Rules enacted to protect lawyers' role

New era begins with fast-track security and better communication with judges

Carrying his laptop and court papers, Pang Zhengzhong quickly passes through the entrance of Beijing No 4 Intermediate People's Court without the security check that he would face in every other court he enters during his working day.

"This saves me much time," said Pang, a Beijing lawyer who specializes in intellectual property cases. "I can also read legal books and judicial materials and search the progress of my cases on the Internet when I am in the intermediate court."