Hanoi (VNA) - The National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on August 27 discussed a draft revised Law on Lawyers, which proposes allowing law lecturers to become lawyers and cutting the qualification process from four steps to two.
Presenting the draft, Minister of Justice Hoang Thanh Tung said the revisions aim to develop a transparent, competitive legal services market, enhance professional standards and accelerate digital transformation.
The draft adds requirements for lawyers to have firm political resolve, good ethics and integrity, and undergo annual training in political awareness and professional expertise. It also proposes a national examination for lawyer practising certificates, replacing the current assessment of apprenticeship results.
NA President Tran Thanh Man urged the drafting body to make the political qualification criteria clear and objectively assessable, warning that vague standards could lead to inconsistent application and affect lawyers' psychology and independence.
He also called for the national examination, if adopted, to focus on practical skills, litigation and professional ethics rather than rote learning, and for greater support for the development of large, professional law firms capable of competing internationally.
At the meeting, the NA Standing Committee also discussed a draft revised Law on Adoption, stressing that the best interests of children should remain at the centre of adoption policies. It called for stronger standards for child-care workers and tighter inspection and supervision of adoption procedures.
The committee also deliberated a draft Law on amendments and supplements to the Law on Physical Training and Sports, the Law on Tourism, the Law on Cinematography, the Law on Libraries, and the Law on Cultural Heritage./.
