Who can represent you in Cambodia after the 2026 amendment to the Law on the Bar
At a glance
Cambodia has amended its 1995 Law on the Statute of Lawyers (often called the Law on the Bar). The amending law was promulgated by Royal Kram NS/RKM/1026/019, signed on 8 October 2026 and declared urgent. This note explains what the changes mean for foreign investors and businesses: who can appear for you, what to check before you engage someone, and how law firms must now be set up.
Under new Article 2, only admitted lawyers may represent clients before courts, ministries, regulators, and labour bodies.
In criminal matters, lawyers accompany and defend suspects or the accused, but generally cannot represent them.
Admission requires Khmer nationality. Foreign advisers not admitted under this law cannot represent businesses in Cambodia.
Law firms are civil companies with unlimited liability; only lawyers can be partners, with mandatory 1-year share transfer rules.
Overview: The 2026 Bar Law Amendment
Cambodia has amended its 1995 Law on the Statute of Lawyers (often called the Law on the Bar). The amending law was promulgated by Royal Kram NS/RKM/1026/019, signed at the Royal Palace on 8 October 2026, and declared urgent (Article 4). The National Assembly adopted it on 21 September 2026. The Senate then completed its review in September 2026.
This note explains what the statutory changes mean for foreign investors and businesses operating in Cambodia: who can appear for you, what to check before you engage someone, and how law firms must now be set up.
Under new Article 2, representation before all courts, ministries, and public and private bodies requires admitted Cambodian lawyers. A foreign adviser who is not admitted as a lawyer in Cambodia should not be treated as your representative before Cambodian authorities.
Who may appear for a client
Under new Article 2, a lawyer may represent a client, with the client's consent, before all courts and other public and private institutions and bodies, at every stage of the procedure, unless another law says otherwise. The article names civil, commercial, administrative, labour and social matters in particular.
Criminal matters work differently. A lawyer may accompany and defend a suspect or accused person at every stage, but may not represent them, except where a special provision of law allows it. A lawyer may represent a civil party or a person with civil liability. Lawyers may also assist clients before disciplinary councils and other disciplinary bodies.
In practice, this matters to businesses dealing with courts, ministries, regulators and labour bodies. When someone appears for your company, they should be a lawyer admitted under this law.
Who can become a lawyer
New Article 31 says a person practising as a lawyer must meet the following criteria:
- Hold Khmer nationality;
- Hold the professional certificate issued by the lawyers' training school;
- Be physically fit to practise;
- Have no conviction for a misdemeanour or felony and no disciplinary or administrative sanction for dishonourable conduct, and must not be personally bankrupt by court declaration.
New Article 32 lets four groups apply without the training school certificate:
Four Exemption Routes under New Article 32
- Judges or prosecutors with at least 3 years in office;
- Holders of a doctorate in law with at least 3 years of work in law or justice;
- Lawyers registered with a foreign bar who hold Khmer nationality;
- Holders of a law degree with at least 5 years of work in law or justice.
Applicants in all four groups still need Khmer nationality and must meet the integrity and fitness conditions. The Bar Council must set up a competence assessment for the last three groups. The Bar Council admits lawyers after hearing the opinion of the Prosecutor General attached to the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal (new Article 33).
What a foreign lawyer can and cannot do
Because Article 31 requires Khmer nationality, a foreign national cannot be admitted as a full Cambodian lawyer through the general admission route or through the Article 32 exemptions.
The amendment refers to foreign lawyers "permitted to practise" under the law, and the Bar Council sets their contributions (new Article 19). However, the conditions that apply to foreign lawyers are set elsewhere in the law and its implementing rules.
For a business, the practical point is this: a foreign adviser who is not admitted as a lawyer in Cambodia should not be treated as your representative before Cambodian courts or bodies.
What to check when engaging representation
When retaining counsel or authorizing an agent in Cambodia, corporate leaders should perform four essential checks:
- The individual: check that the person is registered as a lawyer with the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC) and is not suspended.
- The firm: check that the lawyer's office, law firm or group of lawyers is registered with the BAKC.
- Written authority: Article 2 is based on client consent, so make sure the mandate or power of attorney clearly sets out its scope.
- Criminal matters: remember that a lawyer defends but generally does not represent the accused.
How firms must be structured
New Articles 46 and 47 set out the structure for legal practices:
- A lawyer may practise alone, through a lawyer's office, or through a law firm. Lawyers may also cooperate as a group of lawyers, and such groups must register with the Bar.
- A lawyer may set up only one office, or be a partner in only one law firm.
- Lawyers' offices and law firms gain legal personality on registration. They are civil companies with unlimited liability, and their statutes follow a Bar Council model.
- Only lawyers may be partners in a law firm. Honorary lawyers may remain partners in their original firm.
- If a partner dies, heirs who are not lawyers must sell the shares to the firm, or to a lawyer the firm approves, within 1 year at most. They may not exercise any professional rights. The same rule applies when a partner loses lawyer status.
- Offices, firms and groups that are already registered must regularise within 1 year of the law's entry into force (Article 2 of the amending law).
Key changes at a glance
| Topic | What changed | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Representation | Before all courts and public/private bodies, incl. civil, commercial, administrative, labour, social | New Art 2 |
| Criminal cases | Defend, but generally not represent, the accused | New Art 2 |
| Bar President | Single 3-year term, no re-election | New Art 9 |
| Bar Council | 27 members, 3-year terms | New Arts 10-11 |
| Standing for office | At least 5 years of practice for Council and President | New Arts 15-16 |
| Admission | Khmer nationality plus training school certificate | New Art 31 |
| Exemptions | 4 routes, Khmer nationality still required | New Art 32 |
| Firm structure | Civil company, unlimited liability, only lawyers as partners; groups register | New Art 46 |
| Share transfer | Non-lawyer heirs or a partner who loses status: sell within 1 year | New Art 47 |
| Transition | Existing registered structures: 1 year from entry into force | Art 2 (amending law) |
Open points and compliance considerations
- The entry-into-force date is not stated in the copy we reviewed beyond the declaration of urgency (Article 4 of the amending law).
- The official Royal Gazette or Ministry of Justice copy has not yet been located.
- Businesses should audit all active powers of attorney and retention mandates to ensure their representatives meet the amended statutory requirements.
How MLV Law Group can help
MLV Law Group is an established Cambodian law firm fully registered with the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia (BAKC). Our admitted attorneys, led by Mao Leang Vutha and Mak Dane, possess full statutory rights of representation before all Cambodian municipal, provincial, and appellate courts, the Supreme Court, ministries, the General Department of Taxation, and arbitral tribunals. We advise local and multinational companies on formal representation mandates, power of attorney structuring, commercial dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance.
To review your company's legal representation arrangements or discuss court representation, contact Attorney at Law Mak Dane and our practice team at legal@mlvlawgroup.com or +855 71 777 4168. For related practice areas, see our expertise on Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Company Formation.
Statutory Disclaimer
General information only, not legal advice. This note reflects Cambodian statutory developments as of October 2026. An engagement letter is required before MLV Law Group acts on any matter.
