Myanmar tightens regulation of legal practice with amendments to Legal Practitioners Act

27 March 2026

On 7 March 2026, Myanmar enacted Law No. 12 of 2026, which amends the Legal Practitioners Act (“Amended Act”).

The amendments seek to tighten rules relating to the practice of law in Myanmar. For instance, the Amended Act states that no person shall practise as a pleader - a category of legal practitioner licensed to practice in lower courts, specifically handling civil and criminal matters in district and township courts - in Myanmar without holding a certificate issued by the Supreme Court of the Union and being duly enrolled with a court. It also prohibits unqualified persons (“touts” in Myanmar law) from carrying out legal work outside the court in the capacity of a lawyer. Further, the penalties for unauthorised practice, violations by suspended or dismissed pleaders, and activities of touts have been significantly increased.

The Amended Act provides that violations of the restrictions noted above may attract a penalty of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or a fine of not less than MMK1 million and not more than MMK10 million, or both.

Allen & Gledhill’s operations in Myanmar are not affected by the Amended Act.