双语研讨会：谁来签署您的法律资格证书？

Dual Language Workshop –

Who Signed Your Legal Qualification Certificate?

Overview

Somehow November 25 is of thanksgiving atmosphere. A group of legal practitioners gathered together on line with Hubei CIETAC Sub-Commission, Jingsh Canada, and Beijing Linli Law Office, and CAAL and other supporting friends and law firms, to discuss how lawyers get started in their respective jurisdictions. Thanks to the concept of thanksgiving, we share some of the experience how lawyers started on their road to success, so more young generation students and new comers might be interested in following the practicing lawyer’s paths in their choice of life long careers.

11月25日充满了感恩节的气氛。在中国国际经济贸易仲裁委员会湖北分会、京师蒙特利尔、北京霖理律师事务所、中国仲裁法学研究会以及其他朋友和律师事务所的支持下，一群法律从业者齐聚线上，探讨在各自的法域内律师如何迈出职业生涯的第一步。本着感恩的理念，我们分享了一些律师在迈向事业成功第一步上的相关经验，让更多的年轻学生和职场新人在选择终身职业时，有兴趣踏上执业律师的道路。

In the spirit of seeking commonality while reserving differences, and with the willingness of achieving mutual understanding and to know each other better, 12 lawyers and practitioners from Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan Region, as well as Malaysia, Japan, US and Canada spoke voluntarily at the dual language workshop on the subject of who signed the legal qualification certificate, covering chapter 2 of the Book Foreign Related Laws and Practice.

本着求同存异的精神以及相互理解的意愿，来自中国大陆、香港特别行政区和台湾地区，以及马来西亚、日本、美国和加拿大的12名律师和法律从业者在双语研讨会上聚焦《涉外法律实务教程》第二章，就"谁来签署法律资格证书"这一主题展开讨论。

Ms. Ma Chen, a representative of CAAL, spoke in the opening about the importance of having the bar admission and further importance of meeting the requirements of qualifications for arbitrators under Chines law.

中国仲裁法学研究会代表马琛女士在开场白中谈到了拥有律师资格的重要性，并进一步阐述了满足中国法律规定的仲裁员资格要求的重要性。

Mr. Zhang Yulin, director of Beijing Linli Law Office, spoke on the basic coverage of the content of chapter 2, Legal Professions in Different Jurisdictions, as the chief co-editor of the Book. He highlighted the steps of becoming a lawyer, including having a law degree, passing the legal qualification examination, passing the one-year training with a law firm and finally application for the practicing license.

北京霖理律师事务所主任张玉林博士作为《涉外法律实务教程》联合主编，介绍了该书第二章中关于“不同法域内的法律职业”的基本内容。他强调了成为律师所需的步骤，包括攻读法律学位、通过法律资格考试、通过一年的律师事务所实习以及申请执业证书。

In relation to the governing laws and regulations, he noted the PRC Lawyers’ Law, which provides in Article 5 four conditions of becoming a Chinese lawyer, including “upholding the PRC Constitution, having passed the legal qualification examination, having passed the one-year apprenticeship, and having good character. He further noted that the Implementing Measures for the National Legal Qualification Examination provides, however, five conditions for a candidate to apply to attend the National Legal Qualification Examination, including a personal identification requirement that the candidate is a PRC citizen. This additional requirement of being a PRC citizen appears to be an additional requirement that is beyond the Lawyer’s Law. Whether this inconsistence is justifiable under the PRC Lawyers’ Law would be a question that is naturally raised. Since the requirement of upholding PRC Constitution is a general requirement, while the ID requirement appears to suggest that non-PRC citizens, including international friendly person and overseas Chinese, who may also uphold the PRC Constitution, but were excluded from becoming a Chinese lawyer, due to the Implementing Measures containing a condition in addition to the law. In general, local laws and departmental rules (into which the Implementing Measures fall) should comply with the Law in legal status of the rules.

