On July 25, a thought-provoking event focusing on the cutting-edge developments in criminal legal services took place at Shenzhen Broadcasting & Finance Center. The Financial Crime Defense Legal Professional Committee of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association (referred to as the "Financial Crime Defense Committee"), in collaboration with Beijing Dacheng (Shenzhen) Law Firm and Beijing Yingke (Shenzhen) Law Firm, jointly hosted a lecture titled "Traditional Deep-Dive and Innovative Expansion of Criminal Legal Services in the Context of a New Era." The event featured a special guest—China's leading figure in criminal defense law, founder and honorary director of Beijing Xinglai Law Firm. Zhao Yunheng A lawyer takes the lead as the keynote speaker—advisor to Shenzhen Lawyers Association's Golden Debate Committee and Director of Shenzhen Center for Legal Services on Complex and High-Profile Cases at Yingke Law Firm. Liu Hui Lawyer, Director of the Legal Professional Committee on Defense of Official Crime at Shenzhen Lawyers Association, and Senior Partner at Guangdong Junyan Law Firm Tan Zhongxuan A lawyer served as a panelist, including the Director of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association's Golden Debate Committee and Co-Leader of the Criminal Law Committee for Dacheng China. Ma Cheng The lawyer delivered a speech as the Deputy Director of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association's Golden Debate Committee and the Deputy Director of Yinko Shenzhen Criminal Law Practice Center. Zhang Zizhu Serving as the host. The event was simultaneously live-streamed online, drawing attention and participation from numerous lawyer colleagues across the country.

At the start of the event, Attorney Ma Cheng delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the organizers. He profoundly emphasized that we are currently living in an era marked by profound transformation—cultivating deep roots in tradition is essential to solidify our foundation and uphold the bedrock of the rule of law, while embracing innovation allows us to stay relevant and rise to the challenges of our time. He warmly praised Attorney Zhao Yunheng for setting a shining example for the legal profession with his exceptional expertise, forward-thinking vision, and insightful, practical wisdom showcased in his groundbreaking book, "The Great Defense: My Story of Criminal Defense." Furthermore, Attorney Zhao's invaluable insights, along with those shared by fellow panelists Attorney Liu Hui and Attorney Tan Zhongxuan, will provide invaluable guidance as we strive to seamlessly integrate tradition and innovation in our future practice.

Director of King & Wood Mallesons National Criminal Law Committee Zhao Chunyu Although the lawyer was unable to attend in person due to official duties, she still expressed her strong endorsement of the event—and heartfelt gratitude to Director Zhao Yunheng—via video. She fondly recalled Director Zhao’s pivotal guidance during her early career stages, emphasizing the invaluable importance of generational mentorship among lawyers, mutual professional learning, and collective achievement. She expressed her hope for deeper collaboration in the future, working together to continuously enhance professional expertise. After all, only when each lawyer thrives in their own unique way while celebrating the success of others can the true industry value of criminal defense attorneys be fully realized—and only then can we further expand the market for criminal legal services.

Facing the widespread "winter" challenges currently felt across the industry, lawyer Zhao Yunheng offered a candid and insightful analysis, drawing on his 24 years of deep experience and a nationwide perspective. He bluntly stated that multiple overlapping factors have led to market contraction—but based on his careful assessment of economic and legal development trends, he made a key prediction: the criminal legal services market is expected to rebound within 3 to 5 years, returning to pre-2020 levels, and then enter an even more robust growth phase over the next 8 to 10 years.

Staying grounded in the present while keeping an eye on the future, Attorney Zhao Yunheng systematically outlined the core strategies for breaking through challenges and driving growth:

1. Specialized Deep-Dive and Dynamic "Tagging" Attorney Zhao emphasized that lawyers need to define their niche clearly and cultivate a specialized professional identity, rather than trying to be an "all-purpose" lawyer. He advises young lawyers to focus on niche areas—such as securities fraud, customs law, data compliance, and more—or even specialize deeply within specific industries, offering end-to-end services that span compliance, administrative responses, and criminal defense. At the same time, the "branding" strategy must evolve with the times: lawyers should adopt a more flexible fee structure to better align with today’s market dynamics, while remaining grounded in their "home-field advantage" approach to client acquisition—but also be willing to adapt pragmatically when necessary. Additionally, he encourages lawyers to proactively leverage the internet and AI tools to showcase their professional achievements, including both successful cases and "inspirational failures," thereby boosting their visibility within the industry.

2. The Timeless Value of Meticulous Case Management "Even in the face of downward pressure on fees, precision and meticulousness remain the lifeline. Even when handling lower-fee cases, lawyers should still dedicate ample effort—carefully reviewing case files, identifying strong defense arguments, and steadily building a reputation for specialized expertise. Attorney Zhao vividly illustrated the importance of thorough document review, deep analysis of electronic data, and precise theoretical summarization through several cases he personally managed. He specifically highlighted two critical points: boldly and skillfully gathering evidence (which serves as the breakthrough for an aggressive defense strategy)—and adhering to a 'personal accountability' approach in procedural defense (specifically linking improper evidence collection, dereliction of duty, and other misconduct directly to individual perpetrators, while also leveraging external oversight bodies like the Supervisory Commission). He further reinforced the effectiveness of this strategy with numerous successful cases drawn from his own experience."

