More than 130 newly licensed lawyers in Shenzhen take a solemn oath
On November 1, 2017, the Measures of Guangdong Province for the Implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Lawyers officially came into effect. To mark the occasion, the Shenzhen Lawyers Association organized newly practicing lawyers to hold a solemn swearing-in ceremony downstairs of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association. Lin Changchi, President of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association, and Wang Tengfeng, Vice President, attended the ceremony, which was joined by more than 130 newly practicing lawyers. The ceremony was presided over by Chen Wei, Director of the Publicity Committee, with Xiao Huadong, Supervisor, administering the oath.
At 9 a.m., more than 130 newly licensed lawyers, dressed in their lawyer robes and wearing badges, under the leadership of Vice President Wang Tengfeng, faced the national flag, raised their right hands, and solemnly took an oath, expressing their lofty faith and firm determination to be loyal to the Constitution and the law, uphold the authority of the Constitution and the law, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of clients and social fairness and justice, and strive to build a rule-of-law China.
At the oath-taking ceremony, Lin Changchi, President of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association, addressed the newly licensed lawyers as a veteran practitioner of thirty years. He urged them to stay grounded and master a full range of skills, handling various legal matters with genuine competence; to explore and identify a specialized direction, pursuing a path of specialization; and to keep their feet on the ground while reaching for the stars. President Lin Changchi said, “The report of the 19th National Congress proposed upholding the integrated development of a country, a government, and a society governed by the rule of law, and lawyers will have a great role to play in this process. Lawyers can provide services for the government to administer according to law, offer suggestions for Party committee decision-making, present insightful views for the country’s scientific legislation, and also leverage their strengths in public-interest legal services and public legal services.” He stated that Shenzhen lawyers will continue to make positive contributions to building Shenzhen into a model city for the rule of law, and required newly licensed lawyers to observe practice discipline and strictly adhere to professional ethics.
Shenzhen's legal profession has grown and thrived alongside the reform initiatives of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. It established China's first law firm, the first specialized foreign-related law firm, and the first partnership law firm, and was the first in the country to carry out a series of major reforms, from fully implementing the partnership system to industry self-regulation. Shenzhen's legal team has also grown from small to large, from just one legal advisory office with 3 lawyers in the entire city at the beginning to 745 law firms and 11,422 practicing lawyers today, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 12%. In addition, legal business has developed rapidly, with total business volume climbing year after year. Today, Shenzhen lawyers are involved in almost every aspect of Shenzhen's political, economic, and cultural development, as well as in the city's key projects and important activities. Shenzhen lawyers have become an important force in serving economic and social development, promoting social harmony and progress, and building a city with an excellent rule of law environment.
