Recently, the fifth session of the "Criminal-Civil Intersection Legal Practice Forum" hosted by the School of Law at the Central University of Finance and Economics was held in Room 218 of the Main Teaching Building on the university's College South Road campus. This forum focused on practical legal issues at the intersection of criminal and civil law. Wang Weining, Deputy Director and Founding Partner of Beijing Xinglai Law Firm, as well as Director of its Criminal Law Practice Center, was invited as the keynote speaker to share insights on "Multi-Dimensional Practical Approaches to Criminal-Civil Cases Involving Enterprises." The event was moderated by Associate Professor Liu Boning from the School of Law, with participation from Associate Professor Cao Jianjun, several lawyers from Xinglai Law Firm, and over 30 graduate students from the law school who joined the lively discussion.

During the sharing session, Attorney Wang Weining drew on her extensive practical experience and profound professional expertise, analyzing the characteristics, handling approaches, and strategic responses for criminal-civilly intertwined cases involving enterprises by examining multiple real-world examples from various perspectives. Attorney Wang emphasized that dealing with such cases requires a highly practical mindset. Academically, the definition of criminal-civilly intertwined cases typically revolves around three key dimensions: the assessment of identical legal facts, considerations of protected legal interests, and the selection of appropriate litigation procedures. From the perspective of judicial practice, however, these cases often exhibit complex and unpredictable patterns, characterized broadly by intricate legal relationships and significant economic value. Resolving them demands a seamless integration of both criminal and civil knowledge, as well as a fusion of criminal and civil reasoning. In practice, adhering to the fundamental principle of addressing criminal matters before civil ones offers distinct advantages. Leveraging investigative actions conducted by public security authorities can significantly enhance the clarity of the case details. Moreover, the stringent evidentiary standards applied in criminal proceedings help ensure greater accuracy in establishing the facts. Meanwhile, the flexibility inherent in civil litigation processes can effectively prevent conflicting rulings, thereby upholding judicial authority. Additionally, criminal measures aimed at recovering losses not only safeguard the legitimate rights of parties involved but also provide comprehensive protection. At the same time, Attorney Wang also highlighted that, depending on the specific legal facts underlying each case, it may be equally effective—and sometimes even more appropriate—to adopt a parallel approach that addresses both criminal and civil aspects simultaneously.

Following this, Attorney Wang provided a comprehensive analysis from multiple perspectives on the role of criminal lawyers in cases that involve both criminal and civil elements. He argued that criminal lawyers have long since moved beyond the traditional stereotype of being mere "defenders," as they may also act as litigation agents to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of victims or third parties with relevant interests. These roles, too, play a critical part in case handling, and the ability to seamlessly switch between them significantly influences the choice of advocacy strategies and ultimately shapes the direction of the case. Focusing on the diverse roles of criminal lawyers, Attorney Wang delved into three real-world scenarios involving business-related criminal-civil crossover cases: "using civil means to stop criminal actions," "using criminal measures to halt civil disputes," and "leveraging criminal proceedings to advance civil objectives." Through these detailed case studies, he clearly and vividly demonstrated to students how to sift through vast amounts of evidence to establish the factual foundation of a case and mount effective defenses. He also explained how to thoughtfully integrate non-litigation approaches and civil/business-oriented strategies to resolve criminal prosecutions via civil litigation—and how to adapt one’s role in court dynamically, always aligned with the overarching litigation goals, in order to maximize economic recovery for third parties whose interests are at stake. Drawing from his extensive practical experience, Attorney Wang distilled four key principles for successfully navigating criminal-civil crossover cases: the Principle of Unified Legal Order, the Principle of Fairness, the Principle of Impartiality, and the Principle of Property Management. These principles not only underpin the fundamental logic for handling such complex cases but also reflect the delicate balance and negotiation among the competing interests of all parties involved. Ultimately, they profoundly impact the realization of fairness, justice, and the rule of law. In conclusion, Attorney Wang emphasized that while mastering legal expertise is undoubtedly the first step toward becoming an accomplished lawyer, what truly sets exceptional practitioners apart is their ability to take a holistic view—understanding how to strategically apply the law to manage cases effectively, anticipate client needs, manage client expectations, and ultimately select practical, actionable strategies. Only by achieving this integrated approach can lawyers optimally balance litigation costs, maximize potential benefits, and deliver meaningful social outcomes, thereby fulfilling their professional, personal, market-driven, and client-centric values in a seamless, four-dimensional manner.

Finally, Associate Professor Liu Boning concluded: "Attorney Wang’s insightful presentation has greatly broadened our understanding of the scope and nature of criminal lawyers’ practice. Through a series of vivid, real-life cases, he clearly illustrated the winning strategies for handling criminal-civil intersection cases—strategies that rely not only on solid professional knowledge but also on the ability and wisdom to tackle complex legal challenges. As the final event of this semester’s ‘Party Building +’ Criminal-Civil Intersection Legal Practice Forum, Attorney Wang’s session delivered deep, practical insights that refined and elevated the content covered in earlier sessions. We look forward to future iterations of the forum, which will continue fostering a closer integration between legal education and judicial practice, jointly nurturing a new generation of high-quality young legal professionals equipped to meet the demands of today’s evolving legal landscape."

Amid enthusiastic applause from everyone, the Cross-Border Criminal and Civil Legal Practice Forum came to a successful close!

Edited and Layouted by: Wang Xin

Review: Management Committee