Taihe: A Lawyer’s Story | The Human World Within the Case Files — Ten Years in the Life of a Litigation Attorney

Q: At the outset of your practice, why did you choose to specialize in either litigation or non‑litigation? What convinced you to commit to this path? In your view, what is the most significant difference between litigation and non‑litigation work? And if you have experience working across both domains, how do litigation lawyers perceive non‑litigation lawyers, and vice versa?

A: To be honest, in my first year in the industry, I hadn’t thought things through that clearly. Since the team specializes in litigation, it was only natural that I began handling litigation matters. Litigation cases typically have lengthy timelines, From the case filing window to the courtroom, with each summons and every court session, that… " Unravel a tangled mess into a single thread. " The process has become addictive to me. Also receive My first independent speech was at a… Lease In court during a contract dispute, Fortunately, having prepared a timeline and a chronology of key events in advance, along with thorough pre-trial preparations, I felt less anxious when the judge questioned me about the facts during the trial.

In my view, the biggest difference between litigation and non-litigation is… The Direction of Time . Litigation is " Looking back "—— The damage has already been done, and the losses have already occurred; your task is to reconstruct the evidence and restore the proper order within the established facts. Non-litigation, by contrast, is more like… " Look ahead "—— Even before a transaction takes place, you’re already designing the rules and mitigating risks. Over the years of serving as in-house counsel, I’ve come to increasingly appreciate that… " Prevention is cheaper than firefighting. " A clearly drafted liquidated damages clause can indeed save you from two subsequent lawsuits.

If you were to ask me how I see each other —— In the eyes of a litigation lawyer, an M&A and corporate‑law attorney is meticulous, steady, and possesses superb drafting skills—able to revise a single contract up to the tenth draft without losing patience. Meanwhile, in the eyes of an M&A and corporate‑law attorney, a litigation lawyer is quick on their feet, resilient under pressure, and unafraid to speak up in court. " No " , but sometimes I take things too seriously. In fact, the two are two sides of the same coin; every clause I draft in routine legal services is based on imagination. " If it ends up in court, how will the judge view it? “Moreover, during the early stages of litigation when clients seek advice, we also offer certain recommendations and strategies from the perspective of maximizing the case’s favorable outcomes.”

Q: What is your primary area of expertise? Could you share a case or project that left a lasting impression on you?

A: Main focuses: Contract disputes, corporate legal counsel, family and matrimonial matters To outsiders, the scope may seem broad, but I personally find it remarkably cohesive—these three matters all revolve around “relationships”: collaborative partnerships, business‑operational dynamics, and family ties. In the end, they all boil down to helping people bring a troubled relationship to a graceful close or re‑establish it on sound footing.

What left the deepest impression was a batch of labor dispute cases I handled early in my practice. Because the employees had engaged in conduct—such as violating workplace discipline—during working hours, the employer terminated their employment contracts. Subsequently, the employees filed lawsuits, seeking compensation for unlawful termination. In this group of cases, we represented the employers.

At the time, as workers gathered in large numbers at the entrances to offices and meeting rooms during working hours, the lawyers’ task was to review surveillance footage, sifting through days and nights of recordings to pinpoint the exact times and frequency with which a particular worker appeared in the video.

In total, there were more than forty workers, none of whom we knew personally. Relying solely on photographs and the assistance of the company’s HR department, we painstakingly reviewed and documented each frame of video footage that was already of poor quality. Ultimately, we successfully compiled detailed records of each worker’s presence—both the timing and frequency—and captured screenshots for evidence, which we then submitted to the court. In the end, the court ruled that those workers who, during working hours, appeared at non‑work locations with excessive frequency and for extended durations had violated workplace discipline, justifying a lawful termination.

I still remember on the day of the trial, when I saw the plaintiff across from me, I could instantly recognize each person by name. Litigation, it turns out, is a remarkably meticulous undertaking. The fact that I was able to patiently devote myself to this work and achieve a satisfactory outcome has given me tremendous confidence for my future career.

A: The team has had the greatest impact on me and has helped me develop strong teamwork skills. First, when working on legal documents, I strive for meticulous attention to detail—leaving no room for even the slightest punctuation error—and ensure that my materials are concise, logically structured, and clearly focused on the key points. Second, when interacting with clients, I make it a habit to reflect on which remarks may have been ill‑timed, which questions truly addressed their needs, and how to read between the lines to grasp their underlying concerns. Finally, I approach case reviews systematically: for cases we win, I don’t just examine how much of our claims the court upheld; I also assess whether the court accepted our line of reasoning and identify the specific evidence that supported our position. For cases we lose, I extract lessons and take them as opportunities to prepare more effectively for an appeal or a retrial. This is the most profound influence the team has had on me. When mentoring junior lawyers, I follow the same approach: I revise their drafts but always explain the rationale behind each change; before trial, I walk them through the proceedings, and afterward, we conduct a joint debrief. To me, “passing on knowledge and guiding others” is not merely about teaching technical skills—it’s about instilling a mindset toward work itself. One must approach each case with a sense of reverence. 。

Q: If you had to describe Taihe in three words, which ones would you choose, and why?

A: Professional, trustworthy, and loyal.

Q: Do you think the legal profession is highly stressful? How do you typically manage work-related stress and physical fatigue?

A: Big—very big. This line of work has one distinctive feature: it doesn’t end when the workday is over. Cases stay with you, lodged in your mind—the court dates, the parties’ phone numbers, and the expected timing of the judgment—all of it follows you home.