A one-of-a-kind learning experience at Tiantong Law Firm

On Saturday 14 November, 18 Year 12 students were privileged to attend an open day at Tian Tong, one of China’s top law firms. We are deeply grateful for the time and expertise of the lawyers, who kindly gave up their weekend to speak with the students. Below are some of the highlights from the day:

On behalf of all DCB students who were tremendously privileged to visit Tian Tong Law Firm, I would like to thank Mr and Mrs Jiang for their time and effort into the preparation for our eye-opening visit to their one-of-a-kind law firm. We are very grateful for their kind hospitality and preparation into the day’s full of enriching experiences, despite their busy schedules and meetings with market-leaders seeking legal assistance from world-leading dispute resolution lawyers at Tian Tong Law Firm.

SS Tian Tong Law Firm Visit

It was a true honour for us students to be greeted by an honourable Chinese legal pioneer, the Managing Founding Partner of Tian Tong Law Firm, Mr Jiang Yong and his wife, Mrs Jiang at the elegant main door of the Beijing courtyard in which the law firm is situated. It was here where we were introduced to the first of many other embellishments that signified the Chinese culture’s intricacies and Mr and Mrs Jiang’s comprehensive knowledge and applications of it in their tasteful interior design of the law firm.

Amongst other aspects of the impressionable law firm, I was humbled by the meticulousness of the Jiang’s in incorporating elements of Chinese cultural memorabilia into their legal-focused environment, including the wooden doors with carvings depicting a particular story from the Chinese classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms, another set of wooden doors depicting the Eight Immortals.

My immense respect for the Jiang’s comes from their willingness to share their expertise with students and the humility they practice in doing so. And this is consistently evident throughout the tour of the law firm where Mr Jiang introduced to us a couplet hung on each side of an entrance that promoted the collaborative spirit of the highly competent legal profession, as well as Mr Jiang’s philosophical yearning for a peaceful world where his services as a dispute resolution lawyer would not be needed. His mentality towards the responsibility of a learner to help others really inspires me to do so within my own means in school – inspiring younger members of the school to join MUN and debating-related activities.

As a learner myself, I was greatly enriched by the mock trial we conducted in Tian Tong Law Firm’s very own mooting courtroom – an exact replica of courtrooms in China where their own lawyers practised for their trials. The practical experience of wearing the robes of a Chinese barrister and speaking from the bench to defend a “client” who was prosecuted for murder was like no other experience – indescribable by words in a textbook or any media interpretation. 

Law Firm learning trip

Our trip was further enriched by Mrs. Jiang’s curation of a variety of documents dating back to the Ming Dynasty, as well as some Chinese printing – more takeaways from an already all-impressive trip.

My own insights would not do justice to the diverse personal experiences every participant took away from this trip. As such, below are some student insights on the trip:

“The visit truly granted me the memorable opportunity to experience the past and present of Chinese law while embracing the antique environment of the law firm” – Jeffrey W Year 12

“It was an enriching experience where the people were welcoming. And from an art student’s standpoint, it was interesting to see how the architecture of the modernized interior contrasted with the Chinese courtyard traditional elegance.” – Rino F Year 12

“What made the experience at TianTong unique was the fusion of old and new; you had the ancient scriptures laid out right next to a digital exhibition screen, furniture made of fragrant silkwood adorning meeting rooms and offices, and the law firm itself, set in a traditional Chinese traditional courtyard” Lauren Z Year 12

Law Firm trip - history and culture

Lastly, a big thank you to Ms Tomaszun, Mr Broadhead and Mr Royters for taking time off their busy teaching schedule to facilitate this trip! We look forward to future opportunities that will continue to enrich students in such holistic ways.

 

Guan Rong T

Year 12 TST