.

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 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 for. However, such 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 trainee advocates are obliged to comply with the provisions of the Advocates Law, as periodically amended, as well as with the Code of Conduct.

The disciplinary provisions of the Advocates Law (Articles 15 to 17) apply to all persons enrolled as trainee 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 Registry 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.