Circular No. 03/2025/TT-BTP stipulates the code number, professional standards, and salary grading for legal officers.

CIRCULAR

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forthe legal officer rank

 On the basis of Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on the wage system for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces; Decree No. 76/2009/NĐ-CP dated September 15, 2009 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on the wage system for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces; Decree No. 14/2012/NĐ-CP dated March 7, 2012 of the Government amending Article 7 Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on the wage system for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces and Section I Table of Position Allowances (Elected, Appointed) in state agencies, state-owned organizations, and units under the People's Army and Public Security; attached to Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP; Decree No. 17/2013/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2013 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on the wage system for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces; Decree No. 117/2016/NĐ-CP dated July 21, 2016 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 204/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on the wage system for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces;

Pursuant to Decree No. 138/2020/NĐ-CP dated November 27, 2020 of the Government on recruitment, use, and management of civil servants; Decree No. 116/2024/NĐ-CP dated September 17, 2024 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No.138/2020/NĐ-CPdated November 27, 2020 on recruitment, use, and management of civil servants and Decree No. 06/2023/NĐ-CP dated February 21, 2023 on quality assessment of civil servant recruitment; Decree No. 06/2023/NĐ-CPdated February 21, 2023 of the Government on quality assessment of civil servant recruitment;

Pursuant to Decree No. 55/2011/NĐ-CP dated July 4, 2011 of the Government on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of legal affairs organizations; Decree No. 56/2024/NĐ-CP dated May 18, 2024 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 55/2011/NĐ-CP dated July 4, 2011 of the Government on functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of legal affairs organizations;

Decree No. 39/2025/Decree-CP dated February 26 the 02 day5 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Justice;

At the proposal of Director of the Department of Legal Document Inspection and Administrative Violation Handling;

The Minister of Justice issues this Circular to stipulate code, professional standards, job qualifications, and salary grading for legal officer ranks.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular stipulates the code, professional standards, job qualifications, and salary grading for legal officer ranks, including senior legal officers, principal legal officers, and legal officers.

2. This Circular applies to civil servants holding legal officer ranks at ministries, ministerial-level agencies (including all bureaus and equivalent units under ministries and ministerial-level agencies), specialized agencies under provincial people's committees (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial level); ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, provincial people's committees, and related organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Time of personnel performing legal affairs tasks and confirmation documents

1. The time of personnel performing legal affairs tasks is cumulative time, excluding the probation period for those who perform work according to their position in legal affairs with a bachelor's degree or higher in law and undertake one of the tasks or responsibilities specified in Chapter II of Decree No. 55/2011/NĐ-CP dated July 4, 2011 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of legal affairs organizations (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 56/2024/NĐ-CP dated May 18, 2024).

Confirmation documents for the time of personnel performing legal affairs tasks include copies of the following documents: bachelor's degree or higher in law; decision appointing to ranks, occupational titles according to the position in legal affairs work or documents changing ranks, occupational titles according to the position in legal affairs work (if applicable) or employment contracts for occupational titles, legal officers.

2. Equivalent time of personnel performing legal affairs tasks is the compulsory social insurance contribution period in accordance with the Social Insurance Law (if the working period is not continuous and has not received a one-time social insurance benefit, it can be accumulated), excluding the probation period; having a bachelor's degree or higher in law and performing work requiring appropriate professional qualifications and skills for the position in legal affairs work. This time is equivalent to the time holding legal officer ranks.

Confirmation documents for equivalent time of personnel performing legal affairs tasks include copies of the following documents: bachelor's degree or higher in law; decision appointing civil servant ranks, occupational titles, documents changing ranks, occupational titles (if applicable) or employment contracts requiring appropriate professional qualifications and skills for the position in legal affairs work or lawyer practice certificates or titles in judicial auxiliary fields; documents proving social insurance contribution periods; other documents proving equivalent time for performing legal affairs tasks.

Article 3. Codes of Legal Officer Ranks

1. Senior Legal Officer: Code 15.001.

2. Principal Legal Officer: Code 15.002.

3. Legal Officer: Code 15.003.

Article 4. Common Standards for Legal Officer Ranks

1. Being a Vietnamese citizen, loyal to the country, having good moral character, sense of responsibility, integrity, honesty, fairness, and objectivity.

2. Civil servants appointed to Legal Officer ranks, promoted, or transferred must meet the standards and conditions stipulated by the Government on recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants and as provided in this Circular.

