What ICAB is and what a lawyer's bar number means

What is ICAB?

ICAB (Il·lustre Col·legi de l'Advocacia de Barcelona) is a professional corporation under public law, founded on 17 January 1833. ICAB itself describes its mission as ensuring the proper functioning of the legal profession and the rights of citizens [1]. The general law on colegios calls them corporations under public law, and lists their aims as regulating the profession, exclusive representation of it and protecting the interests of their members (Article 1 of Ley 2/1974) [3].

By delegation of the State, ICAB organises the Torn d'Ofici and asistencia al detenido, supervises compliance with deontología and regulates the professional activity of lawyers [1]. The Spanish legal profession is organised as a network of colegios, councils of the autonomous communities and the Consejo General (Article 2 of the Estatuto General de la Abogacía); ICAB is the colegio of Barcelona [2].

What does the bar membership number mean?

The número de colegiado is a lawyer’s number on the list of their colegio. Colegios send the Consejo General de la Abogacía Española lists of their lawyers with name, number, official qualifications, professional address and practising status; these lists make up the national register of ejercientes, published on its website and in the “ventanilla única” (Article 15.1 of the Estatuto General) [2]. In their professional acts, a lawyer must state their colegio and número de colegiado (Article 15.4) [2].

An entry such as “ICAB No. ...” reads as follows: the person is listed with ICAB under this number. The number confirms membership. It says nothing about specialisation or experience: the list of data that colegios send to the register contains no assessment of quality [2].

What is the difference between ejerciente and no ejerciente?

Membership as an ejerciente of any colegio in Spain allows you to work throughout the country without further authorisation (Articles 7.1 and 14) [2]. The law makes this membership a condition of practice: joining a colegio is mandatory for professions that require it (Article 3.2 of Ley 2/1974), and Article 544 of the LOPJ confirms this expressly for appearing in court [3][4].

What does ICAB do for the public?

ICAB states that it organises defence through the Torn d'Ofici and Asistencia al Detenido, and that the Servei d'Orientació Jurídica (SOJ) gives initial legal guidance free of charge. There is also a centre for alternative dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration) [1]. For foreigners, the law separately provides for free legal aid: for those without sufficient means, in procedures that may lead to refusal of entry, return or expulsion, and in all asylum procedures, as well as the assistance of an interpreter (Article 22.1 of the LOEx) [5].

Who is entitled to this aid, and in which cases, depends on income and the type of case. If your case has ended in a refusal, the appeal procedure is described in the article reposición and alzada, and a general overview of residence permit grounds is on the page Residence permit in Barcelona.

How do you check a lawyer by their number?

1. Ask for the lawyer’s name, colegio and número de colegiado. If the consultation is online, the lawyer must identify themselves and name their colegio before asking for payment (Article 16.2 of the Estatuto General) [2].
2. Check the details in the public register: for Barcelona lawyers this is the “Buscador de profesionales” on the ICAB website, and the national censo is kept by the Consejo General de la Abogacía [2][6].
3. Make sure the status is ejerciente: a no ejerciente is not entitled to call themselves abogado [2].
4. If you have concerns about a professional’s conduct, contact their colegio: supervising deontología is one of its functions [1].

What we do not know: exactly which data the ICAB search tool shows and how a complaint is filed. The ICAB page does not describe the procedure; check the details on the colegio’s website.

You can check any lawyer the same way, including those on our team: their name and número de colegiado are given on the About us page. How a lawyer differs from a gestor is covered in the article gestor or abogado, and whether you need a lawyer to apply for a residence permit in the article do you need a lawyer for a residence permit.

Frequently asked questions

Related articles

ReloVictory · Sources reviewed 02.10.2026 · Not a substitute for individual legal advice.