The replacement of a lawyer in Cyprus during the course of litigation is an important legal issue that is governed by both the civil and procedural laws of the country. Issues related to the withdrawal and replacement of a lawyer at another stage of the proceedings include both the rights of the parties and the liability of the lawyer to his client.

Legislative regulation

The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus is the fundamental document that guarantees the right of every citizen to defend his or her interests in court and to receive legal aid (see Article 30 of the Constitution of Cyprus).

The Cyprus Code of Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) – is the main procedural document that regulates the rules for the conduct of civil cases, including the process of substitution of counsel. In particular, Rule 36(2) CPR gives the parties the right to notify the court of a change of representative. This is also described in section 12 of the CPR, which governs applications and notices to the court.

Advocates Law (Law No. 12/1961) – regulates the status of lawyers in Cyprus and their obligations towards clients. The Law defines the obligations of lawyers when terminating their relationship with clients and the need to transfer all documents to a new representative.

Legal Aid Law (Legal Aid Law, 1973) – this law regulates the provision of legal aid in Cyprus, which also relates to the rights of the client to change lawyers and to receive the relevant services.

The right to change counsel

The Cyprus legislation grants supporters the right to change counsel throughout the judicial process. Under Cypriot law, the process of changing counsel is possible at any time, provided that it does not violate the rules and time limits set by the court for the filing of various motions, appeals and other procedural actions.
According to the Cyprus Code of Procedure, in the event of a change of lawyer, the client must notify the court of his decision. This notification must be in writing and must be accompanied by a document confirming the new choice of representative

Rights and Obligations of Parties when Changing Attorneys

One of the key aspects that is important to consider when changing attorneys is the right to defense. The law guarantees each party the opportunity to exercise the right to qualified legal assistance, which includes the ability to change attorneys. However, in some cases, the court may impose restrictions on the frequency of changing the parties’ representatives if such changes may have the effect of delaying the process.
An interesting example is when corporate clients are faced with the need to protect their interests in international markets. In such cases, lawyers may be changed during the litigation process to improve the client’s position based on an in-depth analysis of the legislation of other countries or in case of unforeseen circumstances requiring a different qualification of a specialist.
Thus, the change of counsel in Cyprus in the course of litigation is possible, but it is subject to strict procedural rules and jurisprudence. The parties may change representatives at any stage of the proceedings, but this process must be properly formalized and agreed with the court so as not to affect the normal course of the proceedings.