On July 19, 2025, the Xicheng District Young Lawyers' Mock Criminal Court Competition was held at the Xicheng District Judicial Bureau. Hu Zhenhuan, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Xicheng District Judicial Bureau, and Secretary of the District Lawyers' Industry Party Committee, attended and delivered a speech. Bi Wensheng, a member of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress and Vice President of the Beijing Lawyers Association; Lu Li, Vice President of the Xicheng Lawyers Association; and Yang Kuangsheng, Director of the Criminal Law Professional Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, attended the event as observers. Prosecutors from the Xicheng District Procuratorate were assigned to serve as on-site judges.
Liang Yali, deputy director of the Criminal Law Professional Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, deputy director of the Criminal Practice Research Association of the Chaoyang District Lawyers Association, senior partner of King&Capital Law Firm in Beijing, and director of the King&Capital Criminal Defense Research Center, and An Hongpeng, deputy secretary-general of the Criminal Law Professional Committee of the Beijing Lawyers Association, secretary-general of the Criminal Practice Research Association of the Chaoyang District Lawyers Association, and partner of King&Capital Law Firm in Beijing, were invited to serve as judges, bringing their professional expertise to the competition from a senior perspective.
This competition followed the format of the National Top Ten Prosecutors' Debate Competition, with two participants forming a team and engaging in a one-on-one debate between the prosecution and defense. The order of the competition and the roles of prosecution and defense were determined on-site through a random draw before the competition. Participants debated the issue of guilt or innocence based on a case adapted from a real-life example. The topics focused on key and challenging issues in case handling, emphasizing the assessment of participants' criminal law theory, legal application, and prosecution and defense skills. The competition format challenges participants' individual problem-solving and on-the-spot response abilities, ensuring that truly outstanding candidates are selected to represent Xicheng District in the advancement round.
Eight outstanding young lawyers from law firms in Xicheng District competed in 10 intense matches. The on-site atmosphere was lively, with participants engaging in sharp verbal exchanges, effectively interpreting and explaining the law, and demonstrating the professional expertise and professional demeanor of criminal defense lawyers. Ultimately, nine participants emerged victorious and advanced to the next round.
The Xicheng District Judicial Bureau placed great importance on the selection of judges for this competition, aiming to ensure fairness and impartiality while identifying talented participants and providing young lawyers with an opportunity to learn from their peers. The Xicheng District Judicial Bureau guided the competition organizing committee in establishing a strong panel of judges comprising current prosecutors, former prosecutors, former judges, and senior lawyers, including the National Top Ten Prosecutors.
The judges not only scored the participants based on their solid professional skills and dedicated work ethic but also shared their expertise during the feedback session, unlocking the essence and techniques of criminal court debates.
Attorney Liang Yali first acknowledged the effectiveness of the one-on-one prosecution-defense confrontation model in fairly and efficiently selecting outstanding participants. Second, Attorney Liang Yali conducted an in-depth analysis of the participants' outstanding performances and areas for improvement in identifying and arguing points related to fabricated facts, errors in recognition, causality, and property damage, closely tied to the competition topics. Finally, Attorney Liang Yali provided effective suggestions to the participants on organizing facts, identifying defense points, and relying on facts.
At the conclusion of the event, Attorney Liang Yali presented awards to the two outstanding debaters, witnessing their moment of glory while also conveying the expectations and encouragement of industry seniors toward their juniors.
The mock trial competition concluded with a group photo and applause. The event was organized efficiently and orderly, with fair and impartial judging. The participants engaged in professional debates, and the judges provided thoughtful comments. All participants highly praised the event's outcomes and reported significant takeaways. The competition served as both a platform for young lawyers to showcase their abilities and an opportunity for outstanding legal professionals to exchange ideas and learn from one another.
