[Shenzhen Lawyers Association] The 2018 Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairmen Joint Meeting was held in Shenzhen
On November 30, 2018, the Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairmen Joint Meeting was held in Shenzhen. This meeting was hosted by the Guangdong Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board and organized by the Shenzhen Lawyers Association Supervisory Board. Attendees included Guo Hansen, Deputy Director of the Lawyer Management Office of the Provincial Department of Justice; Xu Shengfang, Deputy Director of the Lawyer Public Affairs Office of the Shenzhen Bureau of Justice; Wu Bo, Chairman of the Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board; Zhang Jie, Vice President of the Provincial Lawyers Association; Lin Changchi, President of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association; and Wei Hanjiao, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. Over 50 participants, including Deputy Chairmen of the Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Wang Tengfeng, Lu Dongbiao, He Wanlong, and Tan Bingguang, as well as chairmen, deputy chairmen, and supervisory representatives from various city lawyers associations, attended the meeting. The meeting was presided over by Cai Haining, Deputy Chairman of the Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board.
At the meeting, Chairman Wei Hanjiao delivered a speech on behalf of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association Supervisory Board. He stated that the essence of supervisory work lies in genuine supervision, courageous supervision, and adept supervision. Supervisors should uphold the breadth of fairness, the depth of rationality, the thickness of wisdom, the strength of inclusivity, and the warmth of humanity. They should become guides of ultimate values, advocates of inclusive concepts, and pioneers in rejecting bureaucracy, formalism, and sloganeering. The Shenzhen Lawyers Association Supervisory Board, grounded in institutional inheritance and model integration, with a mission of joint consultation, joint construction, inclusive sharing, and shared benefits, prioritizes serving lawyers, uses diverse voices as samples, and takes the "five dimensions" as its starting point to strive for innovation.
President Lin Changchi, on behalf of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association, warmly welcomed the leaders from various city lawyers associations and wished the meeting a complete success. He pointed out that the Supervisory Board is indispensable in the development process of the lawyers association. The Council and the Supervisory Board respect each other and practice empathy. Since assuming the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Wei Hanjiao has dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the work of the Supervisory Board, leading his colleagues to forge ahead and achieve outstanding results.
Deputy Director Xu Shengfang delivered a speech on behalf of the Municipal Bureau of Justice, stating that the bureau has long placed great importance on the construction of the Lawyers Association. Under the guidance of the bureau, Shenzhen took the lead nationwide in having practicing lawyers directly elected by lawyer representatives to serve as presidents. The democratic reform of Shenzhen lawyers achieved an organic integration of judicial administrative supervision and the self-discipline and self-governance of the legal profession. It established and improved the internal supervision and restraint mechanisms of the Lawyers Association at an autonomous level, realized industry self-discipline under democratic supervision, set an example of democratic supervision within the Lawyers Association, and explored a management model for the legal profession that aligns with Chinese characteristics and Shenzhen’s unique features. Self-discipline management in the legal profession is playing an increasingly important role in its development, and it is hoped that the Municipal Lawyers Association will continue to strive and not fail its mission.
The meeting focused on five topics: "Combining the work of the Supervisory Board with learning and exchanging insights from General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech during his inspection of Guangdong," "Issues to note in establishing rules and regulations for supervisory boards established less than two years ago," "Summary of common supervisory methods of the Supervisory Board and experiences in effective promotion," "Innovating supervisory methods to improve efficiency," and "Design and operation of the Supervisory Board structure."
During the thematic meeting, Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Wu Bo introduced the overall status and development direction of supervisory boards across the province. She noted that 18 municipal lawyers associations in the province have established supervisory boards, with a coverage rate of 80.95%. In terms of structural setup, most have one chairperson and one vice-chairperson, with three supervisors being the most common configuration. Apart from the Provincial Lawyers Association Supervisory Board, the Shenzhen Lawyers Association Supervisory Board has the most members, exceeding ten. The establishment times of supervisory boards in various municipal lawyers associations vary, leading to uneven development. When discussing how the Supervisory Board can promote the healthy development of the legal profession, Chairperson Wu Bo emphasized the need to handle three relationships: first, the relationship between the brake pad and the booster, where balancing the degree of braking and boosting is a hallmark of successful supervisory work; second, the relationship between the scarecrow and the driving force; and third, the relationship between the goalkeeper and the cheerleading team.
At the meeting, Provincial Lawyers Association Vice Chairpersons Wang Tengfeng, Lu Dongbiao, and Tan Bingguang, along with Guangzhou Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Chen Mo, Zhongshan Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Cheng Yubin, Foshan Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Cao Jianxun, Heyuan Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Yang Mingtian, Qingyuan Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Vice Chairperson Cheng Huixiong, Dongguan Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Zhang Xudong, Yangjiang Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Chairperson Zeng Weina, and Shenzhen Lawyers Association Supervisory Board Vice Chairpersons Wang Jinsong and Xiao Yinghong, each delivered keynote speeches.
Subsequently, participating representatives engaged in interactive exchanges, freely expressing their views, creating an exceptionally lively atmosphere.
Supervisory Board Chairperson Chen Mo stated that the work of the Supervisory Board should be grounded in its role and practical realities, ensuring it does not become a tool to "carry the sedan chair" for others or a weapon to strike others. Supervisory Board Chairperson Cao Jianxun emphasized that the Supervisory Board’s work should involve "proposing ideas," "sharing perspectives," and "providing solutions," fostering a mindset of "effective self-initiated actions, support for key tasks, and ongoing self-improvement," while strengthening responsibility and accountability. Supervisory Board Chairperson Yang Mingtian noted that the Supervisory Board’s work must not violate regulations or systems, must adhere to the Party’s leadership, and must conduct supervision in accordance with regulations, avoiding being a "yes-man."
During the concluding phase of the meeting, Vice President Zhang Jie of the Provincial Bar Association delivered a speech, pointing out that the joint meeting of provincial bar association supervisors is an excellent initiative. As a self-regulatory organization, the bar association needs bold exploration and experimentation, but this must be conducted in accordance with relevant bylaws. The primary function of the supervisory board is oversight, which is both an obligation and a responsibility. It is essential to uphold the principles of "not being absent," "not being misplaced," and "not overstepping" to promote the healthy development of the bar association.
Deputy Director Guo Hansen made a concluding statement, emphasizing that bar associations across the province should thoroughly study the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech during his inspection of Guangdong, fostering a "leading goose effect." They must firmly grasp the significant importance and political responsibility of adhering to political guidance and prioritizing Party building in the legal profession, strengthen the Party's overall leadership over legal work, and firmly understand the goals of Party building in the legal profession in the new era, providing strong guarantees for the healthy development of the legal profession. The work of bar associations should revolve around "deliberation, decision-making, oversight, and execution," establishing and improving effective working mechanisms for each link, diligently fulfilling responsibilities, forging ahead with innovation, and promoting faster and better development of the legal profession.
Finally, Vice Supervisor Cai Haining provided a meeting summary and announced the conclusion of the meeting.
On the afternoon of the 30th, the attending representatives visited Guangdong Xingchen (Qianhai) Law Firm, Huashang Lin Lili (Qianhai) Joint Law Firm, and the Qianhai Exhibition Hall of the Shenzhen Qianhai Free Trade Zone.
