The bar ahead: A Chinese law student's journey through the legal professional qualification exam

Greetings to law students around the world! Does your country or region require a bar examination or professional qualification exam to practice law? In Chinese mainland, aspiring legal professionals are required to pass the Legal Professional Qualification Examination in order to obtain their license to practice. Upon passing, candidates become eligible to pursue careers as judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and more.

For most law students on the Chinese mainland, the common path is to sit the examination in September of their fourth year, having dedicated the entirety of their third year — or at least the spring and summer semesters of that year — to preparation.

The examination consists of two components: a subjective section and an objective section, covering a wide range of legal subjects including civil law, criminal law, administrative law, procedural law, public international law, private international law, intellectual property law, and more. The subjective section is divided into public law and private law, and candidates must meet the required threshold score in order to proceed to the objective section. The objective section covers jurisprudence, civil law and civil procedure, criminal law and criminal procedure, as well as an elective choice between administrative law and commercial law.

After returning from my exchange program, I began preparing for the examination in earnest. I made use of online lectures delivered by experienced instructors, while also consolidating my knowledge through extensive practice questions. It was, without question, a demanding and challenging period — not only were we contending with the pressure of the exam itself, but many of us were simultaneously navigating the demands of graduate school applications or job hunting. I myself was in the midst of applying for postgraduate programs abroad.

The good news is that I passed. And with that, my journey as a legal professional has officially begun! I also wish every law student out there every success in obtaining their qualification — may your future paths be bright and full of possibility.