The Chinese government, jointly with the judicial branch, issued new regulations requiring junior judges, prosecutors, legal arbitrators, lawyers, and notaries to participate in uniform pre-service training for practice.
Prior to the new regulations, pre-service training is conducted separately regarding different legal professions. But from now on, a new uniform pre-service training will be in service to help build a united professional community.
On 28 February 2022, the CPC Central Committee, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC), China’s Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) and the Ministry of Justice jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Establishment of a Uniform Pre-service Training System for Legal Professions” (hereinafter “the Opinions”, 關(guān)于建立法律職業(yè)人員統(tǒng)一職前培訓(xùn)制度的指導(dǎo)意見).
The Opinions stipulates that pre-service training is required for junior judges, prosecutors, and legal arbitrators to apply to practice as lawyers or notaries. They are allowed to engage in relevant legal professions only upon qualification of the training.
The pre-service training mainly contains two stages: the centralized teaching phase and the comprehensive training phase involving occupational practice. Qualified training institutions or self-regulatory organizations in relevant industries are responsible for conducting specific pre-service training for legal professionals.
Cover Photo by Yu Gui on Unsplash
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team