Editor’s Note: Liam Lambert is a postgraduate student studying the guiding case system at the KoGuan School of Law of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). During his school life, he has participated in multiple voluntary English teaching and research internships. He has also helped lawyers from other countries understand China's legal practices, in a bid to smooth Sino-foreign legal cooperation. Prior to his master’s life at SJTU, he studied law at Durham University and Donghua University (DHU).
Language: The window of culture
Lambert was excited to experience different cultures and make new friends in places he had never set foot. In 2016, he won a scholarship granted by the British Council and earned the chance to study the Chinese language in China. In January 2017, he won several full scholarships awarded by the China Scholarship Council, which enabled him to further his studies in China.
He served as president of the DHU International Students Association and organized several cultural exchange projects. He also established a language learning partnership system named Cultural Corner with Chinese students. The system is a part of DHU’s iTalk community, attracting more than 200 members from over 30 countries to learn and share opinions on culture, and especially languages. The community has launched various activities, ranging from one-day tours of Shanghai to Halloween parties. The effort it puts into promoting cross-cultural integration and language learning have been acclaimed by the university. The community has helped hundreds of overseas students get closer to China, while also allowing Chinese students to better explore foreign cultures.
Lambert also led a volunteer team dedicated to helping international students adapt to their studies and life in China. Through his outstanding work, he won the 2019 Excellent Social Volunteer Award.
Lambert is persistent and hardworking in his academic studies. In 2018, he ranked first in his class in every Chinese language examination, won the Outstanding Foreign Student Award two consecutive times, and received third prize in the Third Hua Xia Cup Chinese Language Speech Contest organized by NYU Shanghai. These awards and honors are a testament to his endeavors and enthusiasm in studying and working in China.
All of these achievements have made Lambert a student ambassador of the British Council and he is currently the only winner from the UK to have received the commemorative prize awarded by DHU.
Law, society and culture: Lambert’s Chinese dream
In July 2018, Lambert won the SJTU MOOC scholarship and gained the opportunity to study at the KoGuan School of Law for two weeks. In 2019, he received the Chinese Government Scholarship and started his postgraduate studies there. His motivation for learning Chinese law stemmed from his editorial and translation experience in the China Guiding Cases Project at Stanford University and Peking University. By translating case files, he has helped foreign lawyers better understand China's legal practices and is bridging the gap in China-foreign legal cooperation.
His unique interpretation on the common law system from the Chinese perspective provides insights for foreign lawyers to identify new trends in Chinese judicial thought. This also formed the basis of Lambert’s master's thesis. During the project, Lambert also published English articles on different aspects of Chinese law with other foreign law students at SJTU, hoping to help strengthen the guiding case system under governmental guidance.
As he worked for his master's degree, Lambert made outstanding academic achievements and shared knowledge and skills he had acquired with those around him. He served as a class representative and participated in meetings with senior teachers from the law school, which gave him more opportunities to do voluntary work. He became chief project manager for social media activities at the school and formulated plans aimed at improving awareness of the school among international students.
In 2020, as a result of Lambert’s learning enthusiasm and love for living in China, he won the 2020 excellent overseas students scholarship granted by the Ministry of Education.
Knowledge and passion: Beyond law and culture
Lambert has been actively involved in voluntary activities at the KoGuan School of Law and SJTU. At first he assisted in translation at the entry-exit and visa registration office, and later grew into an important member of the volunteer team at the law school.
In addition to his voluntary services, Lambert has completed more than 240 hours of online work this year. He also took part-time jobs at international and Chinese law firms, banks, financial institutions and universities, which enabled him to grasp the necessary skills to become a successful lawyer. He also organized online tutoring courses for students, attended multiple conferences, won several online business and legal competitions and obtained 18 project certificates. He was granted scholarships from Google, IBM and Coursera.
Lambert said that he hopes to continue to expand his knowledge reserve, improve his professionalism, broaden his horizons, and become a qualified lawyer in the near future, contributing to the legal cause of China and the world.
Travelling across China: Experiencing different lifestyles
Lambert has experienced different customs during his journey across China. He has left his footsteps in Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province, the Mati Temple Grottoes in Zhangye of Gansu, and climbed the Wujin Television Tower in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. He likes to make friends, try new foods, discuss Chinese culture and play table tennis. Lambert's favorite is Xiaolongbao (steamed meat buns), which remind him of his life in China and Shanghai, where his Alma Matar is located.
After graduating from SJTU, Lambert has worked as a lawyer at the London office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, an elite American law firm and one of the most prestigious law firms in the world. He said he looks forward to becoming an international lawyer and helping Chinese enterprises on the world stage.
