- ICAB - Corporación de Derecho Público de professional character, founded on 17 January 1833, with its own legal personality [1].
- Under the State delegation, the International Criminal Court regulates Thorn d'Ofici (assistencia al detenido), ensures deontolología and regularizes the profession [1].
- Work abogado is only possible by a member of the colegio: diploma and incorporacion in Colegio de la Abogacía as ejerciente are compulsory (arts. 4 and 7 Estatutu General, art. 3.2 Ley 2/1974) [2][3].
- Counsel must indicate colegio and número de colegiado in all his actions (art. 15.4 Estatutu General) [2].
- The number does not assess quality and specialization: it identifies a person on the wheel list, and Consejo General de la Abogacía publishes a national centre [2].
What is ICAB?
ICAB (Il·lastre Col·legi de l'Advocacia de Barcelona) is a professional public law corporation founded on 17 January 1833. [1]The General Act on Colegio calls them public law corporations and their objectives are to regulate the profession, to represent exclusively and to protect the interests of members (art. 1 Ley 2/1974) [3].
Under the State delegation, the ICAB organizes the work of Torn d'Ofici and asistencia al detenido, monitors the observance of the deontolología and streamlines the professional activities of lawyers [1]. The Spanish Bar is organized as a network of colegio, conseio autonomous communities and Consejo General (Article 2 Estatuto General de la Abogacía); ICAB - colegio Barcelona [2].
What do you mean, the bar number?
Número de colegiado is the number of the lawyer on his colegio list. Colegios transmits to Consejo General de la Abogacía Española lists of their lawyers with names, numbers, official diplomas, professional address and admission status; from these are collected the national register ejercientes published on the website and in the "Ventanilla única" (art. 15.1 Estatututo General) [2]In professional actions, the lawyer is obliged to indicate the collegio number and the number of the collegia (Article 15.4) <x id id=70> the Russian family member of the "N"V=70" of the Russian family. [2].
The "ICAB No. ..." type is read as follows: a person is listed in ICAB under this number. The number confirms membership. It does not say anything about specialization and experience: there is no quality assessment in the list of data that is sent to the register by the log. [2].
What are the differences between ejerciente and no ejerciente?
| Status | What do you mean? | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Ejerciente | Colegio member who works as a professional lawyer; the name abogado belongs to him alone | Estatututo General, article 4 [2] |
| Ejerciente in several colegio | Residents can only be in one colegio; entry into others freely | Article 7.3 [2] |
| No ejerciente | Member without practice | Article 8 [2] |
Membership as ejerciente in any Spanish colegio allows for work throughout the country without additional authorization (arts. 7.1 and 14) [2]The law makes such membership a condition of practice: the cogitation is mandatory for the professions that require it (art. 3.2 Ley 2/1974), and for the appearance before the court this is expressly confirmed by art. 544 LOPJ [3][4].
What does ICAB do for citizens?
ICAB reports that it provides protection through Torn d'Ofici and Asistencia al Detenido, while Servei d'Orientació jurridica (SOJ) provides free primary legal guidance. [1]The law specifically refers to free assistance to foreigners: those who do not have sufficient means in procedures that may lead to denial of entry, return or expulsion, and in all asylum procedures, as well as the assistance of an interpreter (art. 22.1 LOEx) [5]Who is entitled to such assistance and in which cases depends on the income and type of case; if the case has reached the rejection, the procedure for appeal is described in the article. Reposión and alzadaand a general overview of the grounds for residence permits is available on the page Residence permit in Barcelona.
How do you check the lawyer's number?
- Ask for a name, colegio and a colegio number. If the consultation is online, the lawyer must present himself and name the colegio before requesting payment (art. 16.2 Estatututo General) [2].
- Check the data in the public register: Barcelona lawyers have the "Buscador de professionales" on ICAB, and the national conso is the host of Consejo General de la Abogacía. [2][6].
- Make sure ejerciente status: no ejerciente is not entitled to abogado [2].
- If you ask a specialist about his behavior, contact his colegio: control of deontology is his function. [1].
What we don't know is, what exactly does the ICAB search engine show and how the complaint is filed. On the ICAB page, the procedure is not described, you can see the details on the colegio website.
You can also check any lawyer, including our team, the name and number of the colegium are on the page. About us.The difference between a lawyer and a gestator is dealt with in the article. Gestor or abogadoand whether a lawyer is required to apply for a residence permit, in article Do you need a lawyer to live with you?.
Frequent issues
What is ICAB?
What does "ICAB No. 12345" mean after the lawyer's name?
Can you check the colegio's lawyer number?
Can ICAB's lawyer work outside Barcelona?
Is there free legal aid through ICAB?
Based on source
- ICAB · Presentació i funcions ↗
- BOE · Real Decreto 135/2021, Estatuto General de la Abogacía Española, artículos 2, 4, 7, 8, 14 - 16 ↗
- BOE · Ley 2/1974 sobre Colegios Profesionales, artículos 1 y 3 ↗
- BOE · Ley Orgánica 6/1985 del Poder Judicial, artículo 544 ↗
- BOE · Ley Orgánica 4/2000, artículo 22 (asistencia jurídica gratuita) ↗
- ICAB · Buscador de profesionales ↗
Sources are viewed on 02.10.2026. Consolidated texts and departmental reference pages are informative: legal application takes into account official publications, changes and specific circumstances. Material has not been personally checked by counsel.
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The source is viewed on 02.10.2026 · NEXO · Drafting Draft · Sources do not replace individual legal advice.