Preliminary note

In Austria, lawyers who are admitted to a bar association (i.e. listed there as an attorney (Rechtsanwalt)) are subject to a duty of professional secrecy.

Only lawyers who are admitted to a bar are entitled to appear in court (with a few exceptions). Such lawyers are self-employed, although they can be partners or associates in a law firm. They must comply with the statutory rules on the exercise of the legal profession (primarily the Lawyers Act – Rechtsanwaltsordnung) and the Guidelines on the Exercise of the Legal Profession, the Supervision of the Duties of the Lawyer and the Training of Candidate Lawyers (Richtlinien für die Ausübung des Rechtsanwaltsberufes, für die Überwachung der Pflichten des Rechtsanwaltes und für die Ausbildung der Rechtsanwaltsanwärter (RL-BA 1977)). In Austria, there is a bar association (Rechtsanwaltskammer) in each province (Bundesland). In total, Austria has nine bar associations, each of which is presided over by a president, his or her deputies and a council (Ausschuss). The nine bar associations form the Austrian Bar (Österreichischer Rechtsanwaltskammertag), which is headed by a President and a Council (Präsidium).