Chapter II

DUTIES, TASKS, STANDARDS AND PAY GRADES FOR

LEGAL OFFICER RANKS

Article 5. Senior Legal Officer Rank

1. Responsibilities

The senior legal officer is a civil servant with the highest level of expertise in legal affairs at the central level, responsible for organizing the implementation of laws across multiple areas of state administration or at least one specialized area of state administration; providing strategic advice and policy planning; drafting or reviewing regulatory legal documents; implementing legal affairs tasks assigned to their sector or field; and researching, proposing, and guiding legal work practices.

2. Tasks

a) Leading the implementation of one or more legal affairs tasks; organizing the enforcement of laws across multiple areas of state administration assigned or at least one specialized area of state administration.

b) Leading the drafting of Party documents, policies, strategies, plans, long-term plans, regulatory legal documents, international treaties, international agreements, programs, projects, and proposals related to the assigned areas of state administration.

c) Leading the review and participating in opinions on regulatory legal documents related to multiple sectors and fields.

d) Leading the inspection, interim evaluation, and final assessment of the implementation of regulatory legal documents, international treaties, and international agreements within the assigned areas of state administration.

đ) Leading research topics, projects, national-level, ministry-level, department-level, or provincial-level scientific studies related to the assigned areas of state administration.

e) Leading the research, proposal, and implementation of measures to enhance the effectiveness of legal work generally and specifically within the assigned sectors and fields.

g) Leading the compilation and construction of professional guidance materials on legal work; organizing specialized training sessions, vocational training, or dissemination of knowledge and experience on legal work within the assigned areas of state administration.

h) Leading the consolidation, coordination, and implementation of legal functions and powers within ministries and equivalent agencies; providing comprehensive advice on legal functions and powers.

i) Implementing one of the duties or powers specified in Chapter II of Decree No. 55/2011/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 56/2024/ND-CP).

k) Cooperating with relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals to carry out assigned duties and powers.

l) Performing other duties and powers assigned and as prescribed by law.

3. Professional Qualification Standards

a) Having a deep understanding and proficient application of the Party's guidelines, policies, and state laws related to higher-level documents, economic and social development goals within the assigned sectors and fields; being well-informed about domestic and international trends in the assigned areas of state administration.

b) Possessing specialized knowledge and understanding of legal work practices and regulatory legal documents within the assigned areas of state administration; proficiently applying specialized knowledge and skills in legal work practices to organize the implementation of assigned tasks.

c) Having the ability to propose and provide strategic advice on policy planning; having advanced skills in drafting, commenting, and reviewing documents related to assigned responsibilities and tasks.

d) Having the ability to guide the application of laws and specialized legal work practices within the assigned areas of state administration.

đ) Being capable of working independently, in teams, and coordinating effectively with relevant agencies, units, and individuals in carrying out assigned tasks.

e) Having information technology and language skills appropriate to the functions, duties, and roles of the agency, organization, or unit using the position approved by the competent authority.

4. Educational and Training Standards

a) Holding a bachelor’s degree or higher in law.

b) Holding a certificate in legal work training.

c) Holding a master’s degree in political theory or a master’s degree in political theory and public administration.

d) Holding a certificate in administrative management knowledge according to the standards of the senior specialist rank or equivalent, or holding a master’s degree in political theory and public administration.

5. Requirements for Senior Legal Officers Applying for Promotion to the Senior Legal Officer Rank:

In addition to the standards stipulated in Clause 3 and Clause 4 of this Article and the Government's regulations on recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants, senior legal officers applying for promotion to the senior legal officer rank must also meet the following conditions:

a) Having held the senior legal officer rank or equivalent for a minimum of six years (72 months), calculated cumulatively up to the deadline for submitting registration forms for the promotion examination. If they have held an equivalent rank to the senior legal officer rank, they must have held the senior legal officer rank for at least one year (12 months), calculated cumulatively up to the deadline for submitting registration forms for the promotion examination.

b) During the period of holding the senior legal officer rank or equivalent, they must have led the drafting or review of at least two regulatory legal documents or research topics, projects, programs, and scientific studies at the national, ministry, department, or provincial level that have been issued or accepted by the competent authority, or participated in the review of at least five regulatory legal documents. Specifically:

There must be a document from the authorized person appointing them to join the Drafting Committee or Drafting Group of regulatory legal documents or assigning them the task of leading the drafting of regulatory legal documents.

There must be a document from the authorized person appointing them to join the Steering Committee, Head Committee, Drafting Committee of research topics, projects, programs, and scientific studies at the national, ministry, department, or provincial level or assigning them the task of leading the review, preparing review reports, or participating in the review of regulatory legal documents.

Article 6. Legal Officer Grade

1. Responsibilities

A Legal Officer Grade is a civil servant with high expertise in legal affairs at the central level or provincial level, responsible for organizing the implementation of laws in one or several areas of state management; researching and perfecting policies; drafting or reviewing regulatory legal documents in the assigned fields; implementing the legal work content of the assigned sector or field; and researching, proposing, and guiding legal work practices.

