Author: Cao Yuanjun

Lawyers, who practice law as their profession and take the law as their guide, are an important component of the socialist rule-of-law workforce and a vital force in governing the country according to law. With the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee setting forth the overarching goal and major tasks for fully advancing the rule of law, it marks that, in the historical process of building a socialist rule-of-law state, the legal profession is facing unprecedented opportunities for development as well as challenges. Young lawyers represent the hope and backbone for the sustainable future development of the legal profession. As General Secretary Xi Jinping has said, “Young people are the most energetic and full of dreams. When young people thrive, the nation thrives; when young people are strong, the nation is strong. If the younger generation has ideals and takes responsibility, our country will have a bright future, our nation will hold great promise, and we will have an inexhaustible source of powerful strength to achieve our development goals.” On the path of professional growth, young lawyers must broaden their professional horizons and cultivate greater courage and spirit of responsibility, so as to establish a positive professional image. Only then can the personal growth of young lawyers and the development of the legal profession mutually reinforce each other and achieve synergistic success.

Great achievements are born of great aspirations; the responsibility of young lawyers is a responsibility borne of faith.

Since ancient times, people have revered the idea of guiding life’s direction with ideals and determining the success or failure of one’s career through conviction. Without ideals and beliefs, one will inevitably lose spiritual orientation. Lawyers are professionals who respect facts, believe in the rule of law, and use the law to uphold social fairness and justice. A lawyer’s faith in the law embodies society’s rational admiration for the legal system, reflects citizens’ ultimate concerns about the law, and encapsulates all the idealistic emotions of legal professionals. It encompasses a pursuit and hope for social legal order and values—values that stem from universal principles yet transcend them. Without such faith in the law, the social role of lawyers would simply be impossible to fulfill. In today’s increasingly complex process of socialization, the crisis of faith manifests not only in some individuals losing their faith altogether, but also—in the myriad doubts and speculations that surround efforts to promote and rebuild faith. I believe that while people certainly should hold lofty beliefs and convictions, such lofty faith must be continually refined and elevated. Rekindling faith should not merely amount to simple preaching; rather, it should return to human nature and closely align with the inherent characteristics of one’s profession. As an individual, one must first abide by rules, act with integrity, and demonstrate moral virtue. Especially as a young lawyer, one must steadfastly uphold faith in the rule of law and belief in the spirit of the legal profession.

The professional characteristics of the legal profession place higher-than-average demands on lawyers’ personal cultivation and professional ethics. However, being a lawyer first and foremost means being a good person—seeking one’s faith from the very foundation of human conduct: honesty, integrity, and courage to take responsibility. These are also the fundamental requirements of legal professional ethics for lawyers. Embracing legal professional ethics not only sets high and stringent standards for young lawyers’ personal development but also provides them with a clear direction for their career aspirations. From the moment they join the legal profession, young lawyers should constantly hold themselves to extremely high moral and professional standards. In an era flooded with materialism, they must avoid getting lost in self-interest and excessive commercial pursuits. By staying true to their ideals and convictions, remaining steadfast in their original intentions, earning respect, and achieving professional success, they can ultimately stay on course and remain true to themselves.

Great achievements come from diligence; the responsibility of young lawyers lies in their competence.

The legal services industry is a knowledge-intensive sector, and lawyers’ social responsibility is increasingly reflected in their professional competence. The greater one’s capabilities, the greater one’s responsibilities. Therefore, being a lawyer is a profession that requires establishing and practicing the lifelong learning mindset—striving to stay ahead of others and excel in mastery of legal theory, legal knowledge, and service skills. Most young lawyers have just stepped out of school and entered society or recently joined the legal profession. For them, the road ahead is far from smooth. Young lawyers often lack sufficient legal service skills and experience, yet they face even more severe challenges and survival pressures than their counterparts who enter the system through traditional channels. Thus, young lawyers should take each case, each legal issue, and every single detail in their work seriously. They must be diligent in thinking, research, and practice; continuously strengthen their theoretical foundation; refine their professional abilities; and keep learning and improving in their daily work.

Meanwhile, as society rapidly evolves and the legal system continues to grow richer and more sophisticated, the work of lawyers is also becoming increasingly specialized and refined. Relying solely on individual efforts has become insufficient for achieving sustainable development in the legal profession. To better safeguard clients’ interests, uphold the dignity of the law, and enhance one’s own capabilities, lawyers must strengthen collaboration among themselves—leveraging each other’s strengths, making up for each other’s weaknesses, improving both efficiency and quality of work, and consistently cultivating and honing their strategic awareness and team-collaboration skills, while maintaining an open and inclusive mindset at all times. Given the rise of new trends and technologies today, how can young lawyers just entering this traditionally established profession avoid feeling lost? I believe the key lies in grasping the essence of these developments and staying attuned to the trends and directions shaping our era. For instance, today’s business landscape no longer blindly worships “Internet Plus” or similar concepts; instead, it’s returning to fundamentals and embracing rationality. In fact, the future isn’t about a conflict between the physical and the virtual, between online and offline, or between the internet and tradition. Rather, the real battle is between innovation and conservatism, between high efficiency and low efficiency. It’s precisely these core principles—“innovation” and “efficiency”—that should guide our judgments, enabling us to adapt successfully to the new normal in both society and the legal industry.

To improve oneself—this is the responsibility of young lawyers, a responsibility that comes with a spirit of sacrifice.

