On Jan 29, Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), led a delegation to visit the All China Lawyers Association (ACLA) for exchange of ideas, marking the third consecutive year that the SPC has conducted a visit to the association to solicit opinions and suggestions on the work of courts. The meeting was chaired by He Rong, minister of justice.

On Jan 29, Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), leads a delegation to visit the All China Lawyers Association for exchange of ideas, marking the third consecutive year that the SPC has conducted a visit to the association to solicit opinions and suggestions on the work of courts. The meeting is chaired by He Rong, minister of justice. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

During the meeting, representatives from the legal field put forward opinions and suggestions on further strengthening sound interaction between courts and lawyers and jointly advancing the rule of law. They noted the positive progress made by courts at all levels in recent years in safeguarding lawyers’ lawful practice rights and emphasized that the dignity and authority of the law rely on joint efforts by the legal profession. 

Suggestions raised by the representatives included improving institutional safeguards for lawyers’ rights, optimizing the user experience of the online legal templates for litigation, enhancing mechanisms such as litigation–mediation linkage and judicial confirmation to support lawyers’ participation in diversified dispute resolution, expanding lawyers’ involvement in the development and sharing of case databases, and strengthening regular communication mechanisms among judicial organs, judicial administrative organs and lawyers’ associations.

Gao Zicheng, president of the All China Lawyers Association, Zhang Hui, a deputy to the National People’s Congress, and lawyer representatives Liu Yanling, Bai Min, Mou Chi and Sun Mingjing speak at the symposium. [Photo/court.gov.cn]

Zhang said that the development and progress of courts cannot be achieved without the care, support and supervision of lawyers. He stressed the need to further enhance awareness, from a political and institutional perspective, of safeguarding lawyers’ lawful rights in practice. Lawyers are an important force in advancing the rule of law, and their practice rights are, in essence, an extension of the involved parties’ right to litigation, Zhang noted, adding that respecting and protecting lawyers’ lawful performance of their duties showcases a people-centered approach to justice. It helps to enhance public confidence in judicial fairness, and contributes to improving mechanisms for the realization and evaluation of judicial justice, he added.

More efforts should be made to regulate judges’ conduct, practice strict and impartial justice, and thoroughly consider lawyers' perspectives in adjudication, Zhang said. More should be done to further improve mechanisms for handling cases concerning lawyers’ rights protection, ensuring smoother channels and more efficient case resolution, he added.

He called for upholding and developing the “Fengqiao Experience” in the new era, summarizing and promoting lawyers’ mediation experience, and implementing the commercial mediation regulations effectively. Courts should also focus on strengthening information technology infrastructure, improving litigation service platforms, and using digital tools to safeguard lawyers’ rights to practice, Zhang said. He also highlighted the importance of mutual respect, equal treatment, mutual support and oversight between courts and lawyers to foster a professional relationship that is both close and disciplined. He expressed the hope that lawyers would continue to support the work of courts and pool greater synergy for advancing the rule of law.

He Rong noted that lawyers are a high-caliber professional force that is indispensable in advancing the rule of law, and that the joint efforts of lawyers and judges are crucial for promoting high-quality development, safeguarding social fairness and justice, and advancing the rule of law. She emphasized that lawyers should pursue fairness and justice in the handling of every case and strive to live up to the expectations of the country and the people.

She said that judicial administrative organs and lawyers’ associations should continue to strengthen the building of Party organizations for lawyers, guiding lawyers to play a greater role in advancing Chinese modernization. She emphasized protecting lawyers’ practice rights, regulating their professional conduct, and making full use of the role of lawyers’ associations to further enhance safeguards for lawyers’ rights during adjudication, so as to foster a sound practice environment for them. She also called for closer coordination with courts in areas such as lawyers’ participation in commercial mediation, promoting the use of legal templates in litigation, the development of case databases, and the revision of the Lawyers Law, in order to jointly advance the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics.

SPC Vice-President Mao Zhonghua and Vice-Minister of Justice Wu Zeng briefed the meeting participants on relevant work. Representatives from relevant departments of the SPC, the Ministry of Justice, and the ACLA also attended the meeting.