Duke Law in China: Winston Zhao '88
Managing Partner: Jones Day, Shanghai
Zhao is a specialist in cross-border transactions and international securities. After his graduation from Duke, he joined Coudert Brothers in New York, transferring to its Hong Kong office in 1991. Moving to Clifford Chance the following year, he relocated to its Shanghai office in 1995, and joined Jones Day in 1999.
My generation grew up during the Cultural Revolution. Between 1966, when I was 12, and 1978, I had just one year of education. It was due to self-study that I was able to go to college.
At that time a JD was not available to Chinese students. This changed when I was 31, and I left for Duke in 1985 — it was my first trip overseas, and my first trip on an airplane. When I arrived in the United States, the culture shock was huge!
I found that on each page [of every textbook] I counted a hundred or so new words and expressions; when you then consider each course has at least 20 to 25 pages of reading assignments, and that each semester had four or five courses, I had to learn a lot of new words and expressions very fast! Many words and expressions have no direct translation to Chinese, as well — there is a huge difference in social, cultural, economic, and historical systems.
I still remember vividly my first course, torts, taught by Professor Robertson, a retired navy officer with a strong southern accent. The first week I thought I understood 60 percent [of his lecture], the second week 70 percent, the third week 80 percent, but then in the fourth week I couldn't understand anything. I went to speak to Professor Robertson and asked, “What has gone wrong?” He said, “Congratulations, Winston.” I asked him, “Why?” Professor Robertson explained, “What you tried to do was put the words together and simply calculated them — so you thought you understood but you didn't. Now you have realized that you need to see beyond the words and then you can understand.”
This gave me some confidence.
The combination of all of these obstacles made my getting a law degree a formidable task — which makes me extremely proud to have made it to where I am today. My education at Duke fundamentally changed my perception, particularly with concepts such as "innocent until proven guilty." It had a profound effect on the way I operate, in doing justice and in becoming a person who thinks rationally, instead of just looking at the facts. It also gave me the highest level of professionalism — the way I deal with clients and in the way I approach my work in every way.
During the baccalaureate ceremony at the Duke Chapel, I felt a tingle down my spine — I really felt like a professional. I still vividly remember it now.
In addition to my daily practice and administrative work, I also teach at various Chinese law schools. I use the Socratic method on real Chinese cases to help pass my knowledge, and experience on to the up-and-coming lawyers of the future. My Duke education has not only helped my professional development, but now my teaching is helping Chinese students and will, hopefully, impact China's legal reform in the years to come.