Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 134 - 133: Getting the Certificate, Competition for the Insurance Company Case (Thanks to the Alliance Hierarch, Cang Ming Ye Yue)

Chapter 134: Chapter 133: Getting the Certificate, Competition for the Insurance Company Case (Thanks to the Alliance Hierarch, Cang Ming Ye Yue)

(Coughing up blood, visiting friends and relatives during the New Year, there have been banquets for several days, this Chapter is added by Alliance Hierarch, Author Germ got home and immediately started typing, and as soon as it’s done, it’s posted. Dear readers, if you look at the time, you should realize how hard Author Germ is working o(╥﹏╥)o... please subscribe, I want to rush for a premium badge during New Year’s)

...

Saturday, early morning.

Lin Mansion, in the kitchen.

Zhang Wei and Zhao Xiaoxiao were having breakfast together.

The breakfast consisted of rice porridge paired with some stir-fried eggs with green onions, which Zhao Xiaoxiao enjoyed immensely.

Zhang Wei was eating breakfast while looking at the bank transfer records on his phone, his expression rather calm.

"February’s salary has been paid. Because there were fewer working days, the basic working hours are just two-thirds of a month’s. Two cases were won, and one case that pled guilty was considered a loss. In total, I received 4,145 yuan."

Inside Jincheng Law Firm, the basic salary for an intern lawyer is 3,000. With February’s work days not adding up to a full month, subtracting a third leaves 2,000. Each won case has a bonus of 1,000, and the lost case, after deducting the law firm’s share, left only 145 yuan. As an intern, I do not have to pay various taxes and insurance, so my February salary is 2000+1000x2+145=4145.

"Looking at how much you’ve been running around for an entire month, even working weekends, and you only made 4,000 yuan, are you stupid or what? Do you have to slavishly work for the Lin family?"

Hearing the amount of Zhang Wei’s salary, Zhao Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes.

Such a salary isn’t even enough to sustain oneself in a big city like Dongfang Capital.

"Second Miss, you don’t understand the legal profession. It’s normal for intern lawyers to have neither rights nor high salaries in the beginning~"

Zhang Wei just waved his hand, utterly unconcerned.

An intern lawyer is basically just cheap labor and a worker bee; this is hardly a secret, and it would be strange for the salary to be high.

"Then you might as well work for Blacksmith Technology. In their legal department, even an intern’s salary is 8,000!"

"Holy shit, Blacksmith Technology is so rich, the legal department’s intern salary almost rivals that of a regular lawyer!"

Although he knew Blacksmith Technology was generous, he didn’t expect them to be so generous, offering double the amount Jincheng did for an intern.

Zhang Wei couldn’t help entertaining the thought: maybe he really should consider defecting to Old Zhao’s camp?

After all, Old Zhao was the father of Second Miss, and they were all family, right~

No way, if he defected to Old Zhao, wouldn’t he be able to handle only internal company lawsuits every day?

As a criminal defense lawyer, dealing with business litigation every day would surely depress him to death.

He shook his head, dismissing the thought.

"Speaking of Second Miss, today is Saturday. You’re up so early again; do you have another date?"

"None of your business!"

Hearing Zhao Xiaoxiao’s irritated reply, Zhang Wei just chuckled.

That’s the spirit he wanted; full of energy for the whole day~

"By the way, my practicing certificate should have arrived today. After I get it, I’ll be able to handle civil and business litigation!"

The practicing certificate would be mailed directly to the law firm where he was interning, so he could pick it up after getting to Jincheng.

Once he had his practicing certificate, Zhang Wei would still be an intern at the law firm, but he could now appear in civil court.

And with the practicing certificate, he was now a bona fide lawyer.

From now on, people would have to formally address him as Lawyer Zhang!

"When people start calling me Lawyer Zhang with great respect... now that will be satisfying..."

Thinking about his plans for the day, Zhang Wei smiled.

"That’s a sleazy smile if I ever saw one, no wonder that female prosecutor calls you a scumbag!"

Zhao Xiaoxiao looked at Zhang Wei’s smile and rolled her eyes again.

"Nonsense, Second Miss, Xiao Baihe and I are innocent. Her calling me a scumbag is a baseless slander without any evidence!"

Zhang Wei naturally vehemently denied the unfounded accusations from Xiao Baihe.

"Haha!" Zhao Xiaoxiao replied noncommittally, clearly indicating "I don’t believe a word you’re saying."

But Zhang Wei couldn’t be bothered to explain further to Second Miss. After finishing his porridge and washing the dishes, he set off for work.

