King Hall Expanding Partnership with Leading Chinese Law School

As China seeks to modernize and adapt its legal system to an increasingly international economy, faculty and students from China's largest law school are turning to UC Davis School of Law for the expertise they need.  The rapidly expanding partnership between King Hall and the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) is providing Chinese legal scholars with advanced perspectives on the U.S. legal system and international law while offering UC Davis law faculty and students invaluable opportunities to learn about China and its evolving legal system.

"This is an exciting time of increasing cultural and economic exchange between China and the United States, and UC Davis School of Law is proud to be playing an important role in this process," said Dean Kevin R. Johnson.  "The robust and expanding relationship between CUPL and the School of Law provides an opportunity for our faculty and community to contribute to the uniquely evolving Chinese legal system while also providing opportunities for our students to learn about one of the most dynamic worldwide legal and economic systems."

Building on connections first made six years ago by Dean Rex Perschbacher, Professor Daniel L. Simmons, and International Law Programs Executive Director Beth Greenwood, King Hall is hosting increasing numbers of CUPL faculty and students as China seeks to develop a legal system that incorporates the best of Chinese cultural, historical, and civil law traditions with legal ideas, approaches, and methodologies from the common law legal system.  UC Davis School of Law, long a leader in international and comparative law, offers Chinese scholars and practitioners the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and approaches that will shape the Chinese legal system while sharing their expertise with the members of the King Hall community. 

During the summer of 2010, King Hall hosted 38 CUPL undergraduate and graduate students for a three-week educational program on the U.S. legal system.   In 2011, the successful summer program expanded and UC Davis School of Law hosted 62 CUPL students and four CUPL faculty for a special four-week program taught by UC Davis faculty.  Students learned about many aspects of the U.S. legal system including constitutional law, torts, civil procedure, ethics, conflict of laws, and many other subjects, while visiting faculty also attended courses and worked to advance their research. 

Over the course of the past year, CUPL Professors Li Ling Yue and Jinxi Wang visited UC Davis School of Law, seeking to increase their understanding of the U.S. legal system.  Professor Yue, a Fulbright Scholar, spent the year researching the criminal justice system, working closely with Professor Floyd Feeney, an internationally recognized criminal procedure expert.  As part of her work as a Fulbright Scholar, Professor Yue also gave lectures at UC Davis School of Law and at other top U.S. and German universities. 

Professor Jinxi Wang, who leads a cutting-edge Forensics Evidence Center at CUPL, spent the year working with Professor Edward Imwinkelried, a world-renowned expert on forensics scientific evidence.  Professor Wang also brought one of his doctoral students with him to Davis.  The knowledge they've acquired at King Hall will help them to promote potential reforms for the way evidence is gathered and used in court procedures in China.

The past year also saw Professor Imwinkelried travel to Beijing to give lectures, seminars, and workshops to students and faculty at CUPL.  This fall, Dean Johnson and Director Greenwood will visit CUPL to renew the formal institutional Agreement of Cooperation and to explore additional ways to collaborate.  Two UC Davis School of Law JD students are currently participating in an exchange program at CUPL and will take classes in comparative Chinese law with CUPL law students along with law students from the European Union.  Other UC Davis School of Law faculty are planning to give lectures and seminars at CUPL during the 2011-12 academic year.

"UC Davis School of Law is proud of the partnership that it has formed with the China University of Political Science and Law, one of the premier law schools in China," said Dean Johnson.  "We look forward to a future of expanding collaborations that involve our faculty, students, and Chinese colleagues."