Source: YI CAI

Author: Feng Difan

In this lecture on "WTO and International Trade Legal Practice," Yang Guohua and Jian GUAN engaged in an in-depth discussion centered on international trade legal work. Jian GUAN not only shared practical insights into the realities of legal practice in this field, including its scope, challenges, and his experiences, but also explored with Yang Guohua the relationship between academic research and legal practice, among other topics.

At the outset of the lecture, Yang Guohua posed a question of considerable interest: Can researching WTO issues generate economic benefits? After all, law firms operate as businesses requiring profitability to cover overheads such as office rent and employee salaries. Jian GUAN responded candidly, stating that expecting to get rich quickly in this field is unrealistic. However, within the legal profession, achieving a high degree of specialization in WTO and international trade legal practice can sustain a livelihood and ensure reasonable compensation for team members.

Jian GUAN further explained that the international trade practice area generally ranks in the mid-tier regarding billing rates and revenue generation within the legal industry. While it may not boast the same impressive profitability figures as traditionally popular fields like capital markets or finance, it possesses its own advantages and room for development. He also mentioned that his team's salary levels are relatively high because he deeply understands the importance of attracting top talent for team growth. Competitive compensation attracts capable and passionate young professionals, injecting continuous vitality into the team and thereby promoting the healthy development of the practice.

Concurrently, Jian GUAN discussed the purpose of research conducted by lawyers. He pointed out that such research is not purely an act of public welfare. Although it may contribute to the dissemination of knowledge to some extent, its primary purpose is often to identify new business opportunities and thereby attract more clients and attention. In practice, lawyers maintain close attention to and conduct in-depth research on various issues within the industry, especially the latest developments, ensuring that their research closely aligns with the actual needs of enterprises or clients. From this perspective, research and practice are closely intertwined and mutually reinforcing in a lawyer's work.

When exploring the relationship between research and practice, Jian GUAN stated that lawyers pursue research primarily for two purposes. One is to accurately assess future directions for business development, allowing for strategic positioning and the provision of more forward-looking legal services to enterprises. The other is to solve various problems enterprises encounter during their actual operations, helping them mitigate legal risks and achieve better development. He believes that scholars' research perspectives tend to be more theoretical. Due to limited direct contact with enterprises, their sensitivity to the impacts of changes in international rules or new unilateral measures might be less acute. However, scholarly research also has its unique strengths; scholars can analyze issues from a macro perspective, delving deep to synthesize insightful viewpoints.

Jian GUAN also shared his feelings about participating in academic activities, expressing his enjoyment of interacting with scholars and gaining much inspiration from their perspectives. He specifically mentioned Han Laoshi, Tu Laoshi, and Yang Guohua, praising their unique and profound viewpoints. He sees his role as a lawyer as bridging the gap between theory and practice. By absorbing scholars' viewpoints through communication and then applying these insights while serving clients, he can broaden his own thinking, expand his horizons, and provide better quality service to clients.

Yang Guohua raised the issue of young university faculty taking part-time positions in law firms to connect international practice with academic theory. Jian GUAN responded that legal practice is highly time-sensitive. Most work has strict deadlines, requiring lawyers to work energetically and efficiently. This working state is entirely different from the focused time and concentration needed for academic research. In a law firm, research often has to be conducted in the interstices of a busy practice, placing high demands on a lawyer's time management and energy allocation skills. He mentioned that his team also undertakes some research work, but he typically assigns the tasks because research requires substantial time and effort to gather materials, organize information, and write according to rigorous logic—a considerable challenge for practicing lawyers.