Can a lawyer from the same law firm represent the original defendant in the same case?

Lawyers from the same law firm generally cannot represent the original defendant in the same case, because the Code for Lawyers Practice stipulates that in civil litigation, administrative litigation and arbitration cases, different lawyers from the same law firm act as agents for both parties to the dispute at the same time. However, this standard is only an industry standard formulated by the National Lawyers Association, and it is not a mandatory provision of laws and administrative regulations. Therefore, it is not illegal for a lawyer of a law firm to act as an attorney for both parties to a case at the same time, and the court cannot deprive the parties of their right to debate.

According to the provisions of Article 50 of the Code of Conduct for Lawyers, under any of the following circumstances, lawyers and law firms may not establish or maintain an entrusted relationship with the parties:

(1) A lawyer acts as an agent for both parties in the same case, or represents legal affairs that have conflicts of interest with himself or his close relatives;

(2) When a lawyer handles litigation or non-litigation business, his close relatives are the legal agents or agents of the other party;

(3) Staff members, judges, prosecutors and arbitrators of administrative organs who have personally handled or tried a certain matter or case before becoming lawyers;

(4) Different lawyers from the same law firm act as agents of victims and defenders of criminal suspects and defendants in the same criminal case, unless there is only one law firm in the county and the parties have agreed in advance;

(5) In civil litigation, administrative litigation and arbitration cases, different lawyers of the same law firm act as agents of both parties to the dispute at the same time, or the firm or its staff are one party and other lawyers of the firm act as agents of the other party;

(six) in non-litigation business, in addition to the entrustment of all parties, lawyers of the same law firm also act as agents of interested parties;

(seven) after the termination of the entrustment relationship, the same law firm or the same lawyer accepts the entrustment of the other party in the subsequent trial or handling of the same case;

(8) Other conflicts of interest similar to items (1) to (7) of this article, which can be judged to be avoided and not handled according to the lawyer's practice experience and industry common sense.