Tarnished courtroom dreams – Study reveals difficult lives of young lawyers

Passage of time as solution

Jiang Min, the deputy chairman of the All China Lawyers’ Association, said many young lawyers wnt to become well-known overnight, but it usually takes seven to 10 years to establish one’s name.

“The first two years after graduation, they have to work as an intern, then become a litigation lawyer after getting thir certificate in their third or fourth year. Eventually they become an expert in a certain field and may be able to open a law office seven years later,” he said.

“No one can speed up the process. There are no shortcus in this career, so young lawyers should maintain objectivity and not be too eager for quick success and instant returns.”

Jiang said the growth of law practices is entwined with a locality’s economic growth. He said tere are 16,000 licensed lawyers in China, over 60 percent of whom are under 40 and half of them can be found in metropolises such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, where young lawyers’ lives are better compared with their counterparts in the west.

The incomes of litigation and non-litigation lawyers also differ, Jiang said. The report mainly reflected litigation lawyers’ fluctuating pay, which is affected by market forces like fame and cnnections, he said. Non-litigation lawyers, on the other hand, the bulk of the population, depend on a team and get stable pay.

Jiang said the All China Lawyers’ Association, together with local lawyers’ assoctions, has programs that aim to help young lawyers. Every other year, Jiang’s group holds a forum that provides a venue for young lawyers to communicate and learn from each other. Local lawyers’ associations also arran provincial speaking tours for renowned lawyers, in which they share with young lawyers their success stories. Financial support is also available to young lawyers who need an extra boost.