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As chief legal counsel for the ABC Company, one of my established clients, I did not realize the severity of the case until I sat d own with my client face-to-face. [NAME], the general manager of the [NAME] Company, was deeply depressed. He explained to me that he had lost his case against a Canadian company, because he failed to appear in court as defendant, erroneously assuming that lawyers did not have the right to serve official legal documents on behalf of Canadian courts. According to Canadian law, legal parties who fail to appear in court, no matter what the reason, automatically lose the case and are precluded from making an appeal even if they are innocent. Facing impending bankruptcy due to the financial losses caused by the credit fraud at issue, my client sunk into great despair.With no opportunity to file an appeal, proceedings taking place in a foreign nation in which I had no experience, payment of lawyer fees conditional upon the recovery of losses, and disorganized evidence, I knew this would be a challenging case. Though I was skeptical about our chances, I decided to take the case and spent time reassuring my client that if we held hope, things would turn out well. After three years of intense legal battles, we won the case, recouping the full principal of the company's losses plus accrued interest. When I returned from the legal proceedings in Canada and met with my client at his headquarters, the entire staff stood in unison, clapped, and cheered words of encouragement. Most came over to me with wide grins on their faces and gave me a hug. Choking back tears, [NAME] thanked me for saving his company and for proving to him that their was still fairness in justice. Excited by one of my biggest legal victories ever, I realized that law is the means and justice is the end.
With a strong belief in never losing hope and working through adversity, I possess traits that have helped me focus upon a career in the legal field. Because of my extensive track record of success and tremendous underdog victory for the [NAME] Company, I was promoted by the board of the ABC [NAME] Law Firm, one of China's largest leading law firms, becoming the youngest partner ever. My firm currently employs 123 licensed practicing lawyers and over seventy legal assistants, surpassing the size of every other law firm in China, according to the Chinese Lawyers Association. As an "Accredited Civilized Law Firm" by the Ministry of Justice and council member of the Chinese Lawyers Association, ABC [NAME] has become one of China's most reputable law firms over the past five years, placing in the top ten in lawyer fees. In 1999, we established our own website (www.[NAME].com.cn) to provide information more quickly to both our current and prospective clients around the globe. With an arsenal of experienced, top-quality lawyers, the ABC [NAME] Law Firm is poised to develop quickly into China's preeminent legal nstitution.
Focusing on foreign affairs, as well as cooperating and partnering with several international law firms, has versified my understanding of law in numerous cultures and enriched my practicable courtroom experience. Nearly all the cases I have handled have involved Fortune 500 companies, including HSBC, McDonald's, ICBC, Sinochem, and the Bank of China. Working with clients in Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, I briefed local representatives of my clients on the details of pending cases, assisted and supported their domestic attorneys in court, and negotiated and drafted written settlements with their opponents. I have also helped ABC [NAME] form strategic relationships with international law firms and educational institutions, including Baker & Daniels, a law firm based in Indiana who opened an office in XYZ, Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy, SSD, Blakes, and Soochow University in Taiwan, whose president visited our firm last year.
In addition to my extensive international responsibilities, I also oversee the "[NAME] Legal Adviser Briefs," a periodical printed and published by my firm that discusses the latest and most complicated legal cases. I have included several volumes for your perusal; they also include more extensive information about ABC [NAME]. As supervisor of my firm's Beijing office, I lectured at the Chinese Lawyers Millennium Conference, which brought together over 1,000 of China's top lawyers and representatives from several well-known international law firms in Beijing in 2001. Top judiciary officials and renowned scholars also were invited to speak about China's legal reforms and future legal mosphere in the post-World Trade Organization era. These experiences have helped me hone my social skills across different cultures and mature as an international legal professional.
On December 11, 2001, China became part of the World Trade Organization (WTO), one of the most important events in my nation's history. Like Charlene Barshefsky, the 12th United States trade representative, I firmly believe that inclusion in the WTO will increase the level of Chinese imports, as well as ignite substantial economic reforms across most of China's industries. I agree with Long Yongtu, vice-minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, who told attendees at an international economic forum in Beijing that China must improve its legal system and shape its laws in accordance with WTO regulations. Although most sizable law firms in developed countries are Limited Liability Partnerships, Chinese firms possess limitless liability; all foreign law firms insure themselves against damages, while firms in China struggle to find suitable insurers willing to offer equivalent protection. Even medium-sized international law firms employ several hundred or thousand lawyers in dozens of offices worldwide, while the largest Chinese firms employ slightly more than one hundred lawyers and have few branch offices, especially internationally. Although many lawyers at foreign firms are bilingual or even polyglot, the majority of my country's legal establishment can work only in its native language. International lawyers usually practice law in specialized areas, while the bulk of domestic Chinese lawyers remain generalists. With such a poor state of legal affairs, the Chinese legal establishment needs to make major changes to be able to compete on a global scale with large, powerful foreign firms.
Like Chinese Fortune 500 companies, which have seen incredible development over the past few years, so too will China's law firms, growing into large and powerful international practices. With this challenge comes the pportunity for me to develop as a global legal professional. Because of your school's combination of superior faculty, state-of-the-art facilities, diverse student body, and potent alumni network, I believe it is the best environment in which I can pursue a rigorous JD program. The professional and cultural diversity of your students will provide a stimulating environment of shared experience. By utilizing your school as an educational institution and reservoir of established, professional and personal successes, I will improve my ability to challenge my professional goals, while building lasting friendships.
