To implement the central government’s strategy of developing China's western regions and expediting the healthy and balanced development of the legal profession throughout the nation, W&B responded to an invitation issued by the All-China Lawyers Association to assist the Shanghai Bar Association (the “SBA”) by co-hosting the “Bai Qian Qian” Lawyer Cultivation Program (the “Program”).

The SBA hosted the 2015 SBA Training Course from May to June 2015. 117 lawyers who act as the backbone of their respective law firms in western regions such as Xinjiang, Shannxi, Guizhou and Hainan provinces attended the training. To ensure the quality of training, the SBA allocated a strong team of lecturers consisting of elite Shanghai lawyers. W&B Partner Xiaosu Zhu, Managing Director of the Shanghai Law Society Bankruptcy Law Research Board, was selected as one of the lecturers.

During the training the SBA arranged for the trainees to visit 42 large, unique and well-known Shanghai law firms, including W&B. Through face-to-face communication and field trips, the trainees learned from the Shanghai’s lawyers’ thoughts and practice and also experienced the institutions, mechanisms and culture of Shanghai’s law firms.

W&B Senior Partner Jun Yang and partners Xiaobo He, Liming Zhang and Yueqin Wu (among others) were responsible for hosting Yunfeng Zhao and Minyan Fan from Xinjiang Xing He Law Firm and Xinjiang An Long Law Firm, respectively. W&B’s lawyers designed a 3-day training plan consisting of 5 sessions for these two visiting lawyers. The plan covered multiple aspects of the firm including the history, brand culture, areas of expertise, business practices and human resources structure. The W&B team also escorted the visitors around the office and displayed their service resources.

The SBA selected W&B to co-host the program due to its prominent position in the legal industry. W&B partner Xiaosu Zhu, an outstanding figure in the industry, was included as a lecturer in order to demonstrate the SBA’s broadmindedness and the hospitality as well as the pursuit of excellence by Shanghai law firms.