On April 8, 2024, the Temple Law China team visited Beijing Dacheng Law Offices, a Dentons’ Preferred Law Firm in China to give a presentation to the young lawyers’ practice group on skills needed to be a successful international lawyer. Dacheng is China’s highest grossing law firm, and over 20 Temple Law alumni work in their various offices. The event was hosted by senior partners Li Shoushuang and Zhao Xue of the international practice group, with many Temple Law alumni in attendance.
Assistant Dean John Smagula spoke about the US legal education system and its history, as well as courses and skills taught at Temple Law to equip international lawyers to represent their clients well. Beijing Program Director and Professor Tarrant Mahony spoke on how to think like an international lawyer by looking at situations from multiple perspectives, receiving strong intellectual training, and mastering both common and civil law methods of legal thinking.
Temple Law alumni then spoke about how their study in Temple’s Master of Laws (LLM) program in Beijing has prepared them to effectively handle international matters. Partner Cai Xiaoqi (BJLLM ’20) remarked that her study of case reasoning and the art of drafting judicial decisions has brought her practice abilities to a new level.
Partner Tan Zhenghua (BJLLM ’19) emphasized the importance of acquiring a global legal thought process, including speaking and writing ability in English. He said that case research of old and new cases caused him to see how the law evolves, thus being better able to understand how future laws may come about. He also advised his colleagues to study abroad, as travel as a student is much more profound and transformative than being a tourist.
Liu Jing (BJLLM ’18) said that she became better able to handle venture capital transactions after she earned her Temple LLM. She said that since this area of law and practice developed in the United States, it was helpful for her to go to the source and understand the environment in which the field developed. She said that with a firmer grasp of venture capital, she has been able to expand her practice into other areas of corporate law as well. She also noted that the classic IRAC legal writing method (issue, rule, application, conclusion) has become a part of her regular work, enabling her to reason, explain, and persuade more effectively.
Partner Cheng Ying (BJLLM ’07) spoke on the importance of being well prepared for every matter, having drawn inspiration from the high levels of preparation of her Temple professors. After she passed the New York Bar Examination, Cheng Ying encouraged her colleagues to step up to the challenge, persevere, and know that they will succeed with the right amount of determination. She said that her study in the LLM program helped her to refine her reasoning skills, having studied so many cases across a range of international topics.
Temple Law is very grateful for the Dacheng law firm’s hospitality and looks forward to additional work together.
Pictured from left to right: Ding Yan (BJLLM ’18), Liu Jing (BJLLM ’18), Karen Yang (Temple Law Beijing Office Director of Operations), Tarry Mahony (Director and Professor), John Smagula (Assistant Dean), Xiao Sa (BJLLM ’07), Zhang Xiulin (BJLLM ’21), Tan Zhenghua (BJLLM ’19), and Cai Xiaoji (BJLLM ’23).