在法律法规方面，张玉林博士指出，《中华人民共和国律师法》第五条规定了成为中国律师的四个条件，包括“拥护中华人民共和国宪法、通过国家统一司法考试、在律师事务所实习满一年和品行良好。”他进一步指出，《国家统一法律职业资格考试实施办法》规定了考生申请参加国家统一法律职业资格考试的五个条件，其中包括考生具有中华人民共和国国籍的个人身份要求。该额外要求似乎超出了《律师法》的规定。人们不禁要问，根据《中华人民共和国律师法》，这种出入是否合理。拥护《中华人民共和国宪法》为一般性要求，但是该身份要求似乎意味着，对于非中国公民（包括国际友人和华侨），即便他们拥护《中华人民共和国宪法》，但由于《实施办法》中含有法律之外的条件，也无法担任中国律师。总之，地方性法规和部门规章（包括该《实施办法》）在法律位阶上应符合法律的规定。

Mr. Jeff Leong of JEFF LEONG, POON & WONG discussed the status of Malaysian law on legal admission which is a fused profession. Barristers and solicitors do not divide themselves into different branches like in the UK. To be an advocate and solicitor in Malaysia, Legal Profession Qualifying Board decides the qualifications of being a “qualified person” basing on the bachelor's degree on Law. The president of the law society signs the legal qualification certificate. Then, a qualified person shall serve a period of pupillage for 9 months under the guidance of an advocate and solicitor who has been in active practice in Malaysia not less than 7 years.

马来西亚梁潘黄律师事务所的梁柏林先生讨论了马来西亚法律在律师准入方面的规定。律师在马来西亚是一个融合职业，诉讼律师和事务律师并不像英国那样细分为不同分支。在马来西亚，要成为诉讼律师和事务律师，法律职业资格委员会将依据法学学士学位来判定 “合格者” 的资格。律师协会主席在法律资格证书上签字。此后，合格者应接受在马来西亚积极执业不少于7年的诉讼律师和事务律师的指导，进行为期9个月的实习。

Mr. Edward Chow talked about admission in Hong Kong SAR and the Greater Bay Area. The Hong Kong system mirrors the UK system where there are the Bar and the law society division. Admissions of each are different. For example, barristers need the person having a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws or being a solicitor in Hong Kong or being an overseas lawyer. In Greater Bay Area, the Ministry of Justice allows those who pass the special qualifying examination to handle civil and commercial legal matters.

周立新大律师谈到了香港特别行政区和大湾区的律师准入问题。香港的制度与英国一致，拥有大律师协会和律协部门。但两者的律师准入门槛不同的。例如，大律师需要持有法律研究生证书、是香港事务律师或者已是海外律师。在大湾区，司法部允许通过特别资格考试的人处理民商事法律事务。

Mr. Gao Liang, a partner of Gao Peng Law Firm, shared his personal experience of how he became a Chinese law many years ago, including a process of an interview of the administrators from the law society.  

高朋律师事务所合伙人高梁先生分享了他多年前成为中国律师的亲身经历，包括律师协会人员面试的过程。

Dr. Masahiro Kobayashi shared his understanding of the Japanese admission requirements and made some interesting observations about Japanese companies’ experience of dealing with IPR protection under the RCEP.

小林正弘博士分享了他对日本律师准入条件的理解，并对日本企业在RCEP下进行知识产权保护的经验提出了一些有趣的看法。

Mr. Kunchou Tsai, Esq. from Enlighten Group, Taiwan, introduced his law firm and it services in cross straight investment and deal making recently and shared his experience of how legal admissions operate in practice.

来自中国台湾地区尚澄法律事务所的蔡坤洲先生介绍了自己的律师事务所及其近期在两岸投资和交易方面的服务，并且分享了实践中获得法律准入资格的经验。

Mr. Dong Pingfang, who was admitted in Connecticut US shared his experience of how he got admitted in that state. He emphasized the importance of lawyer’s practicing requirements regarding professional duties. Honesty is an important word in the personal declaration administered by the court in the US. No act be done with dishonesty is required for the candidate to formally declare before a court judge.

董平芳先生取得了美国康涅狄格州的律师资格，他分享了自己如何在该州取得律师资格的经验，并强调了职业责任在律师执业要求中的重要性。诚信是美国法院个人宣誓中的一个非常重要的词。候选人在法院法官面前正式宣誓时，不得违背诚信原则。

Dr. Chen Jian, spoke about whether the legal qualification matters in international arbitration. Interpretation of Chinese law is not permitted by foreign counsel in practice. Where foreign law or international convention is applicable, foreign counsel may give legal opinions. Where Chinese law is concerned, Chinese legal opinion needs to be provided by Chinese lawyer.

