Attorney’s rights and duties. The attorney–client relationship. Professional confidentiality.
Attorneys Act — Article 24(1), item 3: The practice of law includes representing clients and defending their rights and legitimate interests before judicial authorities, administrative authorities and services, and individuals and legal entities.
Attorneys Act — Article 29(1): Before courts, pretrial authorities, administrative authorities, and other services in Bulgaria, an ATTORNEY or an attorney from the European Union is entitled to the same respect as a judge and MUST RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE DUE TO A JUDGE.
Attorneys Act — Article 33(1): An attorney’s papers, files, electronic documents, computer equipment, and other information media ARE INVIOLABLE AND ARE NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION, COPYING, EXAMINATION, OR SEIZURE.
(2) Correspondence between an attorney and a client, irrespective of the means of communication, including electronic communication, IS NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTION, COPYING, EXAMINATION, OR SEIZURE AND MAY NOT BE USED AS EVIDENCE.
(3) Conversations between an attorney and a client MAY NOT BE INTERCEPTED OR RECORDED. ANY RECORDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE MAY NOT BE USED AS EVIDENCE AND MUST BE DESTROYED IMMEDIATELY.
(4) AN ATTORNEY MAY NOT BE QUESTIONED in a procedural capacity about conversations or correspondence with a client; conversations or correspondence with another attorney; a client’s cases; or facts and circumstances learned in connection with providing defense and assistance.
(5) Paragraphs 1–4 also apply to attorneys from the European Union, junior attorneys, and legal assistants.
Attorneys Act — Article 34(1): AN ATTORNEY or an attorney from the European Union HAS THE RIGHT TO MEET PRIVATELY WITH A CLIENT, INCLUDING WHEN THE CLIENT IS REMANDED IN CUSTODY OR IMPRISONED.
(2) DURING THESE MEETINGS, THE ATTORNEY or attorney from the European Union HAS THE RIGHT TO EXCHANGE WRITTEN MATERIALS RELATING TO THE CASE, THE CONTENTS OF WHICH MAY NOT BE EXAMINED.
(3) CONVERSATIONS DURING THESE MEETINGS MAY NOT BE INTERCEPTED OR RECORDED, although the meetings may be visually monitored.
(4) For visits, an attorney identifies themselves solely by their attorney identification card; an attorney from the European Union does so by an attorney identification card or a certificate under Article 19б(3).
Attorneys Act — Article 39(1): Funds provided by a client for expenditure by an attorney or an attorney from the European Union may be deposited in a bank client account. Such an account may be opened by an attorney, an attorney from the European Union, or a law firm. Funds in the client account do not form part of the attorney’s or law firm’s assets and ARE NOT SUBJECT TO ATTACHMENT.
Attorneys Act — Article 45(1): AN ATTORNEY, including an attorney from the European Union, MUST PRESERVE A CLIENT’S CONFIDENTIALITY WITHOUT LIMITATION IN TIME.
(2) AN ATTORNEY, including an attorney from the European Union, MAY NOT, AS A WITNESS, DISCLOSE CIRCUMSTANCES entrusted to them in their professional capacity by a client or by another attorney in relation to a client.
Criminal Procedure Code — Article 121(2): A witness MAY NOT BE QUESTIONED ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES ENTRUSTED TO THEM AS DEFENSE COUNSEL OR AS A LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE, or learned while acting as an interpreter during meetings between an accused person and defense counsel.
Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria — Article 30(5): Everyone has the right to meet in private with the person providing their defense. The confidentiality of their communications is inviolable.