Introduciton of Taiwan Law Society

China Society of Comparative Law, established in Dec 27, 1970, renamed as Taiwan Law Society (hereinafter the Society) in Nov 5, 1995, registered as the charitable corporation in 2003. Aiming at development of legal research, in Dec 27, 1970, China Society of Comparative Law, a national academic society constituted by legal researchers, judges, prosecutors, lawyers and other law workers, license obtained from ministry of the interior in Jan 18, 1971.

Inspired by American Bar Association, we formed an institution where all judges, prosecutor lawyers, legal researchers and other law workers can participate. China Law Society, the name originally intended to take, was not available as it was already used by other association. Thus, China Society of Comparative Law was the name finally decided. In 1994, the 53th general meeting of member determined with overwhelming majority to substitute China Society of Comparative Law as Taiwan Law Society, but which was not consented by the Ministry of Interior. A series of administrative litigation then proceeded. Through the process of petition, appeal, administrative action and finally the interpretation of the Constitutional Court , in May 15, 1999, the Ministry of Interior conceded and made us the first national society who named after “ Taiwan ”.

The five executive directors took turns as the chairman of the board of directors who represents the Society till 1973. On Dec 20, 1973, the 3th general meeting of members alternated the bylaw and set up the position of president. The amounts of society members increase from 106 at the first beginning to 445 nowadays. The committees increase from 4 to today 9. They are committees of Civil Law, Criminal Law, Business Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law, Social and Labor Law, Financial Law, Legal Education, Member, Editor, Intellectual Property Law, Fundamental Law, and International Law who are responsible for different sectors and contribute to the development of the business of the Society.

Under the engagement of all the boards and committees, the Society here declare with great honor our contributions as follows:

A. Hole the academic speech, symposium, and seminars

The Society engages in the professional research on the draft of laws, bills in the legislative process and the contemporary legal, political, economical, social and cultural issues which raise people's attention. Basically, each committee takes turns to hold the keynote speech, symposium or seminar monthly. All the minutes of meeting would be recorded, rearranged and afterward collected as a review which can serve as the reference.

B. Enhance the international academic communication

From the establishment of the Society, we highly value the academic communication between foreign and Taiwanese scholars. We have ever invited foreign scholars to make keynote speech or report in many seminars or symposiums. The majority of them are from Japan , Germany and USA . If the budget permits, the Society should enhance the international academic communication.

C. Publications

a. Journal

From 1975 till now, 24 journals are published. The journals includes the annual activities of the Society, keynote speech, symposiums, seminars, the minutes of meeting and the articles of the seminars.

b. The collection of seminars

Society collects all the essays, thesis and minutes of meeting of the symposiums and publishes them individually:

1. Proceedings: Seminar on the Rea\search of law workers' characters (Oct, 1989)

2. Proceedings: The legal rearrangements and developments after the Period of Communist Rebellion. (Apr, 1991)

3. Proceedings: Taiwan Legal System during 100 years (Nov, 1996)

4. White Paper on Judicial Reform (Jul, 1997)

(Publishing authorized by Institute for National Policy Research)

5. Proceedings: Seminar on Knowledge-based Economy and Legal System Reform (Nov, 2002)

6. New Lessons on Taiwan Legal Research I (Sep, 2003)

(Published by Angle)

7. Constitution Development in 21th century (Jan, 2004)

(Published by Angle)

8. New Lessons on Taiwan Legal Research II (Nov, 2004)

(Published by Angle)

9. New Lessons on Taiwan Legal Research III (Nov, 2005)

(Published by Angle)

10. New Lessons on Taiwan Legal Research IV (Nov, 2006)

(Published by Angle)

11. New Lessons on Taiwan Legal Research V (Dec, 2007)

(Published by Angle)

From the above mentioned, compared to other societies in Taiwan , we can see apparently that no matter on academic activities or the publications, the Taiwan Law Society is second to none, and whose contributions and achievements are appreciated and highly valued. Rather than satisfaction, the Taiwan Law Society should keep moving on and refining itself. In the future, we will follow the goal of the Society, and to engage more in the legal research and development, for being able to aid the new government accelerating the legal construction.