论刑事律师的利益冲突规制

作为律师职业伦理中的重要规则,利益冲突及其规制在我国刑事领域受到了不应有的忽视。规制利益冲突体现了律师消极的忠诚义务,是司法程序理性运行的要求,也有助于维护律师的职业形象。根据利益冲突的严重程度,可将利益冲突划分为直接的利益冲突和间接的利益冲突。基于对利益冲突的严重性、实体真实的发现、当事人获得律师帮助的权利、律师自由执业的机会等因素的考虑,律师存在强制性规避和任意性规避两种方式。违反利益冲突规则既会使律师个人承担责任,也会带来程序性的法律后果。目前,律师利益冲突的规制在我国尚处于起步阶段,未来在利益冲突的类型划分、律师规避、法律后果以及司法审查等方面都有待进一步完善。

On the Regulation of Criminal Lawyers' Conflict of Interest

The conflict of interest, a significant rule in the ethics of lawyers, has been unduly ignored in its regulation in China’s criminal law practice. Its regulation reflects the lawyers’ passive duty of loyalty, serves as a must for the rational judicial procedures, and helps maintain the professional image of lawyers. Based on its severity, it can be divided into the direct one and the indirect one. Two ways for lawyers to avoid the conflict of interest exist: the compulsory one and the optional one, by considering the factors such as the seriousness in the conflict of interest, the revelation of substantive truth, the right of clients to obtain help from lawyers, and the free practice opportunity for lawyers. Violating the rule of the conflict of interest will not only make lawyers personally liable, but also incur consequences in legal procedures. However, the regulation of lawyers’ conflicts of interest is still in its infancy at present in China, and shall be improved in such respects as the classification of conflict of interest, the avoidance by lawyers, the legal consequences, and the judicial review.