Lawyers’ fees in Northern Cyprus could double

The TRNC government has submitted to parliament a bill amending the Law on Lawyers, which provides for an increase in the maximum limit for raising lawyers’ fees and payments.

Under the current regulations, the Council of Ministers may adjust lawyers’ fees and tariffs annually through secondary legislation, but any increase or decrease may not exceed tenfold. The bill proposes raising this limit to twentyfold.

The explanatory note states that, due to years of price growth and inflation, the current limit has already been reached and no longer corresponds to current economic conditions.

Following the adoption of the amendments, the Council of Ministers will be able to set new lawyers’ fees taking into account the annual inflation rate announced by the Statistical Institute, with the possibility of changing the rates by up to twentyfold.

The bill also provides for an update to the rules governing registration in the lawyers’ register. Persons who become eligible for registration as lawyers following a decision by the Legal Council will be able to be entered in the register upon payment of a fee of 650 Turkish liras.

The amendments will enter into force after being adopted by parliament and published in the Official Gazette.