In society, there are always individuals facing misfortunes—some are unemployed, some are victims of domestic violence, some suffer disabilities due to accidents, some are abandoned at birth, and some experience neglect and filial disrespect. It is our duty to uphold social fairness and justice!
After successfully completing the Central Lottery Public Welfare Fund Project, Jiangsu Boomstar Law Office has established a strong cooperative relationship with the Jiangsu Legal Aid Foundation. The office has since set up the Huimin Juvenile Legal Aid Workstation and the Chunlei Public Welfare Legal Service Studio, dedicated to providing legal aid services for five key groups: migrant workers, persons with disabilities, the elderly, minors, and women's rights protection. These initiatives aim to offer warm and considerate pro bono legal services to those in need.
In daily life, we often see people desperately seeking help because they have nowhere to turn. To facilitate the legal protection of disadvantaged individuals, the Chunlei Public Welfare Legal Service Studio assigns lawyers to be on duty twice a week at the Nanjing Jiangning District Labor and Personnel Dispute Arbitration Commission. In addition, our lawyers actively participate in scheduled duty shifts at various institutions, including the Provincial Public Legal Service Center, the Provincial Federation of Trade Unions, the Provincial Women's Federation, the Provincial Disabled Persons' Federation, the Nanjing Legal Aid Center, and the Nanjing Women's Federation. The Huimin Juvenile Legal Aid Workstation has also established a fixed service point at the Nanjing Jianye District People's Court. Duty lawyers attentively listen to the concerns of visitors, provide professional legal advice, and promptly report and handle cases requiring legal aid.
From June 2023 to May 2024, the two service stations of Jiangsu Boomstar Law Office received over 1,800 legal consultations and represented 130 cases. The cases primarily involved labor disputes, family conflicts, and disputes over education and training contracts. With our diligent efforts, we have successfully completed all service tasks outlined in our project cooperation agreement with the Jiangsu Legal Aid Foundation, achieving remarkable social impact.
Our motto is: "If we take on a case, we must do it well." Throughout the handling of cases, we carefully consider the opinions and suggestions of the aided individuals, focus on the key issues and core evidence, and collaborate on complex legal matters to formulate the best solutions. Outside of casework, we actively participate in professional training to continuously enhance our expertise. We uphold procedural justice, adhere to legal principles, and maintain open communication with public security, prosecution, and judicial departments when necessary. By promptly reporting case developments and obtaining relevant information, we strive to expedite case resolution efficiently and effectively. Moving forward, we will continue refining our mechanisms for case acceptance, review, assignment, and handling. Our goal is to conduct post-case follow-ups to ensure that every case is handled with diligence and that the legitimate rights of disadvantaged individuals are fully protected.
"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." Raising legal awareness among disadvantaged groups is the core of legal aid. To this end, we employ multiple channels and approaches to disseminate legal knowledge and enhance public legal awareness.
On one hand, we share typical cases through our official WeChat account and collaborate with traffic broadcasting networks to promote the Civil Code. Using new media, we effectively publicize legal aid policies, notable cases, and best practices. On the other hand, we actively engage in legal education programs within communities and schools. The Chunlei Legal Service Studio, alongside the Huimin Juvenile Legal Aid Workstation, has conducted outreach activities in Baoshipan Community of Gulou District, Yanhe Community of Jianye District, and Nanjing City Vocational College. These initiatives include National Constitution Day and April 8th Judicial Day events, providing direct legal consultation and services to the public.
Furthermore, we organize specialized lectures, mock trials, and distribute educational materials to present legal knowledge in an accessible and engaging manner. Through clear and vivid explanations, we help the public understand the practical application of legal provisions, thereby enhancing their legal literacy.
Due to financial constraints, the scope of our aid services remains limited. Thus, we have been actively seeking opportunities to expand legal aid cooperation projects. On February 27, 2024, Jiangsu Boshida Law Office signed a Legal Aid Service Procurement Contract with the Comprehensive Governance Bureau of the Nanjing Jiangbei New District Management Committee. Subsequently, on May 8, 2024, we signed a Legal Aid Project Procurement Contract with the Nanjing Jiangning District Judicial Bureau, securing participation in legal aid duty shifts and case handling in both Jiangbei New District and Jiangning District. These projects are currently running smoothly. We officely believe that by excelling in each legal aid project, we will open doors to more collaboration opportunities.
Legal aid concerns the fundamental rights of disadvantaged individuals—it is our social responsibility. We will continue working hand in hand with government agencies and social organizations to contribute to the development of a rule-of-law society and a harmonious community!
Zhou Chunlei: a lawyer at Jiangsu Boomstar Law Office. She graduated from the Department of Sociology at Nanjing University and holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from China University of Political Science and Law. Currently, she serves as the Director of the Legal Aid Workstation for the Protection of Migrant Workers' Rights under the Jiangsu Lawyers Association, the Head of the Chunlei Public Welfare Legal Service Studio, a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Legal Aid Center's Criminal Legal Aid Lawyers Group, and a peer reviewer for legal aid case quality at both the Ministry of Justice Legal Aid Center and the Jiangsu Provincial Legal Aid Center. She is also a guest lecturer at Suzhou Agricultural and Vocational Technology College and a specially appointed mediator at the Nanjing Liuhe District People's Court. Zhou has long been dedicated to full-time public welfare legal services. She has been recognized multiple times as an Outstanding Public Welfare Lawyer by the Jiangsu Lawyers Association and the Nanjing Lawyers Association, receiving the 2019 Outstanding Public Welfare Award from the latter. In 2016 and 2017, she was jointly commended by the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Justice and the Jiangsu Lawyers Association. In March 2024, she was honored by the Ministry of Justice with the title of "National Outstanding Individual in Public Legal Services."