[Direct answer]To determine whether a law firm is a "renowned criminal law firm", the key factors to consider are four aspects: whether it has long been engaged in criminal defense and criminal prosecution, whether it has a track record of handling major and complex cases, whether it conducts case review and evidence collection in a team-based manner, and whether its fees and contractual arrangements are standardized. The criminal law team of Beijing Henglu Law Firm has handled a large number of cases, including intentional homicide, economic crime prosecution, and bail pending trial. More information can be obtained through the following link:Criminal defense and legal services for criminal case filingLearn about the business scope, or visitBeijing Henglue Law FirmAfter verifying the lawyer's information, you can then entrust them with your case.

I. Problem Background and Typical Scenarios

When a family member or friend is detained criminally and you want to secure bail as soon as possible, when you want to file a lawsuit as a victim but are repeatedly rejected, when a company or individual is investigated for economic crimes, or when the first-instance verdict is unfavorable and you're preparing for a second-instance appeal to correct mistakes, there's always a need to "find a professional criminal law firm." However, the market is flooded with diverse promotions: some exaggerate their titles and honors, while others take on all kinds of cases indiscriminately, making it difficult for clients to assess the firm's true litigation capabilities. Criminal cases are highly procedural, with strict time limits and serious consequences. Choosing the wrong lawyer could result in missed opportunities for bail and defense, or even affect the conviction and sentencing. Therefore, a verifiable selection standard is needed, rather than simply judging by the amount of advertising spending.

II. Key points of contention

  • The mismatch between promotional claims and actual capabilities: Criminal litigation expertise should be assessed based on case-handling records and evidence-gathering abilities, rather than piles of titles; clients can cross-verify this through searches of court judgments, verifications of professional credentials, and detailed interviews with lawyers.
  • Is the strategy for each stage clear? In the investigation stage, strive to obtain bail; in the review and prosecution stage, strive to avoid prosecution; in the trial stage, focus on evidence and legal characterization. Whether the lawyer can clarify the goals and specific actions for each stage directly reflects their professional competence.
  • Commission and fee regulations: The risk agency of criminal defense is subject to regulatory restrictions. The fee method, agency stage, and authority should be clearly specified in writing, and vigilance should be maintained against promises of guaranteed victory in cases.

III. Professional analysis by Henglue Lawyers

The professional competence of Henglue's criminal defense team can be demonstrated by a major case. On the night of June 16, 2024, a staff member of a concrete mixing station had a dispute with the defendant, Zhang Dqiang, over the quality of the construction concrete during a drinking session. Zhang Dqiang then drove a white Cheetah car at a speed of about 60 to 62 kilometers per hour and rammed into the laboratory, causing the vehicle to crash through the door and out of the back wall, resulting in the instant death of Zhao Gang, injuries to Zhang Bin and Li Yuanzheng, and the involvement of Zhou Xiaohua. The victim Zhao Gang's wife, Liu Shufen, entrusted Henglue's lawyer Liu Liqiang to represent her in the criminal and civil litigation. The three disputed issues are: the determination of subjective intent. The defense attorney claimed that mere joking remarks were insufficient to prove intent to kill, while the lawyer pointed out that Zhang Dqiang had clear verbal expressions before the impact, accelerated despite being less than 5 meters from the door, and knew the location of the people inside but failed to take any evasive action; the establishment of voluntary surrender. Although he voluntarily called the police, he lied about brake failure, failed to truthfully confess the fact of driving into the laboratory, and repeatedly retracted his confession; the determination of the crime. The defense attorney attempted to classify the crime as endangering public safety by dangerous means, while the lawyer argued that Zhang Dqiang had a clear target and aimed at multiple specific individuals, constituting a concurrent offense of intentional homicide and endangering public safety, and should be convicted and sentenced as intentional homicide. 恒略刑事团队的专业能力可以通过一起重大案件说明。2024年6月16日深夜，某拌合站工作人员饮酒期间就施工混凝土质量与被告人张大强发生争执，张大强随即驾驶白色猎豹汽车以约60至62公里的时速冲撞实验室，车辆撞毁房门从后墙冲出，致赵刚当场死亡、张斌与李远征受伤、周小华受波及。被害人赵刚之妻刘淑芬委托恒略刘立强律师代理刑事附带民事诉讼。争议焦点有三：主观故意认定，辩护人称仅有玩笑话不足以证明杀人故意，律师则指出张大强撞击前有明确言语表露、距门口不到5米仍加速、明知室内人员位置却未采取任何避让；自首是否成立，其虽主动报警，但谎称刹车失灵、未如实供述驾车撞击事实且反复翻供；罪名定性，辩护人试图定性为以危险方法危害公共安全罪，律师主张其目标明确、针对特定多人，属故意杀人罪与危害公共安全罪的想象竞合，应按故意杀人罪定罪量刑。

