1, with different status. The legal specialist is an employee hired by the company, including contract drafting, review, and assistance in negotiation of new projects. The legal adviser is an external part-time job. Generally, he will sign a contract with a lawyer of a law firm and give him a part-time fee every year. If he participates in the lawsuit, he will be charged extra and the general case fee will be discounted.

2. Different qualifications. Law commissioners generally do not have a lawyer's qualification certificate. Legal advisers generally go to law firms to sign contracts with lawyers and need lawyer qualification certificates. Generally, large companies have legal commissioners, who will find external lawyers when they encounter cases, and then the legal commissioners will assist external lawyers;

3. Different roles. Corporate lawyers first appeared in large foreign-funded enterprises. Foreign investors in China must abide by the laws of China, and China is speeding up the construction of legal system. Therefore, it is particularly important for foreign companies to set up legal commissioners to handle related legal affairs.

Legal advisers are lawyers and other persons with professional legal knowledge who are employed by state organs, enterprises, institutions, social organizations and citizens to provide legal assistance to the employer in handling various legal affairs.

legal ground

People's Republic of China (PRC) Lawyers Law

Article 5 To apply for practicing as a lawyer, the following conditions shall be met:

(a) Support the Constitution of People's Republic of China (PRC);

(2) Obtaining the legal professional qualification through the national unified legal professional qualification examination;

(3) Having worked as an intern in a law firm for one year;

(4) Good conduct.

The national unified judicial examination certificate and lawyer qualification certificate obtained before the implementation of the national unified legal professional qualification examination have the same effect as the national unified legal professional qualification certificate. Article 6 To apply for practicing as a lawyer, an application shall be submitted to the judicial administrative department of the people's government of a city divided into districts or a municipality directly under the Central Government, and the following materials shall be submitted:

(a) the national unified legal professional qualification certificate;

(two) the materials issued by the lawyers association that the applicant has passed the internship assessment;

(3) the identity certificate of the applicant;

(4) A certificate issued by a law firm agreeing to accept the applicant.

To apply for a part-time lawyer's practice, it shall also submit a certificate that the unit where it works agrees that the applicant is engaged in a part-time lawyer's profession.

The department accepting the application shall conduct a review within 20 days from the date of acceptance, and submit the review opinions and all application materials to the judicial administrative department of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government. The judicial administrative departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall, within 10 days from the date of receiving the submitted materials, conduct an examination and make a decision on whether to approve the practice. If the practice is approved, the lawyer's practice certificate shall be issued to the applicant; If it is not allowed to practice, it shall explain the reasons in writing to the applicant.