"97% of the polled lawyers are willing to fulfil their social responsibility", "77% of polled lawyers have already taken a variety of social responsibility initiatives" - these are some of the key findings from a recent report issued by the Beijing Bar Association. Aiming to contribute to a greater understanding of lawyers' responsibilities and roles in pursuing social justice and aiding disadvantaged communities, the report provides a comprehensive overview and in-depth examination of the existing developments and programs in this area in Beijing and highlights a large number of good examples across a wide range of sectors.

"Lawyers have very diverse roles that can have far-reaching influence on almost every aspect of our society. Compared to other professions and businesses, they have a more important responsibility for promoting and upholding social justice and equality," said Jiang Junlu, vice president of the Beijing Bar Association, who headed the research project.

"The past three decades have seen most firms focusing on building up their businesses, expanding into new practice areas and growing the size of their teams. However, as the public and many companies become more concerned about corporate social responsibility, the legal industry has started to pay increasing attention to the social responsibility of lawyers in recent years," Jiang said.

The 100-page Beijing Lawyers' Social Responsibility Report is based on a survey of more than 1,440 lawyers conducted between May and October 2010 and is the first such report published by a bar association. Previously, a few firms, including Grandall Legal Group, have published their own social responsibility reports. Jiang notes that it will become an annual report by the Beijing Bar Association and he expects more bar associations in other regions to follow suit.

"Examing the achievements and setbacks in terms of social responsibility of Beijing lawyers in the past will help all lawyers and firms to address social responsibility more effectively. Promoting and improving Beijing legal industry's contribution to the social justice and local communities will be a priority of the association in the coming years. We are determined to set the benchmark for the national's legal profession," Jiang said.

In addition, the association is planning to launch an annual awards series to recognise and reward outstanding individuals and law firms in this area. ALB