ARI Working Paper Series

This brief paper makes two arguments about studying the legal system in China. First, it argues that the development of the Chinese legal system may be understood most effectively by studying legal practitioners rather than laws, legal structures such as courts, or legal processes. Second, the paper attempts to develop a taxonomy of legal practitioners, and proposes one which consists of several conceptual dyads. The paper concludes by discussing novel ways in which this taxonomy may be applied to the legal profession in China, and suggests some avenues for further study.