Can a lawyer who pleads guilty be given a lighter punishment?

Legal analysis: If a criminal suspect pleads guilty and admits punishment, the people's procuratorate shall put forward sentencing suggestions on the principal punishment, supplementary punishment and whether probation is applicable. Before putting forward suggestions on sentencing, the people's procuratorate shall fully listen to the opinions of the criminal suspect, defender or lawyer on duty, and try to reach consensus through consultation. When handling a case of pleading guilty and admitting punishment, the people's procuratorate shall generally put forward suggestions on determining punishment and sentencing. For new types of unusual criminal cases, as well as felony cases with complicated sentencing circumstances, we can also put forward suggestions on amplitude punishment and sentencing. When proposing sentencing suggestions, the reasons and basis shall be explained. If the criminal suspect pleads guilty and admits punishment without other statutory sentencing circumstances, the people's procuratorate may, according to the facts and nature of the crime, be lenient on the basis of the benchmark punishment and put forward suggestions on determining the punishment and sentencing. If there are other statutory sentencing circumstances, the people's procuratorate shall comprehensively plead guilty and admit punishment and other statutory sentencing circumstances, and put forward suggestions on conviction and sentencing with reference to relevant sentencing norms.

Legal basis: Article 174th of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC). If a criminal suspect voluntarily pleads guilty and agrees to apply sentencing suggestions and procedures, he shall sign a confession and repentance in the presence of a defender or a lawyer on duty. If a criminal suspect pleads guilty and admits punishment, it is not necessary to sign a confession and repentance book under any of the following circumstances: if the criminal suspect is blind, deaf or dumb, or if the legal representative or defender of an adult criminal suspect who has not completely lost the ability to identify or control his behavior disagrees with the juvenile's confession and repentance book, it is not necessary to sign a confession and repentance book.