A Profession Reborn : The Enactment of the Prcs New Lawyers Law is a Major Step Forward in the Restoration of the Chinese Legal Profession

On 15 May 1996, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress enacted the first legislation specifically tailored for lawyers within the PRC, entitled the Law on Lawyers of the PRC (the Law). It will come into effect on the 1 January 1997 and replaces the outdatedInterim Regulations on Lawyers of 1980. The enactment represents an ideological breakthrough after seven years of drafting and several serious discussions among the top leaders of China. In addition, it sets the stage for the further development of the legal profession in China