Civil law cases

Author: Zhang Yumin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: With the acceleration of China's rule of law development, it can be anticipated that the 21st century will undoubtedly be a century of great achievements in China's rule of law construction. However, without a well-designed legal education system to cultivate a steady stream of qualified legal professionals, it is difficult to imagine how China's rule of law development could make significant progress. After decades of development, the achievements of China's legal education system are undeniable. Every year, numerous law schools and departments produce a wide range of legal professionals at different levels, who go on to become judges, prosecutors, lawyers, legal researchers, and professionals in various fields. Many of them have become key figures in their respective departments, playing a vital role in the development of China's socialist rule of law. As a veteran who has worked in the field of legal education for decades, I am genuinely proud of these accomplishments. However, it must be acknowledged that China's current legal education system is far from satisfactory, with numerous serious issues still persisting. Here, I do not intend to comment on the overall legal education system in China, but rather wish to offer some thoughts on the current state of undergraduate legal education in our country.
First, the undergraduate legal education in our universities has yet to establish a clear objective. Is the goal of our current legal education to issue a mere certificate of entry into the legal profession to students who have invested four precious years of their youth, or to cultivate in them common sense, an understanding of societal principles, and the moral integrity expected of legal professionals? Should we aim to train specialized talents with expertise in one or several legal sciences, or to develop well-rounded legal scholars with general legal knowledge and the sound legal thinking expected of legal practitioners? In my view, undergraduate legal education should focus on cultivating foundational legal talents—individuals who possess common knowledge of social life and the basic qualities required for a legal career. In terms of the basic qualities of a legal professional, it is essential to develop the moral integrity expected of those in the legal profession. As a legal...