In March 2024, at the invitation of the School of International Law at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, Lawyers Zhang Tianyi and Wu Yaying, the Executive Partner and Managing Partner of Tahota Vientiane Office, respectively, conducted a practical growth mentorship discussion with the class of 2023 from the Laos Experimental Class under the Belt and Road Initiative. The meeting was attended by Secretary Lv Liang and Counselor Li Yujie from the School of International Law. The event began with Secretary Lv awarding a plaque to officially launch the Practical Growth Mentorship Program of Tahota Vientiane Office.

During the meeting, Lawyer Zhang Tianyi illustrated a bright future for the students by referencing the positive development prospects of working with organizations such as NGOs and UNDP, as well as partners who have worked in Laos. He encouraged the students to broaden their horizons by listing the numerous financial institutions and infrastructure industries investing in Laos, thereby guiding them towards potential employment directions and integrating the latest investment trends with legal services. Lawyer Zhang also expressed his sincere hope that the students would adopt a long-term perspective, deeply immerse themselves in this field, and become proficient in the laws of the UK, China, and Laos to emerge as rare multi-jurisdictional legal talents.

According to a notice jointly issued by the Office of the Ministry of Education and the Secretariat of the Central Comprehensive Rule of Law Government, Southwest University of Political Science and Law was approved by the Ministry of Education as an “Innovative Base (Cultivation) for Collaborative Training of Foreign-Related Rule of Law Talents”. Tahota Law Firm, as the only law firm among the co-constructing entities, will continue to collaborate with the university to train legal professionals who are politically steadfast, proficient in international law, and skilled in ASEAN legal practices. The implementation of the “Practical Growth Mentorship Program” between the Vientiane Office and the School of International Law at Southwest University of Political Science and Law marks Tahota's formal initiation of an active collaborative exploration for a new model of foreign-related rule of law talent training. Moving forward, we will focus on building a high-quality team of foreign-related legal practice mentors, enhancing foreign-related legal practice research through the recruitment of practical mentors, discussions of foreign-related judicial cases, specialized lectures, curriculum design, and international competitions. This effort aims to further refine a practice-oriented training mechanism, prepare a reserve of high-end foreign-related legal talents, and solidify the talent foundation for China’s modernization journey.