2. Tasks

a) Leading the implementation of one or several aspects of legal work; organizing the enforcement of laws in one or several areas of state management assigned.

b) Leading or participating in drafting regulatory legal documents, international treaties, international agreements, plans, policies, programs, projects, and proposals in the assigned areas of state management.

c) Leading or participating in reviewing regulatory legal documents related to several sectors or fields.

d) Leading or participating in inspecting, summarizing, and concluding on the implementation of regulatory legal documents, international treaties, and international agreements in the assigned sectors or fields of state management.

đ) Leading or participating in researching topics, projects, national-level scientific research works, ministry-level, department-level, or provincial-level research works in the assigned sectors or fields of state management.

e) Leading or participating in researching, proposing, and implementing measures to enhance the effectiveness of legal work generally and specifically in the assigned sectors or fields.

g) Leading or participating in compiling and drafting specialized guidance materials on legal work; organizing specialized training sessions, vocational training, or disseminating knowledge and experience on legal work according to the assigned sectors or fields of state management.

h) Implementing comprehensive summaries, connecting and deploying the implementation, and providing comprehensive advice on legal functions and authorities within ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries, and specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees.

i) Implementing one of the duties or powers specified in Chapter II of Decree No. 55/2011/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 56/2024/ND-CP).

k) Cooperating with relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals to carry out assigned duties and powers.

l) Performing other duties and powers assigned and as prescribed by law.

3. Professional Qualification Standards

a) Mastering the Party's guidelines, policies, and State laws relevant to the assigned field, and superior documents regarding the assigned field; understanding the situation domestically in the assigned sectors or fields of state management.

b) Having profound knowledge and understanding of laws and professional expertise related to the assigned sectors or fields of state management; skillfully applying professional knowledge and skills in legal work to organize the implementation of assigned tasks.

c) Possessing the ability to draft, provide comments, and review documents related to assigned responsibilities and tasks.

d) Possessing the ability to guide the application of laws and professional expertise in legal work according to the assigned sectors or fields of state management.

đ) Having the ability to work independently, in teams, and coordinate with related units and individuals in implementing assigned tasks.

e) Possessing the ability to use information technology and foreign languages appropriate to the functions and tasks of the employing agency, organization, or unit approved by the competent authority.

4. Educational and Training Standards

a) Holding a bachelor’s degree or higher in law.

b) Holding a certificate in legal work training.

c) Holding a certificate of administrative management training according to the standard for the Specialist Grade or equivalent, or holding a doctoral degree in political theory and administration.

5. Requirements for Legal Officers Applying for Promotion to the Legal Officer Grade

For Legal Officers applying for promotion to the Legal Officer Grade, in addition to the criteria stipulated in Clause 3 and Clause 4 of this Article and the Government's regulations on recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants, they must also meet the following conditions:

a) Having held the Legal Officer Grade or an equivalent grade for a minimum of nine years (108 months), calculated cumulatively until the deadline for submitting registration forms for the promotion examination. Time spent in probationary periods is not counted. If the time held in an equivalent grade to the Legal Officer Grade is less than nine years, there must be at least one year (12 months) of holding the Legal Officer Grade, calculated cumulatively until the deadline for submitting registration forms for the promotion examination.

b) During the period of holding the Legal Officer Grade or an equivalent grade, having led the review of at least one regulatory legal document or participated in drafting or reviewing at least two regulatory legal documents or research topics, projects, or programs from the grassroots level upwards that have been approved or accepted by the competent authority. Specifically:

There is a document from the authorized person assigning participation in the Drafting Board or Drafting Team of regulatory legal documents or assigning participation in drafting regulatory legal documents.

There is a document from the authorized person assigning participation in the Steering Committee, Head Committee, or Drafting Board of research topics, projects, or programs from the grassroots level upwards or assigning the responsibility to lead the review, prepare review reports, or participate in reviewing regulatory legal documents.

Article 7. Legal Officer Rank

1. Responsibilities

A Legal Officer is a civil servant with basic professional expertise in legal affairs at the central level or provincial level, responsible for organizing the implementation of laws in the field of state administration; researching and perfecting policies; drafting or reviewing regulatory legal documents in the assigned field of state management; performing legal affairs tasks of the assigned sector or field.