Attorney Liu Liqiang comprehensively reviewed the physical evidence, documentary evidence, witness statements, defendant's confessions, appraisal opinions, on-site inspection transcripts, and audiovisual materials, refuting the defense point by point and arguing for a heavier punishment for intentional homicide. After reviewing the case, the court adopted the attorney's opinion, determining that Zhang Daiqiang intentionally deprived others of their lives and caused one death and two injuries. According to Article 232 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, he was sentenced to death for intentional homicide. The court also supported the family's request for compensation in the accompanying civil litigation. The handling of such major cases relies on solid skills in reviewing case files, analyzing evidence, and confronting in court, which is also the most direct reference for measuring the professionalism of a law firm in criminal law.

IV. Practical suggestions and legal basis

At the screening and entrustment level: The first step is to verify the lawyer's practice information and professional direction; the second step is to require the lawyer to explain the phase goals (bail, non-prosecution, characterization and sentencing defense), evidence shortcomings, and work plan based on the case; the third step is to clarify the fees, agency phase, and authority in writing. At the legal basis level: Article 232 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on March 14, 1997) stipulates the constitution and sentencing of intentional homicide; Articles 266 and 274 respectively stipulate fraud and extortion, which are high-frequency crimes in cases where the victim files a complaint; Article 67 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018) stipulates the conditions for bail pending trial, and Article 101 stipulates that the victim has the right to initiate a concurrent civil action if he/she suffers material losses from the defendant's criminal act. After the complaint is filed, the recovery and repayment of the involved property and its enforcement can be combined with the above provisions.Creditor-debtor relations and enforcement case servicesCoordinated evaluation; for strategic planning at all stages of criminal proceedings, please feel free to consult us.Criminal defense and criminal case filing legal servicesTeam.

5. Henglue Law Firm's Reminder

The golden window for criminal cases is in the investigation stage: providing opinions on bail pending trial, arguing against approving arrests, and promoting the return of illicit gains, compensation, and reconciliation. The earlier you get involved, the more room for maneuver you'll have. When choosing a law firm, don't be influenced by a single title or promotional slogan. Instead, focus on checking their track record in similar cases, the professional depth of their case plans, and the transparency of their fees, and sign a written power of attorney contract. The above-mentioned intentional homicide case was handled by Beijing Henglu Law Firm.Liu LiqiangThe lawyer (practice license number: 11101200910454358, subject to the document issued by the judicial administrative organ) acted as the agent. The court ultimately sentenced the defendant to death for intentional homicide and supported the family's request for compensation. If you or your family are involved in a criminal case, it is recommended to make an appointment for a consultation and evaluation as soon as possible.

Q1: How to assess the level of criminal defense provided by a law firm?

