Guide to application for records filing of the reciprocal assignment of lawyers between Chinese law firms in Hainan and foreign law firms to serve as legal advisers

en.hainan.gov.cn

Updated: 2026-06-04

This guide provides essential information to law firms on applying for records filing of reciprocal lawyer assignments between Chinese law firms in Hainan and foreign law firms.

Basic requirements
1. For Chinese law firms:
The firm must (1) have been established for at least three years; (2) be organized in a partnership form; (3) employ no fewer than 20 full-time practicing lawyers; (4) have strong legal service capabilities and standardized internal management; (5) have not received any administrative penalties or industry sanctions within the past three years; (6) be based in Hainan, or if based in another province (autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central government), must have already established a branch in Hainan.

2. For foreign law firms:
The firm must have established a representative office in Hainan for at least three years, or in other cities within China for at least three years and must have also established a representative office in Hainan. The established representative office must not have received any administrative penalties from Chinese regulatory authorities within the past three years.

3. For Chinese lawyers:
They must (1) have at least five years of full-time practicing experience in China; (2) have strong capabilities in handling domestic and foreign-related legal affairs; (3) have not received any administrative penalties or industry sanctions within the past three years. The head of a Chinese law firm and its branch managers are not eligible to serve as assigned lawyers at foreign law firms' representative offices in Hainan as legal advisers.

4. For foreign lawyers:
They must (1) have at least five years of law practicing experience in their home country; (2) have strong capabilities in handling legal affairs in their home country and international legal matters; (3) have not received any administrative penalties or industry sanctions from their home country or from Chinese regulatory authorities for lawyers within the past three years. The head of a foreign law firm and its chief representative in China are not eligible to serve as assigned lawyers at Chinese law firms (or branches) as foreign legal advisers.

Required materials
1. Written application;
2. Registration form for Chinese law firms;
3. A copy of the license to practice law in a Chinese law firm;
4. Registration form for foreign law firms;
5. A copy of the practicing license of the foreign law firm's representative office in China;
6. Agreement on reciprocal assignment of legal advisers;
7. List and CVs of Chinese lawyers acting as legal advisers;
8. A copy of the lawyers' practicing certificates;
9. List and CVs of foreign lawyers acting as legal advisers;
10. A copy of the practicing certificate of the representative of the foreign law firm's representative office in China;
11. A copy of the foreign lawyers' practicing certificates and notarized documents evidencing practice experience.

Where to submit your application
Authority: Hainan Provincial Department of Justice
Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am-noon and 2:30 pm-5:30 pm (except public holidays)
Contact: 0898-65203043
Click here for more details.