Over the last year in the United States, established Am Law 200 lawyers were arrested for allegedly using fake invoices to defraud their firms, helping a hedge fund manager dupe investors, and disorderly conduct, among other exploits.

In China, it took just seven critical tweets by Pu Zhiqiang for authorities to jail and convict the prominent rights lawyer, a partner at Beijing-based Huayi Law Firm, terminating his legal career.