2. Tasks

a) Leading the organization to implement one or more legal affairs tasks; organizing the enforcement of laws in the assigned field of state management;

b) Participating in drafting regulatory legal documents, international treaties, international agreements, plans, policies, programs, projects, and proposals in the assigned sector or field of state management;

c) Leading or participating in reviewing regulatory legal documents related to the assigned sector or field;

d) Participating in inspecting, summarizing, and concluding the implementation of legal affairs documents, regulatory legal documents, international treaties, and international agreements on legal affairs according to the assigned sector or field of state management;

đ) Participating in researching topics, proposals, national-level, ministry-level, department-level, or provincial-level scientific research works on legal affairs according to the assigned sector or field of state management;

e) Participating in researching, proposing, and implementing measures to enhance the effectiveness of legal affairs work generally and specifically in the assigned sector or field;

g) Participating in organizing the compilation and construction of specialized guidance materials on legal affairs; organizing specialized training sessions, vocational training, or disseminating knowledge and experience on legal affairs according to the assigned sector or field of state management;

h) Implementing comprehensive summaries, connecting and deploying the implementation, and providing comprehensive advice on legal functions and authorities within ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries, and specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees.

i) Implementing one of the duties or powers specified in Chapter II of Decree No. 55/2011/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 56/2024/ND-CP).

k) Cooperating with relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals to carry out assigned duties and powers.

l) Performing other duties and powers assigned and as prescribed by law.

3. Professional Qualification Standards

a) Understanding and being able to apply Party guidelines, policies, State laws relevant to legal affairs work in the assigned sector or field of state management, and superior documents;

b) Having knowledge and understanding of various fields of law, professional expertise in the assigned sector or field of state management; having the ability to apply professional skills in legal affairs work in organizing the implementation of assigned tasks;

c) Having the ability to draft, provide comments, and review documents related to assigned responsibilities and tasks;

d) Having the ability to participate in researching summaries and practical experiences in legal affairs work;

đ) Having the ability to guide the application of laws and professional expertise in legal affairs according to the assigned sector or field of state management;

e) Having the ability to work independently, in teams, and coordinate with relevant units and individuals in implementing assigned tasks;

g) Having the capability to use information technology and foreign languages appropriate to the functions and duties of the employing agency, organization, or unit approved by the competent authority;

4. Educational and Training Standards

a) Holding a bachelor’s degree or higher in law.

b) Holding a certificate in legal work training.

c) Holding a certificate for training in administrative management knowledge and skills for clerical civil servants and equivalent positions;

5. A person appointed to the Legal Officer rank in accordance with the law on cadres and civil servants must, in addition to the criteria stipulated in Clause 3 and Clause 4 of this Article and the Government's regulations on recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants, also have at least two years (twenty-four months) cumulatively performing one of the tasks or powers specified in Chapter II of Decree No. 55/2011/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree No. 56/2024/ND-CP), excluding the probation period up to the deadline for submitting the appointment application.

Article 8. Classification of salaries for Legal Officers

1. Civil servants in the Legal Officer classifications shall apply the Specialized and Professional Salary Scale for cadres, civil servants in state agencies (Scale 2) issued together with Decree No. 204/2004/ND-CP dated December 14, 2004 of the Government on salary systems for cadres, civil servants, public officials, and armed forces personnel (amended and supplemented by Decrees No. 76/2009/ND-CP dated September 15, 2009; No. 14/2012/ND-CP dated March 7, 2012; No. 17/2013/ND-CP dated February 19, 2013; No. 117/2016/ND-CP dated July 21, 2016) as follows:

a) The Legal Officer classification applies the A1 civil servant salary scale;

b) The Senior Legal Officer classification applies the A2 civil servant salary scale, group A2.1;

c) The Senior Legal Officer classification applies the A3 civil servant salary scale, group A3.1.

2. The transfer of salary classification when upgrading or changing positions shall be carried out in accordance with Circular No. 02/2007/TT-BNV dated May 25, 2007 of the Minister of Home Affairs guiding the salary classification when upgrading or changing positions, types of civil servants, and public officials.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 9. Transitional Provisions

1. As of July 1, 2025, civil servants performing legal work who are being considered for transfer to corresponding Legal Officer classifications according to Clause 4, Article 4 of Decree No. 56/2024/ND-CP shall only apply the criteria stipulated in Clause 4, Article 4 of Decree No. 56/2024/ND-CP. After July 1, 2025, those appointed to Legal Officer classifications must meet the criteria and conditions set forth by the Government regarding recruitment, employment, and management of civil servants and this Circular.

2. In cases where the legal documents cited for application in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, they shall be implemented in accordance with the amended, supplemented, or replacement documents.

Article 10. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

1. This Circular takes effect from May 15, 2025.

2. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees, and related agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for implementing the provisions of this Circular.

3. In the course of implementation, if there are difficulties, please report to the Ministry of Justice for guidance and resolution./.