3. Innovation and Expansion — Forward-looking Planning and Demand Creation ： Lawyer Zhao believes that lawyers should go beyond merely reacting passively—they should proactively create demand for their clients and tap into incremental markets. He specifically highlighted three key areas of focus. First, extended value-added services: After completing the criminal defense engagement, proactively inform corporate clients about their identified compliance risks and seamlessly connect them to compliance remediation services, transforming a "one-time defense" into a comprehensive, ongoing support system. Resolve + Comprehensive services focused on "prevention"; second, embracing the integration of "criminal and civil" approaches. "Cross-Section": In the future, high-value cases will inevitably involve complex and multifaceted legal issues, requiring lawyers to possess comprehensive skills. Particularly in corporate-related cases, attorneys must carefully assess and mitigate criminal risks, while also proactively avoiding or effectively managing substantial subsequent administrative penalties—whether in areas like securities or customs—and even employing non-litigation strategies to safeguard a company's survival. These capabilities form the foundational skills needed to meet the industry's growing demand for integrated, specialized expertise. Thirdly, Closely monitoring policy and tech trends: Sharply identifying key areas of national economic and criminal policies (such as the current vigorous crackdown on securities and financial fraud, as well as anti-corruption efforts in the healthcare sector), along with emerging business models in the digital age (like virtual currencies, New types of AI-driven crimes—such as fraud, intellectual property infringement, and novel forms of illegal fundraising—as well as the resulting surge in demand for innovative legal services (e.g., using AI to analyze vast amounts of electronic data)—are emerging alongside these advancements. “, Challenges like the evidentiary rebuttal known as "Jinxi as Proof"). He urged the legal community to delve deeper into these areas, cultivating a distinct professional voice and enhancing their own influence.

During the panel discussion, Attorney Liu Hui and Attorney Tan Zhongxuan each shared their perspectives and insights.

Lawyer Liu Hui believes that the current era is characterized by politics taking precedence, the expansion of public authority, economic downturns, and the erosion of private rights. Against this backdrop, criminal defense lawyers should prioritize specialization and meticulousness while boldly pursuing evidence gathering. He also expressed his anticipation for innovative expansions in broader criminal legal services beyond traditional defense work—such as recovering assets overseas or providing legal expert opinions to foreign judicial institutions.

Attorney Tan Zhongxuan emphasized the symbiotic relationship between deepening traditional expertise and fostering innovative expansion. He argued that solid, specialized knowledge forms the bedrock of criminal legal services—whether it’s about deepening existing expertise or venturing into new areas, both rely on a precise grasp of professional insights. Attorney Tan also highlighted that meticulous case-management processes are essential for upholding procedural justice, while innovation and expansion open up fresh opportunities for criminal legal services, such as exploring emerging practice areas, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and reimagining service delivery models. He encouraged criminal defense lawyers to remain true to their professional core values while embracing the transformative changes of the modern era with an open and forward-thinking mindset.

The lecture venue was buzzing with enthusiasm, featuring Dacheng's Shenzhen partner and the Secretary-General of the Shenzhen Lawyers Association's Golden Debate Committee. Ren Wei Lawyer and Partner at Dacheng Shenzhen Wang Yongqing Lawyers actively participated in the interaction. Attorney Zhao Yunheng provided detailed answers to questions raised by the lawyers on-site, sharing his own experiences and insights.

The lawyers attending the event unanimously praised the lecture and Attorney Zhao Yunheng's acclaimed work. Just like "The Great Defense—My Story of Criminal Defense." Rich in content and highly practical, it offers lawyers new ideas and approaches to delivering criminal legal services in the context of the new era. During breaks in the event, many lawyers were seen holding The book "The Great Defense—My Story of Criminal Defense" is waiting in line for Attorney Zhao to sign it.

The successful hosting of this lecture, titled "Deepening Traditional Roots and Embracing Innovative Expansion in Criminal Legal Services Amidst the New Era," has created a high-level learning and exchange platform for Shenzhen lawyers, fostering robust professional dialogue and stimulating fresh perspectives in the field of criminal defense. Through this event, attendees gained a deeper understanding of how criminal legal services can evolve in today’s dynamic landscape, while also identifying clear pathways to innovate and expand upon time-tested practices. This lecture was not merely a knowledge-sharing session—it served as a vital forum for building consensus and sparking forward-thinking ideas at a pivotal moment of industry transformation. Armed with a renewed appreciation for the balance between "deepening tradition" and "driving innovation," the participating lawyers look forward to navigating future challenges together, working hand-in-hand to usher in a more standardized and prosperous era for criminal legal services.