Recently, Issue No. 23 of 2026 of *Democracy and the Rule of Law*, a leading domestic legal weekly, was officially published, featuring a major cover story series titled “30 Years Since the Enactment of the Lawyers Law.” Among the in-depth reports, “From Acquittal to Reduced Sentence: The Stories Behind Those Changed Verdicts” focuses on the evolution of criminal defense in China over the past three decades and systematically illustrates the value of professional defense in advancing judicial fairness. Attorney Liang Yali, Senior Partner at Beijing King&Capital Law Firm and Director of the King&Capital Criminal Defense Research Center, was interviewed for the feature. Drawing on her own professional experience and insights from handling typical cases, she systematically elaborated on the core value of criminal defense, the pathways to effective defense, and the direction of professional development within the industry.
Cover of Issue No. 23, 2026, of *Democracy and the Rule of Law* Weekly
Cover story in *Democracy and the Rule of Law* on “30 Years Since the Enactment of the Lawyers Law”
The most profound change over the past three decades has been the shift in criminal defense from “formal participation” to “substantive effectiveness”: Once upon a time, some defense efforts were reduced to mere procedural formalities, and arguments were rarely adopted; today, however, an increasing number of judicial rulings provide targeted responses to defense arguments. From acquittals to reductions in charges from serious to less serious offenses, from actual imprisonment to suspended sentences, and from confrontation to reconciliation, professional defense is influencing judicial outcomes in diverse ways. Behind this transformation lies the comprehensive implementation of the principle of adjudication based on evidence and the continuous advancement of judicial philosophy. It is also a vivid embodiment of how, in the 30 years since the enactment of the Lawyers Law, the right to defense has truly moved from being a right on paper to being realized in every individual case.
Distilling Professional Wisdom: Interpreting the System of Substantive Defense
The enactment of the 1996 Lawyers Law, which established the defendant’s right to legal counsel for the first time through national legislation, marked a significant milestone in the development of China’s criminal defense system. As both a witness to and a contributor to the industry’s development, Attorney Liang Yali’s more than 30-year career has run parallel to the entire process of China’s criminal defense system—from its inception to maturity.
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Cover Story Section
Drawing on more than three decades of frontline case experience, Attorney Liang Yali, in an interview, systematically summarized the core strategies criminal defense attorneys use to influence verdicts into four key dimensions, constructing a substantive defense framework that covers the entire case process:
Evidence-based defense is the foundation: Identifying flaws in the chain of evidence and excluding illegally obtained evidence are the most critical tools for overturning wrongful convictions. As seen in the Jinhua Parrot Case, the defense attorneys focused on the fatal flaw that “the forensic examination was conducted solely based on photographs without testing live specimens,” and through solid evidentiary defense, secured an acquittal for their client.
Characterization defense is key: Clarifying the legal boundaries between different criminal offenses and between criminal and civil matters can often fundamentally alter the course of a case. The Ningxia 10-billion-yuan illegal bill issuance case, led by Liang Yali, is a prime example: the team comprehensively reviewed all evidence and conducted an in-depth analysis of financial law principles, successfully reclassifying the charge from “bill fraud”—which carries a maximum statutory sentence of life imprisonment—to “illegal issuance of financial instruments.” As a result, the defendant’s potential sentence was reduced from life imprisonment to five years, achieving a fundamental correction in the case’s legal characterization.
Procedural Defense Upholds the Bottom Line: Strictly adhering to the red lines of litigation procedures, correcting procedural violations during investigation, prosecution review, and trial, and ensuring substantive justice through procedural fairness.
Sentencing Defense Shows True Mastery: Meticulously identifying statutory and discretionary mitigating factors to achieve leniency within the legal framework is the most common—and most demanding—form of defense in current judicial practice, truly testing a lawyer’s expertise.
She also emphasized that effective defense is never measured solely by an “acquittal.” Whether it involves overturning a conviction, correcting the legal characterization of a case, optimizing sentencing, or resolving conflicts, as long as professional advice leads to more precise and fairer judicial decisions, it truly embodies the value of defense.
Driving High-Quality Development in the Criminal Defense Industry Through Specialization
Addressing the topic of professional specialization—a widespread concern within the industry—Attorney Liang Yali offered clear and pragmatic insights during the interview. She pointed out that specialization in criminal defense comprises two indispensable aspects: First, building a solid foundation of general professional competence by honing basic skills—such as client meetings, reviewing case files, cross-examination, and presenting arguments—to the highest level, while cultivating meticulousness, patience, and rigorous logical analysis; Second, deepening expertise in specialized practice areas. When handling complex and challenging cases involving finance, mining, and corporate compliance, lawyers must not only understand criminal law but also master knowledge of related areas of law and industry operating rules. Cross-disciplinary expertise often becomes the key to breaking through a case, and the Ningxia bill of exchange case serves as practical evidence of this philosophy.
At the same time, she particularly emphasized that specialization is the inevitable direction for the development of criminal defense, but it must return to the essence of the profession and reject tendencies toward stereotyping and sensationalism. Regarding the growth of young lawyers, she offered the advice to “see the forest before seeing the trees”: first lay a solid foundation in comprehensive practice and establish a complete knowledge system for criminal defense, then gradually delve into specialized fields to avoid falling into the trap of narrowing one’s perspective too early.
“The specialization of lawyers and the refinement of the judicial system are two sides of the same process.” This viewpoint was prominently featured in the interview coverage. In her view, the enhancement of professional competence among lawyers and the advancement of judicial refinement are mutually reinforcing; together, they drive China’s criminal justice system toward greater standardization and fairness.
Staying True to Her Original Professional Aspirations: A Professional Force Dedicated to Fairer Judgments
With over thirty years of experience, Attorney Liang Yali has consistently upheld a simple professional conviction: the sense of fulfillment for a criminal defense attorney has never been merely about “winning cases,” but rather about having professional opinions seen, respected, and adopted by the court, thereby ensuring justice is served in every individual case.
In the interview, she noted that criminal defense in China today has long moved beyond the misconception of adversarial “theatrics,” shifting instead toward promoting the restoration of judicial fairness through professionalism, rationality, and restraint within the framework of the rule of law. Lawyers are not the antithesis of the judicial system; rather, they are a vital professional force within the same legal system, ensuring more precise judgments and greater access to justice.
This cover story interview with *Democracy and the Rule of Law* Weekly not only represents recognition by an authoritative legal media outlet of Attorney Liang Yali’s professional competence and contributions to the industry but also serves as yet another demonstration of the professional influence of the King&Capital Criminal Defense brand. Moving forward, Attorney Liang Yali will lead her team in remaining true to the original mission of criminal defense, deepening their expertise, and fulfilling their responsibilities—using their professional expertise to safeguard judicial fairness and contribute to the development of China’s criminal defense practice.