Another Saturday of overtime.

...

Jincheng Building, first floor lobby.

When Zhang Wei arrived, he noticed quite a few people had gathered here today.

He recognized some of them; they were from Jincheng Law Firm, and a few were newcomers to the litigation department.

However, they didn’t interact with Zhang Wei, and they were there today to receive their practicing certificates as well.

"The practicing certificate envelopes that arrived this morning, pick them up by looking at the names, and don’t take the wrong one!"

The receptionist in the lobby brought out a stack of envelopes and placed them on an exhibition table for others to pick out.

Zhang Wei also approached and found an envelope with his own name on it.

"Well done!"

After Zhang Wei received the envelope, he looked around for a while longer and got his hands on the envelopes with "Li Yueqin" and "Lin Yumeng" written on them.

He opened WeChat and sent a message in the criminal group’s chat, informing his two buddies that he had picked up their practice certificates for them.

Only after receiving responses from the two of them did Zhang Wei go upstairs and wait.

By 9 a.m., Lin Yumeng and Li Yueqin arrived one after the other.

"Wow, my practice certificate, I’m a licensed lawyer now~"

As soon as she got her practice certificate, Lin Yumeng cheered with great excitement, and although Li Yueqin’s reaction wasn’t as exaggerated, the curve of her lips betrayed her inner joy.

For law students, getting their practice certificates is a happy event.

"By the way, where’s Old Tie?"

Zhang Wei had been waiting for half a day, and Tie Ruyun still hadn’t arrived.

"The team leader said there’s a traffic jam, it seems there was an accident ahead, and they’re waiting for the field staff to come, telling us not to wait for him!"

Li Yueqin looked at the WeChat group chat on her phone and immediately said.

"Good grief, I said not to drive on weekends, with Dongfang Capital’s weekends, how bad must the traffic be!"

Zhang Wei made a complaint, and since Tie Ruyun wasn’t coming, he would have to take his friends to meet the client himself.

"Let’s go, tidy up, we’re going to meet the representative at the insurance company!"

Anyway, they had all received their practice certificates and were officially lawyers now, so they wouldn’t be afraid if the client asked about it.

Since Tie Ruyun was unable to come, they had to take the subway to the insurance company.

Fortunately, the address of the insurance company was also within Central Ring, reachable by subway.

minutes later, Dongjiang Business District.

After arriving, Zhang Wei and his two companions made a beeline for a building in the business district, as their client was located there.

Their client, "Chengyi Insurance," had its headquarters in the Dongjiang Business District, spanning three floors, and was not a small-scale company.

With assets over ten billion, Chengyi Insurance was considered a sizable insurance company in the Southern regions of Dragon Country, with branches and offices throughout the area.

However, because of the reputation of insurance companies, many law firms didn’t want to sue on their behalf, and it was difficult for them to hire very famous external lawyers.

Even if the insurance company was willing to pay for legal fees, the number of lawyers willing to sue for them was limited.

"Please wait in the large conference room for a moment, our representative will arrive shortly!"

The receptionist at Chengyi Insurance guided Zhang Wei and his two companions into a large conference room, but when they entered, they discovered that several other lawyers were already there.

"Goodness, they’re diversifying their investment!"

Zhang Wei understood why the insurance company had been so quick to agree, realizing it was because they hadn’t just approached one firm, but had scheduled meetings with several today.

Meaning, the insurance company intended to have these lawyers compete among themselves and then pick the most formidable one.

Typical of an insurance company, he thought they would easily shell out high legal fees...

"Insurance company people are indeed shrewd!"

In fact, it wasn’t just him who realized this; the other lawyers present were also surprised to see their colleagues and instinctively averted their gazes from the woman as if wary of her.

Shortly after sitting down, Zhang Wei scanned the room to gauge the "competition."

"Weak lawyers, weak lawyers, somewhat skilled, somewhat skilled... huh, there’s a decent one!"

Zhang Wei’s gaze moved swiftly over others, but paused on a woman with wavy curls and colored manicure.

The man sitting next to the woman, obviously an assistant carrying a file folder and looking timid, was promptly ignored by Zhang Wei.

But that woman, in terms of competence, was amongst the top in the room, clearly having more skill than the rest.

Zhang Wei also noticed that when the eyes of some lawyers in the vicinity swept past the woman’s spot, they all unconsciously looked away, as if fearful of her.

Now, the woman was leisurely painting her nails at her workplace, looking utterly relaxed and content.

