Many of these reflect the transitional character of the Chinese legal system as a whole, and will only be resolved when larger political questions of state control are addressed. Lawyers have acquired greater independence from the state in the sense that they are free to make money, but in other respects their independence is severely limited. Indeed, in some important respects, these controls are actually increased by the Lawyers Law. The Chinese legal profession is still at an early stage of its development, and much work still needs to be done to build strong professional and ethical standards. Especially in the criminal context, and even after reforms to the Criminal Procedure Law, the ability of lawyers to represent their clients effectively is still limited by law.
Substantial barriers exist blocking access to legal services.
More than this, the development of the profession can itself serve as an impetus to broader reforms. To the extent that lawyers are able to do this, they will help realize the modestly progressive aims of the Criminal Procedure Law and other reforms. The potential exists, in other words, to strengthen the trend toward a more pluralistic legal system, one that is oriented toward the rights of the individual client rather than the interests of the state. A number of powerful forces are already propelling these developments. These include an increasingly marketized economy that values legal services, a growing rights consciousness, administrative reform and institutional development, and the increased awareness in China of foreign legal models, both national and international.