Do lawyers have the right to investigate personal information privately?

Legal analysis: First of all, it must be clear that lawyers have the right to investigate and collect evidence. In the course of litigation, lawyers can obtain some evidence and provide it to the court. But the lawyer's right to obtain evidence is very limited. That is, witnesses who are willing to testify can provide testimony to lawyers. Other evidence is generally not available to lawyers. However, a lawyer may apply to the court for ex officio retrieval when he knows that the evidence exists.

Legal basis: Article 35 of the Lawyers Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), according to the needs of the case, the entrusted lawyer may apply to the people's procuratorate or the people's court for collecting and obtaining evidence or to the people's court for notifying witnesses to testify in court. If a lawyer investigates and collects evidence by himself, he may, with the lawyer's practice certificate and the certificate of the law firm, investigate the situation related to undertaking legal affairs with the relevant units or individuals.