"Who’s that woman, looks pretty tough!"

Zhang Wei took note of the woman, thinking that if his hunch was correct, it would be between him and her for today’s competition.

As for the other lawyers, they were just a backdrop!

While they were waiting, a few more lawyers trickled in.

Upon entering the conference room and seeing so many colleagues, all of them were startled.

But when they saw the woman with curly hair, their expressions of shock were even more pronounced than before.

Some even turned around and left the meeting room immediately after seeing the woman, as if they couldn’t afford to provoke her.

All these lawyers’ reactions were noted by Zhang Wei as he watched the case unfold.

"Is this woman that formidable, or is it just me who finds her merely passable?"

Zhang Wei didn’t believe he was mistaken; although the woman’s capabilities seemed decent, they shouldn’t be enough to scare off other lawyers, right?

Fortunately, the wait was short-lived; at 10 a.m. sharp, the representative from the insurance company arrived.

"Good morning, everyone. I am the representative from Chengyi Insurance. My surname is Cheng, with a single character Liang, like in ’grain.’ You can call me Representative Cheng. I’m very pleased to meet all the lawyers!"

The newcomer was a middle-aged man around forty, clearly a senior executive by the way his balding pattern matched that characteristic of upper management.

"Good to see you, Representative Cheng!"

"Good morning, Representative Cheng!"

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet us, Representative Cheng!"

Since the representative had spoken, many followed suit with greetings.

Zhang Wei didn’t speak, and neither did the woman with curly hair, although she did put away the nail polish that had been on the table.

"I assume you have all heard about the case my company is involved in, or at least understand the situation Chengyi Insurance is currently facing. I shall not go into detail here. I can assure you that as long as you can help our company win the lawsuit, not only will you receive a generous lawyer’s fee, but our company will also sign a long-term contract with you, with an annual retainer fee as high as this figure!"

As Cheng Liang spoke, he raised a finger.

"A million?" muttered a lawyer next to Zhang Wei, his voice trembling with excitement.

It was as if, in his entire life, he had never received such a high fee for his services.

"Too small, too small-minded!"

Zhang Wei sneered at this reaction.

A company with assets over ten billion, especially an insurance company, wouldn’t possibly offer only a million for annual external legal fees; that would be like giving alms to a beggar.

"Ten million!" Cheng Liang didn’t leave them guessing and directly stated the amount.

Upon hearing this sum, some gasped in surprise, while others were visibly shaken.

Even Li Yueqin, sitting next to Zhang Wei, opened her mouth wide, showing a momentary loss of composure.

In her view, the amount was already absurdly high.

Of course, this was a downside of being a criminal lawyer.

Not used to handling big cases, they would be flabbergasted by a legal fee of ten million.

If it were a Commercial or Project Group lawyer, a single enterprise merger case might bring legal fees ranging from several hundred million to a billion.

Compared with Li Yueqin’s lapse, Zhang Wei was very satisfied with Lin Yumeng.

Look at the little apprentice; she didn’t bat an eye upon hearing the fee of ten million. That’s someone who’s meant for great things!

In fact, Lin Yumeng was thinking: 10 million? This company is so stingy; the money can’t even buy a house in my family’s estate.

"Mr. Cheng, if there’s anything you need, just command. I will devote myself entirely!"

Upon hearing the fee of ten million, someone immediately expressed their commitment.

Cheng Liang was very pleased with this response, as it kindled the competitive spirit in many.

However, his attention was drawn to the very few who remained unmoved by the sum of ten million.

Zhang Wei, and the woman with the curly hair.

After he announced the ten-million offer, they didn’t show the slightest change in expression.

These were the truly formidable lawyers, never betraying their feelings, and cool-headed!

"I believe you are all aware of the lawsuit my company is currently facing. I would like to hear your opinions?"

Hearing Cheng Liang’s request, Zhang Wei internally exclaimed, impressed.

This seemed to be an attempt to fish for free strategies under the guise of "tendering."

Well, it can only be said that insurance companies are adept at such tactics.

If Cheng Liang later asked Zhang Wei for his opinion one-on-one, he planned to hold back and not reveal his hand.

"Mr. Cheng, I’ve looked at your case, and all I can say is that it’s a tough one. The plaintiff is in the terminal stage of cancer and is desperately in need of an organ transplant; can’t you just approve it for them?"

"No, we cannot!"

A lawyer brought it up, but was promptly rejected by Cheng Liang.