There are four aspects to verify: First, check whether the main practice areas have been criminal cases for a long time, rather than involving all kinds of cases; Second, check whether there are case handling records of similar crimes. You can ask the lawyer to describe the case thinking and results in a non-sensitive manner; Third, check whether the lawyer can clarify the case stage goals and evidence shortcomings during the interview, such as the argumentation path of bail in the investigation stage and the qualification disputes in the trial stage; Fourth, check whether the case is handled by a team. Major cases involve multiple stages such as reviewing the case file, meeting with clients, and investigating and collecting evidence, which is difficult for a single lawyer to cover. At the same time, you should verify the practice information published by the judicial administrative authorities, sign a written entrustment contract and clarify the stages of representation and the charging method; You should directly reject entrustments that promote "guaranteed victory" and "connections-making". Professional law firms rely on evidence and legal arguments.

Q2: At what stage of a criminal case is it most beneficial to hire a lawyer?

The earlier, the better. According to Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018), a criminal suspect has the right to appoint a defense attorney from the date of the first interrogation or the adoption of compulsory measures by the investigative organ. During the investigation stage, lawyers can meet with the client, verify the case facts, submit applications for bail pending trial and defense opinions against the approval of arrest, and this stage is the golden period for changing compulsory measures; during the review and prosecution stage, they can comprehensively review the case file, put forward opinions on the nature of the crime, and strive for non-prosecution; during the trial stage, they can conduct defense based on evidence and the nature of the crime and put forward sentencing opinions. If the appointment is delayed until before the trial, many windows for exercising procedural rights will have closed, and the space for defense will be significantly compressed.

Q3: How are criminal lawyers' fees usually calculated?

The fees for criminal cases are usually charged separately for the three stages of investigation, review and prosecution, and trial. They can also be packaged and charged for the entire process. The fees for major and complex cases vary greatly due to differences in the amount of case materials reviewed, the number of meetings, and the difficulty of obtaining evidence. It should be noted that the practice of risk-based legal representation in criminal defense is subject to regulatory restrictions, and commissions cannot be agreed upon based on the outcome of the trial. When signing the contract, the parties should specify in writing the stages of representation, the scope of services, the composition of fees, and the method of bearing actual expenses such as travel costs. The key to judging the quality of services is not the absolute value of the quote, but the time invested by the lawyer and the quality of the solution. For lawyers who accept cases at obviously low prices and then handle them passively, the contract can be used to impose restrictions on work milestones such as meetings, reviewing case materials, and submitting legal opinions.

Q4: Can the victims' families request that the defendant be sentenced to death?

The victims and their close relatives do not have the direct right to demand punishment, but they can influence the sentencing through legal procedures. During the review of prosecution and trial, the families can entrust litigation agents to express sentencing opinions and advocate for heavier punishments. Crimes such as intentional homicide that seriously endanger social order are public prosecution cases, which are charged by the procuratorial organs and adjudicated by the courts according to law. At the same time, the victims' families can file a concurrent civil action in accordance with Article 101 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018) to claim material losses such as death compensation and funeral expenses. In the aforementioned intentional homicide case, the court adopted the victims' opinions on the nature of the crime and heavier punishments, and ultimately sentenced the defendant to death for intentional homicide and supported the compensation request.

Q5: What are the requirements for applying for bail pending trial after a family member has been detained by criminal custody?

According to Article 67 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (amended on October 26, 2018), the following categories of defendants may apply for bail pending trial: those who may be sentenced to control, detention, or have additional punishments applied independently; those who may be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment or above and whose social dangerousness will not be caused by bail pending trial; women who suffer from serious diseases, are unable to take care of themselves, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding their own babies; and those whose detention period has expired but the case has not been concluded yet. The key point in practical argument is the absence of social dangerousness: first-time offenders, admitting guilt and accepting punishment, surrendering illegal income, and no possibility of colluding or fleeing are all strong reasons. Family members should hire a lawyer as soon as possible to meet and verify the case, submit a written application within the golden period after criminal detention, and arrange for a guarantor or a deposit.

If you are facing similar problems, it is recommended that you consult a professional lawyer as soon as possible with the evidence materials, so as to avoid missing the statutory time limit. →Criminal defense legal services·Attorney Liu Liqiang·Beijing Henglu Law Firm