Zhang Beibei: A role model in legal aid for the people from Zhejiang

Zhang Beibei, deputy director of a legal aid center in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, has personally provided legal consultancy service to over 10,000 people over the past nine years, writing at least 100 legal documents on their behalf and handling nearly 100 criminal and civil cases.

Witnessing a significant surge in number and complexity of legal aid cases in just nine years, which now involve not only common disputes such as those over wages and traffic accidents but also much more sophisticated foreign-related ones, organized scams and gang crimes, Zhang concluded that it is impossible for anyone to single-handedly advance the cause of legal aid.

Under her leadership, the legal aid center of the Ouhai District she oversees has developed rapidly, with public legal service stations established in all the 14 towns and sub-districts and 251 villages under the district. 

Moreover, Zhang's center joined hands with other local organizations and agencies such as the women's federation, the workers' union and the courts to set up a number of legal aid stations. 

So far, the center has received 31,400 phone calls and visits and handled 8,984 legal aid cases.

Zhang also made efforts to bring more lawyers to the legal aid work. "I expect excellent lawyers to help more disadvantaged people as a team," she said.

As a result, a dynamic legal aid team comprised of lawyers, university professors and volunteers has been established. Now, there are more than 140 lawyers to provide legal aid work voluntarily in the district.

Apart from team-building, Zhang took measures to facilitate access to legal aid for people, achieving full coverage in criminal defense.

To many, Zhang is a champion for justice and people's rights. 

In one case, the parents of a brave man, who was stabbed to death when trying to save others' lives, applied for the compulsory enforcement of a court judgment, only to be told by the court that their right to compulsory enforcement was long expired.

Zhang didn't let it go when the family turned to her. As a result of her unrelenting effort, the family eventually received 118,000 yuan ($17,096) as a judicial remedy.

In another case, a lady surnamed Hu was a long-time victim of domestic violence who turned to Zhang's center in despair. After accepting the case, Zhang immediately helped her apply for habeas corpus. With Zhang's help, Hu finally escaped domestic violence by divorcing her husband. 

Zhang also fought at the frontline of multiple wage-related cases to help numerous migrant workers obtain their arrears.