The public’s perception of lawyers should no longer be confined to the one-sided—and often inaccurate—images portrayed in Western legal dramas, as well as in domestic TV series such as “The Love Between Fairy and Devil,” “Divorce Lawyer,” and “Gold Medal Lawyer,” which depict lawyers as glamorous, high-paid, and socially prestigious figures. These portrayals completely overlook the relentless hard work and self-discipline that lawyers undertake—from their educational years through their professional careers. On the one hand, this reflects a general lack of understanding among the public about the legal profession; on the other hand, it is also a result of an increasing number of lawyers’ excessive pursuit of commercial interests. Influenced by traditional mindsets, lawyers’ dependence on power, their overemphasis on maximizing commercial gains, and the uneven quality within the legal profession itself have led some lawyers to adopt a utilitarian, instrumental, and opportunistic approach to their vocation. When monetary gain is at stake, they flock toward it eagerly, while casting aside their commitment to the rule of law. Many young lawyers are similarly affected, developing unrealistic aspirations for the legal profession and making misguided judgments about their own abilities. They tend to pursue legal careers that appear “high-profile” and “prestigious,” placing undue emphasis on money and power above all else, while neglecting deeper factors that truly influence career development—such as their personal strengths, the unique characteristics of the legal profession, and society’s actual needs.

As mentioned in the book “The Lawyer’s Duty”: “If one dedicates oneself to the legal profession, one’s primary purpose must be to uphold justice before considering one’s livelihood.” Young lawyers should have more opportunities to recognize and learn from exemplary lawyers who quietly and diligently work in ordinary—and sometimes even arduous—positions, staying true to their original aspirations. These individuals are the norm and the source of pride in the legal profession. At the outset of our professional careers, we must cultivate the right professional beliefs and insights, avoiding the blind pursuit of a flashy lifestyle and resisting the temptation of petty gains. Instead, we should steadily accumulate experience both in our work and in our personal lives. When we achieve certain accomplishments, we must remain humble and patient, keeping the interests of the public and the well-being of society at heart, proactively paying attention to vulnerable groups in society, and earnestly fulfilling our social responsibilities.

It is perfectly understandable that lawyers, in order to ensure their own survival, seek rewards through hard work and dedication. However, especially for young lawyers at the beginning of their careers, it is crucial to recognize their social role and rightful mission. The laws enacted by the state are merely words written on white paper; the greatest challenge in fully governing the country according to law lies in transforming these written rules into real, actionable ones—a process that is immensely complex. And it is precisely lawyers who are uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in this transformation. From the moment they enter the profession, lawyers are entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the proper implementation of the law and upholding social fairness and justice. Thus, the legal profession itself inherently involves a tension—and a harmonious integration—between individual interests and the public good. In their professional development, young lawyers should embrace the calling to be sought out by others, to step forward and defend those who cannot speak for themselves, to give voice to the voiceless, and even to assume positions of public trust. Such experiences will inspire in young lawyers a deep sense of loyalty to the legal profession and a profound desire to serve others, motivating them to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the study and implementation of the law.

To benefit the world—this is the meaningful responsibility that young lawyers shoulder, one with social impact.

As Robert N. Wilkin points out in his book “The Spirit of the Legal Profession,” “Legal professionals have always been at the forefront of establishing and expanding legal principles, and they will continue to be so. In demonstrating the value of their commitment to the public good, they should assume a leadership role.” Lawyers are the voice and practitioners of the law; they belong to society’s elite class, and every word and deed they utter serves as a model, wielding tremendous social influence. Through their own efforts and dedication, lawyers inspire and encourage the public to comply with and believe in the rule of law—thus influencing not only the overall image of the legal profession but also the public’s faith in the rule of law and their confidence in social fairness and justice. Therefore, young lawyers should establish clear distinctions between right and wrong from the very beginning of their practice, bearing firmly in mind that their actions not only determine their personal gains and losses but also profoundly affect the honor and disgrace of the entire legal community.

On the one hand, young lawyers should focus on enhancing their professional competence, cultivating a positive professional image, and continuously strengthening and elevating their social standing. They should actively convey positive signals and radiate constructive energy through their actions. On the other hand, they need to develop the demeanor of an eloquent and poised “debater”—one who remains unfazed by praise or criticism, exuding grace and composure. With a more optimistic mindset and refined professional skills, they should fully integrate into the social process, thoughtfully reflecting on the painful points and dark sides of social change, and offering more constructive and actionable insights and suggestions—rather than merely standing aloof from a moral high ground to observe or criticize. Moreover, they should respect all members of the legal profession community, refrain from sensationalizing social hot topics, avoid stoking public emotions, and steer clear of extreme, self-defeating, and antisocial behaviors. They should even dare to critically examine and firmly condemn such conduct among their peers.

In the process of realizing the “Chinese Dream” of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we have felt the power of unity and shared aspiration, and we have come to better understand the historical responsibility borne by today’s young people. The “Chinese Dream” is also a dream of the rule of law, and young lawyers shoulder the important historical mission of building a socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics and constructing a socialist country under the rule of law. “He who grasps the greater can also embrace the smaller.” Only by integrating our personal aspirations and noble convictions into the cause of our nation and our people can we ultimately achieve something meaningful. The Chinese nation’s dream of the rule of law will surely become a reality through the relay efforts of countless young lawyers guided by lofty faith!

Author Introduction:

Cao Yuanjun is the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Executive Partner at Liaoning Tongfang Law Firm. He is a deputy to the Shenyang Municipal People’s Congress, a member of the Party Committee of the Shenyang Lawyers’ Industry, and Vice President of the Shenyang Lawyers Association. He has previously been awarded the titles of “National Outstanding Lawyer” by the Ministry of Justice and “Outstanding Communist Party Member Lawyer” in the national legal profession.