CYPRUS LAWYERS :                          30 03 2011

WHO ARE CYPRUS LAWYERS:       

 

Cyprus Lawyers are a body of professionals, of very  high standards. Cyprus Lawyers are graduates mostly of U.K Universities and the Council of Legal Education, and Greek Universities. Some of course have graduated in other countries like France or the United States.

 

Cyprus Lawyers have been organized into a professional body, a long time ago, even during the British rule of Cyprus which ended in 1960.

 

There are about 2.000  Lawyers today all over Cyprus. Many of the Lawyers in Cyprus,  have their own practice, others join chambers as employees. There are some very big law offices in Cyprus, specializing in all branches of the law, lacking none to the best  law offices in Europe.

 

 Lawyers in Cyprus, have lately been allowed to register their practice as a Limited Liability Company by law.

 

This is very important as now they  can pay only 10% corporate tax instead of up to 30% of income tax in their personal capacity.

 

In Cyprus, Lawyers before they are allowed to practice, they have to pass the very demanding exams set by the Cyprus Bar Association and also train for a year at some law chamber.

 

They are well organized, supervised and regulated by the Cyprus Bar Association, which issues their yearly licenses and exercises the disciplinary control over them.  Disciplinary regulations are of high standard so that all clients are protected and feel safe.

 

The main legislation which governs the Legal Profession in Cyprus, is the Advocates Law CAP 2, of 1955. A concise law which provides for all matters pertaining to the admittance of new lawyers, various regulatory matters, and disciplinary provisions. 

 

From the professional body of Cyprus Lawyers individuals, with high sense of justice and with at least 5 years of experience as a practicing lawyer, are chosen by the Supreme Court justices to become  Judges. And of course out of those judges come the justices of the Supreme Court itself.

 

Cyprus has very well organized Courts in every district for civil, criminal, divorce, military and rent control matters, all of them staffed with highly efficient and highly trained judges.

 

An appeal by the Cyprus Lawyers lies at the Supreme Court of Cyprus, which is situated in Nicosia.

 

Cyprus Lawyers until recently could file all the pleadings in English, they could even deliver their speech in English, due to the fact that Cyprus was an  English Colony  and our Legal system depends to a very large extent on the common law, equity and statute law of the U.K.  This has now changed.

 

  Lawyers are now very qualified in all fields of practice, from civil cases of debt to injury cases, divorce and family matters, rent control, EU legislation, patents, marine Law, marine insurance etc.

 

In order to retain a lawyer it is enough to visit his office and orally agree to hire his services. A written agreement for his fees is not usual but it is better if it is done. If no written agreement is made then the  Lawyer handling a case on behalf of a client is entitled to fees which are provided for by law and fee scales, according to the value/scale of the lawsuit.

 

In order to dismiss your  lawyer you can inform him of your decision, pay all his fees owed, and collect your file.

 

 Lawyers are now almost equally divided in number between men and women. Women have proved to be every efficient and professional. They have even been very successful as judges.

 

Cyprus Lawyers can practice for as many years as they desire. They do not have to retire.  In fact some lawyers practice up  to the age of 80 or 90 years and there have been cases of individuals practising at an age, even older than that.

 

However the legal profession,  have their own pension scheme and on their retirement  they get a pension and a lump sum payment from the Cyprus Lawyers Association.

 

 

WHO CAN PRACTICE LAW IN CYPRUS:         

 

In Cyprus, only lawyers who have qualified law and have obtained the Cyprus Lawyer practising license can practise law and appear before a Cypriot Court. The HIGH COURT, has the authority in special circumstances to allow a lawyer from some other country to appear before a Cyprus Court, but such instances are rare.

 

 

 

CYPRUS  LAW  FIRM :   A Cyprus Law Firm, can now be either a single lawyer practising on his own, and having as many offices as he likes in all cities of Cyprus, or a partnership of two or more lawyers, again with offices in as many towns as they like, or finally a limited company with members phusical persons who are practising lawyers, but only the physical persons can have a license to practice. There are sizeable Law Firms, in Cyprus with many partners, practising in all fields of law capable of offering the necessary legal services to all kinds of clients big or small , in fields like shipping, trusts, energy sector, aviation, patents etc. A Cyprus Law Firm, today is as good as any European Law Firm and as capable.

 

 

Our Law Chambers, through our senior lawyer Mr. Evgenios Erotokritou has been a member of the Cyprus Lawyers Association for 31 years now.

 

Our immense experience has led to a successful law practice and through our international presence we are recognizable as a professional Law Firm capable of offering the highest quality of legal services.

 

SOLICITOR:  A solicitor is a lawyer trained and qualified in England, by the Law Society. A solicitor is entitled to practice law in the lower courts of the UK. The solicitor has no ritht to appear in the High Courts of the House of Lords. A solicitor is a highly trained lawyer who usually joins a chamber with other solicitors thus forming a partnership. Solicitors usually exercise in the law of conveyancing,where they specialize a lot. The regulatory professional body of the Solicitor is the Law Society, of the UK.

In other countries, lawyers are called sometimes solicitors, but that is not precise. The word lawyer would be  more appropriate , or attorneys, or attorneys at law, and so on, depending on the tradition of every country.

In Cyprus, there is no distinction of the Cyprus Lawyers, into lawyers and solicitors, as all Cyprus Lawyers, have the same rights in practicing their profession.

 

BARRISTER:  A Barrister is a lawyer who has qualified and is practising by the regulations set by the Council of Legal Education in the UK  London. A Barrister-at-Law has the right to practice in all the courts of the country, including the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. To be a Barrister you have to join one of the Inns of Court in the UK. They are the Middle Temple, the Grey`s Inn, and the Lincoln`s Inn.

The differentiation between Solicitors and Barristers-at-Law is a historical one and it goes back to the 1600s.

There has always been a historical discord between the two professional bodies in the UK, which has not been vented until today.

In cyprus their is no distiction, between Cyprus Lawyers and Barristers-at-Law, as all Cyprus Lawyers have the same rights of practicing their profession.

 

ATTORNEYS-ATTORNEYS AT LAW- ADVOCATES:  These words are used in many countries to describe, their lawyers, depending on their law and their tradition and history. Some Cyprus Lawyers use the words Advocate, or even Attorney at Law, or Barrister or Legal Adviser and so on. They are doing this figuratively, meaning to denote that they are lawyers.

 

 

 

USEFUL LINKS: Below there are some useful links in which you may find interesting or useful material.

1.     CYPRUS BAR ASSOCIATION:  http://www.cyprusbarassociation.org 

2.     SUPREME COURT OF CYPRUS:  http://www.supremecourt.gov.cy/

 3.     MINISTRY OF JUSTICE:  http://www.mjpo.gov.cy/ 

4.     CYPRUS REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES:  http://www.mcit.gov.cy/  

 

30. 03. 2011