陈建博士谈到了在国际仲裁中法律资格是否重要。外国律师在实践中不允许提供与中国法律相关的服务。如果适用外国法律或国际公约，外国律师可以提供法律意见。如果涉及中国法律，则需要中国律师提供中国法律意见。

Ms Emma Chen, of Baker McKenzie Fenxun, spoke and shared her observations of how to become a New York lawyer, and the expected roles of Chinese practitioners who become qualified in the US. To obtain the New York Bar, a person needs Pro Bono service for more than 50 hours and the certificate of Values and Skills. Meanwhile, she also introduced the main areas of foreign lawyers in the US: immigration, cross-border investment, international tax, corporate business, discovery, and foreign corrupt practice.

来自奋迅·贝克麦坚时的陈诗逸女士分享了她对如何成为纽约律师的看法，以及获得美国律师资格的中国执业律师将承担怎样的角色。要获得纽约律师资格，需要完成50小时以上的公益性法律服务，并通过价值观与技能认证。同时，她还介绍了外国律师在美国的主要业务领域，包括：移民、跨境投资、国际税收、公司业务、取证和海外反腐败等。

Mr. Thomas Manson, QC, who is an associate professor of law in the law school of BFSU, spoke about the Canadian requirements of legal admissions and also the inter-province conversion among Canadian practitioners. Foreign legal consultant may be provided under provincial law society requirement, upon satisfaction of certain requirements. Most common way to become a lawyer in BC is to earn a law degree from a Canadian law school, and then complete the Law Society Admission Program comprising the 10-week Professional Legal Training Course, including examinations and skills assessments and 9 months of articles. A person qualified to practice law in a country other than Canada who wishes to give legal advice in BC respecting the laws of that country may apply for a Practitioner of Foreign Law Permit.

北京外国语大学法学院副教授托马斯·曼森（Thomas Manson QC）先生讲述了加拿大对律师准入的要求，同时也阐述了加拿大法律从业者的跨省转换问题。外国法律顾问可以根据省律师协会的要求，在满足一定的条件后执业。在不列颠哥伦比亚省，成为律师最常见的方式是获得加拿大法学院的法律学位，然后完成律师协会准入计划，其中包括10周的专业法律培训课程（含考试和技能评估）以及9个月的见习。有资格在加拿大以外的国家从事法律工作的人，如果希望在尊重该国法律的前提下在不列颠哥伦比亚省提供法律咨询，可以申请外国法律从业者许可证。

The workshop concludes by Ms. Fu Ying, partner of JINGSH Law Firm, with some highlight for the hope of possible inter-jurisdictional opening of legal admissions in the RCEP new time zone, particularly the mutual recognition of the legal education among countries. Governments may work together to encourage mutual exchange programs to allow trainee’s time in foreign jurisdictions be recognized locally and training programs with credits may be converted into local credits in the process of assessing the qualification of legal practitioners, including foreign legal consultants in a legal jurisdiction. Through such policy cooperation among different countries, particularly RCEP countries, the common law and civil law systems may be integrated and lawyers of various jurisdictions may be easier to serve their corporate clients when they go to do business in neighboring countries.

研讨会的最后，京师律师事务所合伙人付英律师强调，在新的RCEP时代，有望开放法域之间的律师准入，特别是各国之间法律教育的互认。各国政府可以共同鼓励交流项目开展，让受训者在外国法域的学习得到当地的承认，在评估法律从业人员（包括在本法域内的外国法律顾问）资格的过程中，带学分的培训项目可以转换为当地学分。通过不同国家，特别是RCEP国家之间的政策合作，普通法和大陆法系有望相互融合，不同法域的律师在邻国开展业务时，为公司客户提供服务将变得更加简单。

Any person who is interested in knowing more of the legal qualifications in the above-mentioned jurisdictions, please feel free to contact us.

有朋友需要了解更多上述法域的法律资质证书，请随时通过我们电子邮件与我们联系（zhangyulin@linli-law.com; yangkunhao@linli-law.com）。