The project has generated three major findings. First, the legal profession is a progressive force in building the rule of law and limiting government power. While there are valid criticisms that Chinese legal profession is profit-driven and cares little about issues beyond its narrow professional interests, a sizable group of lawyers in China has demonstrated deep concerns for the rule of law, human rights and political reform. Facing inequality in society and misuse/abuse of power on the part of the government, these lawyers find themselves strongly motivated to act to protect public interest through law. Lawyers rely principally on litigation strategies to channel grievances and disputes to the legal system. However, they also actively reach out to NGOs and the media to create and shape public opinion. Energized public opinion can, in turn, decisions-making. In that sense lawyers are activists and constantly move between the court of law and the court of public opinion.

The second finding is that certain activist lawyers have a tendency become more radical – and eventually become politically active. Once engaged in public interest lawyering, lawyers enmesh themselves in the worthy project of socio-legal activism and the level of engagement with the government deepens. Initially lawyers deal with moderate social justice issues, such as consumer protection cases, which are not politically sensitive. Encouraged by the initial success, numbers of lawyers move on and start to take on cases which are more politically sensitive. Sooner or later they face the political system directly, a system that is beyond law. In the process of moving from the political periphery toward the core, such lawyers transform themselves, and as the time goes by, they become more critical of government politics and pose greater challenges to the political system.