Li Xiaohua Law Firm reviews and hosts a seminar on comparative legal litigation procedures between China and the United States

By Lixiaohua lawyer, Shanghai Lixiaohua Lawfirm

In May 2026, President Trump of the United States visited China and said that the American people and the Chinese people enjoy and respect each other, and their friendship has a long history. The "Comparison of Legal Litigation Procedures between China and the United States" seminar, jointly organized by the Litigation Law Research Association of the Shanghai Bar Association, the Law Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and the Shanghai Li Xiaohua Law Firm, was held in the conference room of the Shanghai Li Xiaohua Law Firm.

1.Chinese and American legal elites gather to discuss the comparison of litigation procedures

The US representatives attending this seminar include Scott Linton, Director of Political Affairs and Lawyer at the US Consulate General, and Gu Yun, Legal Advisor at the US Consulate General in Shanghai; There are Chinese representatives including Zhang Haitang, Honorary President of the Litigation Law Research Association of the Shanghai Bar Association and former Vice President of the Shanghai High People's Court, Li Xiaohua, Director and Senior Lawyer of the Shanghai Li Xiaohua Law Firm, Wang Lin, Executive Director, Meng Xiangpei, a researcher and legal scholar at the Law Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Some media participated in the seminar. This seminar will be conducted through keynote speeches and interactive communication.

The seminar was chaired by Huang Zhijun, Secretary of the Party Branch and Administrative Director of Shanghai Li Xiaohua Law Firm.

2. Theme speech: From Criminal Defense to Judicial Reform, Deep Collision from Multiple Perspectives

Senior lawyer Li Xiaohua delivered a welcome speech and delivered a keynote speech entitled "Give Full Play to the Role of Criminal Defense Lawyer and Protect the Legal Rights and Interests of suspect and Defendants". Typical cases defended by law firms:

1）Defendant A is suspected of illegally absorbing public deposits of 55 million yuan and is exempt from criminal punishment after being defended by his lawyer;

2）The American executive is suspected of smuggling ordinary goods and evading taxes of 37 million yuan, and should be sentenced to more than ten years in prison. The court adopted the defense opinion and reduced the punishment, sentencing him to five years in prison.

It shows the important role of lawyers in China's commercial crime field in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of suspect and defendants.

Zhang Haitang's speech provided a detailed introduction:

1）The acceptance rate and completion rate of various cases in Shanghai courts have been increasing year by year, and the quality and efficiency of trials remain among the top in the country. The settlement rate and the number of cases handled by each judge during the same period rank first among all courts in China.

2）The significance of Shanghai Railway Court, Shanghai Intellectual Property Court, and Shanghai Financial Court in building Shanghai's "financial center".

3）Measures taken and achievements made in the reform of the judicial system. We have promoted the reform of the litigation system centered on trial, adhered to the lifelong responsibility system of "whoever listens makes the judgment, whoever makes the judgment is responsible", and established a professional judge joint conference system and a diversified dispute resolution mechanism within the court.

Scott Linton, Director of Political Affairs at the US Consulate, delivered a speech

Scott Linton, Director of the Political Department of the US Consulate, introduced the legal process of litigation in the United States. He believes that the rules of the legal profession are crucial to the rule of law and even shape it. Judges and lawyers can be seen as the cornerstone of social rule of law. At the same time, he also expressed concern about China's rule of law process and showed great interest in China's mediation and arbitration procedures.

Gao Mingsheng, Senior Judge of the Shanghai High People's Court and Secretary General of the Litigation Law Research Association of the Shanghai Law Society, introduced the innovative measures taken by the Shanghai Maritime Court in recent years in terms of institutional procedures, litigation procedures, and other aspects. Strengthen information technology construction, implement electronic litigation document services, and improve service efficiency; Gradually achieving precise positioning of ships and aircraft through satellite navigation, improving the accuracy and timeliness of seizures, and perfecting channels for diversified resolution and arbitration of shipping disputes.

Meng Xiangpei, Director of the Civil and Commercial Law Office at the Law School of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, delivered a keynote speech titled "Analysis and Research on the Legal Environment of Private Enterprise Operation in Shanghai". He analyzed the current situation and problems faced by the legal environment of private enterprises in Shanghai from four aspects: legislation, judiciary, administration, and society. China is a country with written laws, which places higher demands on written laws and comprehensive legislation. From a social perspective, continuously improving the rule of law system is of great significance for building an international, rule of law, and market-oriented business environment for healthy development.

Lawyer Wang Lin focuses on the theme of "equal protection of legal procedures for non-public economy", and combines his experience of winning foreign-related and Hong Kong related cases he has undertaken, as well as guarantee disputes involving private enterprises undertaken by the Provincial High Court.

3. Free communication: Focusing on legal differences and high-tech compliant products

Both parties had in-depth communication and exchanges on the legal concepts, evidence rules, and the role and significance of high-tech compliance legal service products in cross-border foreign-related law in the two major legal systems of common law and written law.

The seminar ended successfully in a warm and friendly atmosphere. After the meeting, the attending guests took a group photo with lawyers from Li Xiaohua Law Firm.

4. International exchange tradition: deeply cultivated for more than ten years, building a bridge for mutual learning in the rule of law between China and the United States

As a law firm recommended by the US Consulate to provide legal services, Shanghai Li Xiaohua Law Firm attaches great importance to international exchanges and has held a large-scale forum on "China US Legal Practice Forum in the Global Financial Investment Context - Legal Professionals and Entrepreneurs Seeking Common Development". As early as October 2005, 13 senior American lawyers led by Pinnals, the first vice president of the American Bar Association, visited the law firm to exchange views on criminal proceedings between China and the United States. It also discussed the status and role of criminal defense lawyers with Royal Counsel Rebecca Trowler and Professor Ed Cape from the University of West England in Bristol.

Harry Matz, Senior Prosecutor of the Drug and Dangerous Drugs Division of the US Department of Justice, and Nancy Leou, Director of the Political Economy Department of the US Consulate General in Shanghai, had in-depth discussions on "preventing and punishing drug crimes" at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the Litigation Law Research Association of the Shanghai Bar Association, the Legal Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and the Li Xiaohua Law Firm.

Shanghai Li Xiaohua Law Firm held a seminar on "Comparison of Legal Litigation Procedures between China and the United States" to jointly explore the value orientation of modern judicial systems in pursuing fairness and justice under different legal frameworks, as well as the significant practical significance of high-tech compliance legal service products for cross-border foreign-related legal services and Shanghai's construction of an international, market-oriented, and rule of law business environment.

Professional field:

Proficient in the field of commercial crime and foreign-related legal services and compliance, serving as a legal advisor

About the Author

Lixiaohua is a partner at Shanghai Lixiaohua Lawfirm, specializi License NO: 13101199310434143

Email: lxh@lxh-lawfirm.com

Tel：+86-63858668