[Interview] Jang Jeonghee, President-elect of Gwangju Bar Association, "Will Strengthen Support for Young Lawyers"

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Jang Jeong-hee, president-elect of the Gwangju Jeonnam Bar Association, is sharing her thoughts in an interview with Asia Economy.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Since law schools became the sole system for training legal professionals, the number of young lawyers has increased significantly.

In the Gwangju area, about 50 "new sprout lawyers" are added each year.

Among them, quite a few choose to start their own practice immediately after completing the six-month practical training period, but many encounter various difficulties.

Due to the short training period and lack of "practical experience" that could not be acquired from textbooks, they face numerous challenges when handling litigation.

"We will actively support young lawyers so that they do not face difficulties during the process of starting their practice amid changes in the legal market."

This was emphasized by Jang Jeong-hee, the president-elect of the Gwangju Bar Association, in an interview with Asia Economy on the 22nd.

He stated, "We will promote mentorship programs so that new lawyers can receive advice and assistance from senior lawyers on how to perform their duties, attitudes, and etiquette."

He also explained, "Beyond legal knowledge, we will strengthen educational programs to help young lawyers gain practical experience, such as how to conduct arguments in court or, in minor details, how to properly interact when meeting defendants in prison."

In particular, he emphasized, "We will prioritize young lawyers in recommending committee members for administrative adjudication committees at public institutions and open paths for active participation in Gwangju Bar Association projects such as the Small and Medium Enterprise Advisory Lawyers Group and the Small Claims Support Lawyers Group."

He also plans to rekindle the social and communication activities among lawyers, which had been subdued due to COVID-19.

Jang said, "At the general meeting in January next year, we plan to significantly increase the budget for communication among members," adding, "We will actively operate public interest clubs and create opportunities for mutual exchange."

Jang’s announcement to "strengthen communication" can also be traced back to his past experiences.

While serving as a judge, he saw the root of judicial distrust as the lack of communication between the court and the parties involved in litigation, and he made continuous efforts to resolve this.

In fact, in Gwangju District Court, there are times when defendants give lengthy statements, and it is often observed that judges interrupt them midway.

Jang said, "Many parties come to court wanting to voice their grievances, but most leave without saying what they want to say," adding, "As a judge, I always tried to patiently listen to the parties until they finished speaking during trials."

When he first started as a lawyer, he actively participated in the Chosimhoe, a group for members with less than two years of practice, and never missed various social and harmony events such as spring hiking to welcome new members.

At the Gwangju Bar Association, he served as the public relations director, preparing meetings with the courts, prosecution, and media, and worked hard to build strong relationships.

Drawing on his past experiences, Jang added, "Through continuous meetings with related institutions such as courts and prosecution, I will convey the difficulties faced by local lawyers and strive to change unreasonable systems and practices to protect the right to defense."

He also said, "As the number of lawyers increases, conflicts with people working in similar legal fields such as labor consultants, tax accountants, patent attorneys, judicial scriveners, and administrative agents are growing. I will create ways to provide legal support and facilitate exchanges to reduce these frictions."

Jang will serve as president of the Gwangju Bar Association for two years starting January next year.

He said, "I will listen carefully to every word of the lawyers affiliated with the Bar Association and work to resolve their inconveniences," adding, "I also plan to represent the interests of local residents on regional issues and contribute to public interest roles to establish rule-of-law administration."

Jang’s main pledges include ▲ electronic pass system ▲ remodeling of the association building ▲ reduction of the pass certificate fee (from 35,000 won to 25,000 won) ▲ priority recommendation system for young lawyers by external committee members.

Jang passed the 38th Judicial Examination in 1996, completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute, and began his public service as a judge at Gwangju District Court. He has served as a judge at Gwangju High Court, a research judge at the Supreme Court, and chief judge at Jangheung Branch of Gwangju District and Family Court.

He is regarded in the local legal community as a lawyer well-versed in various legal principles across civil and criminal law.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.