Do lawyers have the obligation to protect their clients' privacy?

Legal analysis: lawyers have the obligation to protect the privacy of their clients. According to the provisions of the Lawyers Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), a lawyer is a practitioner who obtains a lawyer's practice certificate, accepts entrustment and provides legal services to clients. Lawyers should safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the parties and correctly implement the law and social fairness and justice. Lawyers must abide by the Constitution and laws, and abide by lawyers' professional ethics and practice discipline. Lawyers should keep confidential the information and materials that their clients and others are unwilling to disclose in their practice activities.

Legal basis: People's Republic of China (PRC) Lawyers Law.

Article 30 A lawyer representing litigation legal affairs or non-litigation legal affairs shall safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of clients within the scope of entrustment.

Article 31 When acting as a defender, a lawyer shall, in accordance with facts and laws, present materials and opinions on whether a criminal suspect or defendant is innocent or guilty of a minor crime, and on how to reduce or exempt him from criminal responsibility, so as to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the criminal suspect or defendant.

Article 38 A lawyer shall keep the state secrets and business secrets he knows in his practice, and shall not disclose the privacy of his clients. Lawyers should keep confidential the information and materials that clients have learned in their practice and that others are unwilling to disclose. However, criminal facts and information that endanger national security, public safety and other serious personal and property safety of others are not included.