Legal basis: Measures for the Administration of Lawyers' Business Files
Article 18 The retention period of lawyer's business files is divided into permanent, long-term and short-term. All lawyers' business files that need to be consulted and used for a long time are classified as permanent custody. Any lawyer's business files that need to be consulted, used and kept as evidence for a long time are classified as long-term custody, and the custody period is 20 to 60 years. All lawyers' business files that need to be consulted and used as evidence in general time are classified as short-term storage, and the storage period is five to fifteen years. As a long-term or short-term custody of the lawyer's business files, the specific storage period is proposed by the archivist and reported to the director of the law firm (legal adviser's office) for decision.
Article 19 The retention period of lawyer's business files shall be counted from the year following the end of legal affairs.
Article 20 The retention period of specific business files shall be determined with reference to the Table of Retention Period of Lawyers' Business Files formulated and issued by the Ministry of Justice and the State Archives Bureau.
Article 33 The judicial departments (bureaus) of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate supplementary measures according to the situation of their own provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities).
Article 34 These Measures shall come into force as of the date of promulgation.