To beat bogus lawyers, M'sian Bar relaunches mobile app with info on membership status

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Bar has relaunched a mobile app that will contain information on a lawyer's membership status to help address the problem of people pretending to be advocates and solicitors.

Its president Salim Bashir said the newly revamped mobile app includes a digital membership card (DMC) for Members of the Bar.

With the DMC, Salim said a member can prove his or her membership status instantly.

"Only Members with a valid Practising Certificate will be able to access the mobile app, and thus the DMC. The DMC has a vCard QR Code that acts as a digital business card.

"This important feature benefits not only members but the public at large, as it displays in real time the legal status of every member who is entitled to represent a client as an advocate and solicitor.

"Any person who does not have a valid Practising Certificate, has been suspended, or struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors is not allowed to access the mobile app," he said in a statement on Tuesday (March 9).

Salim said this enhanced feature will help address the problem of touts and other persons who claim to be advocates and solicitors.

He hoped that the introduction of the DMC will better protect the public from such persons.

"We caution the public to always personally meet with lawyers that they intend to engage, and not to accept the word of any person claiming to be an agent, employee or intermediary of a law firm without proper verification," he said.

In addition to the DMC, Salim said details of all lawyers currently holding a valid Practising Certificate to practise law are also available on the public section of the Malaysian Bar website.

He noted that the Malaysian Bar is fully committed to utilising technology in order to improve its services.

"We trust that the DMC is a step in the right direction. We believe that innovation is necessary to ensure the interests of our members and the public are safeguarded," he said.

The mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and can be downloaded from the Apple Store and from Google Play.