"Well, this case really is difficult then. But rest assured, Mr. Cheng, I will try my best to convince the other party and their lawyer to reach a settlement!"

The lawyer showed a troubled expression, but still assured Cheng Liang of his commitment.

"Heh, such lack of persuasive power, and yet making guarantees out of the blue—you’d have to be out of your mind to choose him!"

Seeing what the lawyer said, Zhang Wei sneered inwardly.

Cheng Liang had probably written this person off in his mind long ago.

"Representative Cheng, there really aren’t many ways to win your case, especially since the plaintiff has children, the jury is going to be a big issue!"

Another lawyer spoke up, essentially saying nothing new.

"Yes, for your case, my advice is to strive for a settlement. The cost of the settlement can be discussed by both parties sitting down together!"

The third lawyer spoke up, though the advice was barely better than none.

Cheng Liang smiled at the lawyers who had spoken, but he felt very disappointed inside.

These people were either hiding something or were simply not up to par; their legal department had already discussed such ideas.

But if they actually compensated the plaintiff, and the amount was not small, then what about other clients who might also claim compensation?

If every client came to them seeking a large compensation payout, Chengyi Insurance would go bankrupt in no time.

Cheng Liang’s gaze swept around before finally fixing on a woman with wavy curls.

He thought her to be the most capable among the lawyers, indicated by her exceptional aura.

"This lawyer, how may I address you?" Cheng Liang decided to take the initiative and greet her, probing to see what she was about.

"Blackfoot Law Firm, five-year lawyer Wang Meiyan!"

The woman with wavy curls revealed a smile. Rather than a self-introduction to Cheng Liang, it was more like announcing her designation to everyone present.

"People from Blackfoot!"

Upon hearing this introduction, Zhang Wei understood.

No wonder the lawyers around were somewhat wary of her; she was from Blackfoot Law Firm.

As for this law firm, Zhang Wei was somewhat familiar with it.

After all, he had an enemy there; he had to know his opponent’s background.

"So it’s Blackfoot from the Top Ten Firms. Good day, Lawyer Wang. I wonder what you suggest?"

When he heard Wang Meiyan’s identity, Cheng Liang also showed ample respect.

"Representative Cheng, when Blackfoot steps in, there’s nothing we can’t handle. However, I have one condition. If your company wants to use our service from Blackfoot and hire me as the lead attorney, the annual legal fee will have to double, and the litigation costs for this case will also have to be multiplied by 2!"

Wow, this person from Blackfoot was truly domineering, not speaking unless it was to propose an annual employment fee of 20 million, plus a litigation fee of 1 million.

"This..." Cheng Liang was a representative, but he couldn’t make a decision on the spot.

Especially since Blackfoot was also asking for more money, it wasn’t something he could decide alone.

"Lawyer Wang, your demand..."

"Representative Cheng, that’s not too much to ask, is it? Besides, the cases that Blackfoot takes on... I don’t believe any riffraff would even think about competing with us!"

The woman spoke, her gaze as piercing as a serpent’s, sweeping over everyone.

The lawyers glared at by her instinctively shuddered, showing signs of timidity.

With Blackfoot’s lawyer saying this, the message was quite clear.

This case was theirs for the taking; attorneys who weren’t qualified, leave now!

"Representative Cheng, although I would like to serve your company, with the Blackfoot lawyer ready to step in, I acknowledge my inferiority and will not participate!"

"Right, with Lawyer Wang here, we won’t waste any more of your time."

"You two discuss the contract; we are leaving. Goodbye, Representative Cheng!"

In a while, the lawyers in the conference room had mostly run off.

Those who remained hesitated for a moment but after another stern look from Wang Meiyan, they too reluctantly left.

Suddenly, the conference room became empty.

Wang Meiyan was quite pleased with this effect; that was how domineering Blackfoot was.

"Oh, some people are not afraid of Blackfoot? Three young ones, looking like novices, right?"

However, she quickly discovered that there were still people in the conference room who hadn’t left, specifically three young individuals.

"Representative Cheng, we believe we can take on your case too. How about we charge you 990,000 for our legal fees?"

The one who spoke up this time was Zhang Wei.

Since Blackfoot demanded 1 million, him cutting down the offer by 10,000 was a blatant challenge to Wang Meiyan.

Cheng Liang hadn’t expected anyone to defy the might of Blackfoot, one of the Top Ten Firms, but he was surprised by Zhang Wei’s audacity.

Here was a young lawyer, not intimidated by Blackfoot.

Did he really have the confidence, or was he merely putting up a front?