From the morning of 19th to 20th April, the first session of the ‘Criminal Defence Elite Advanced Training Course’ initiated by Professor Chen Hongbing and the eighth session of the ‘Proxima Centauri’ Criminal Defence Forum were successfully held at Beijing Dacheng (Hefei) Law Firm. This event was organised at the personal invitation of Attorney Shan Yucheng from Anhui Runtian Law Firm and exclusively sponsored by him. It was open to legal professionals on a non-profit basis, aiming to establish a high-end platform for cultivating criminal defence talent and enhancing the professional standards of criminal defence practice.
As the core course of the first advanced training programme, Professor Chen Hongbing delivered an in-depth presentation titled ‘How to Conduct Precise Substantive Defence.’ He focused on practical challenges in the substantive provisions of the Criminal Law, approaching the topic from dimensions such as legislative purpose, the relationship between crime and punishment, and the elements of a crime, to provide criminal defence lawyers with new insights into precise substantive defence strategies. He emphasised that the purpose of criminal law is to protect legal interests, and lawyers must accurately grasp the legislative intent behind the substantive provisions to effectively tailor their defence strategies. Professor Chen also used cases such as false accusation and robbery of financial institutions to further illustrate the critical role of legislative intent in case handling.
Regarding the relationship between crime and punishment, Professor Chen clearly stated that the principle of ‘punishing crime with punishment’ is not feasible, and the principle of proportionality between crime and punishment should be applied throughout the interpretation of the special provisions. Additionally, he conducted an in-depth analysis of over 20 theoretical and practical issues in criminal law, including the determination of forms of liability, the distinction between preparatory and executory acts, and the prohibition of double jeopardy. He presented the theoretical framework and practical key points of substantive defence to attendees through examples such as insurance fraud and the production and sale of counterfeit goods.
Professor Chen Hongbing's lectures combine theoretical depth with practical guidance, not only outlining the core logic of substantive law application in criminal defence but also demonstrating through numerous real-life cases how to translate criminal law theory into specific defence strategies.
With the successful conclusion of the first training programme, the ‘Professor Chen Hongbing Criminal Defence Elite Training Programme’ has officially launched its public welfare initiative to systematically cultivate high-level criminal defence talent. In the future, this series of activities will continue to focus on cutting-edge issues in criminal defence, using diverse formats such as theoretical discussions and case analyses to help build a team of criminal defence lawyers who combine professional expertise with a commitment to the rule of law.