Opinion Regarding the Further Strengthening of Guidance Over Lawyers Handling Major Cases (CECC Partial Translation)
I. Vigorously execute the system of reporting major cases. When lawyers handle the following major cases, they must go through the professional organization to which they belong and report to the responsible judicial administration department and lawyers association: 1. Cases that involve state politics or social stability; 2. Cases that are socially sensitive or followed with interest by society; 3. Cases that are relatively complex or in which the legal boundaries are unclear; 4. Cases that involve litigation by a group of 10 or more; 5. Cases that intend to present a defense of not guilty; 6. Other major cases. In providing a report, the law firm must attach the essential facts and opinion of the lawyer who has undertaken the case, as well as the law firm's collective discussion notes. At the time of the report, attendance is also required of the person in charge of the law firm to which the lawyer who has undertaken the case belongs. II. Strengthening organization, reinforcing leadership. Each locale shall, as soon as possible, strengthen organization of guidance over professional work done in major cases, and select lawyers of good political caliber and with strong professional abilities to make up small groups that guide the professional work done in major cases; [these small groups] will be led by the leadership of [administrative] departments that have been put in charge in order to reinforce the leadership. III. Each locale shall set up a liaison system for major cases in order to strengthen the collecting and reporting of information on major cases, and shall promptly report to the secretary of the municipal lawyers association any cases that have a major impact on the locality.
The following is a partial translation prepared by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China of the "Opinion Regarding the Further Strengthening of Guidance Over Lawyers Handling Major Cases" issued by the Nantong Municipal Justice Bureau, in Jiangsu province, on February 18, 2004. The Chinese text was retrieved from the Web site of the Nantong municipal government on April 26, 2006.
I. Vigorously execute the system of reporting major cases.
When lawyers handle the following major cases, they must go through the professional organization to which they belong and report to the responsible judicial administration department and lawyers association:
1. Cases that involve state politics or social stability;
2. Cases that are socially sensitive or followed with interest by society;
3. Cases that are relatively complex or in which the legal boundaries are unclear;
4. Cases that involve litigation by a group of 10 or more;
5. Cases that intend to present a defense of not guilty;
6. Other major cases.
In providing a report, the law firm must attach the essential facts and opinion of the lawyer who has undertaken the case, as well as the law firm's collective discussion notes. At the time of the report, attendance is also required of the person in charge of the law firm to which the lawyer who has undertaken the case belongs.
II. Strengthening organization, reinforcing leadership.
Each locale shall, as soon as possible, strengthen organization of guidance over professional work done in major cases, and select lawyers of good political caliber and with strong professional abilities to make up small groups that guide the professional work done in major cases; [these small groups] will be led by the leadership of [administrative] departments that have been put in charge in order to reinforce the leadership.
III. Each locale shall set up a liaison system for major cases in order to strengthen the collecting and reporting of information on major cases, and shall promptly report to the secretary of the municipal lawyers association any cases that have a major impact on the locality.
南通市司法局文件
通司发[2004]19号
关于进一步加强对律师办理重大案件指导工作的意见
各县（市）、区司法局，律师协会（工作组）：
为贯彻落实司法部上海片会和省厅镇江会议精神，提高律师办案质量，进一步加强对律师办理重大案件的指导工作，提出如下意见：
一、严格执行重大案件的汇报制度
律师办理以下重大案件，必须通过其所在执业机构向主管司法行政机关和律师协会汇报。
1、涉及国家政治、社会稳定的案件；
2、涉及社会敏感、关注的案件；
3、涉及比较复杂、法律界限不清楚的案件；
4、10人以上集团诉讼案件；
5、拟作无罪辩护的案件；
6、其他重大案件。
律师事务所汇报，必须附有承办律师对案件基本事实、代理意见及律师事务所集体讨论记录等书面材料，汇报时，承办律师所在律师事务所负责人必须参加。
二、健全组织，加强领导
各地应尽快健全重大案件业务指导组织，选拔政治素质好、业务能力强的律师充实到重大案件业务指导小组，由分管局领导任组长，加强领导。
三、各地应建立重大案件联系人制度，加强重大案件的信息收集和报告，对本地区有重大影响的案件及时报市律协秘书处。
请各地于3月2日前将业务指导小组人员名单及联系人姓名报市律协秘书处。市律师办理重大案件业务指导小组办公室设在市律协秘书处，联系人：陆备，电话：0513-3548222。
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