Lawyers with more than three years of relevant practicing experience shall be assigned as defenders.
Article 26 of the Legal Aid Law of the People's Republic of China*** and of the People's Republic of China For those who may be sentenced to life imprisonment or the death penalty, as well as for defendants in death penalty review cases, legal aid agencies shall, upon receipt of notification from the people's courts, people's procuratorates, or public security organs, assign lawyers with three years or more of relevant practice experience to act as defenders.
Article 27 When a people's court, people's procuratorate or public security organ notifies a legal aid institution to assign a lawyer to act as a defender, it shall not restrict or impair the right of the criminal suspect or defendant to appoint a defender.
Article 28 If the respondent or defendant in a forced medical treatment case does not appoint a legal representative, the people's court shall notify the legal aid organization to assign a lawyer to provide legal aid.
Article 29 If a victim in a criminal prosecution case and his or her legal representative or close relatives, a private prosecutor in a criminal private prosecution case and his or her legal representative, or a plaintiff in a criminal incidental civil litigation case and his or her legal representative have not entrusted a representative to represent him or her in the litigation due to financial difficulties, he or she may apply for legal assistance from a legal aid organization.
Article 30 The duty lawyer shall, in accordance with the law, for the criminal suspect or defendant without a defender to provide legal counseling, advice on procedural choices, application for change of compulsory measures, and opinions on the handling of the case and other legal assistance.