What's wrong with this lawyer?!

Chapter 44: Chapter 42: There are so many bold people these days.

Many days have passed since the senior executives of the property management company were arrested, and of course, the parent company wouldn't stand by idly. They sent down another executive who finally stabilized the situation.

However, that executive surnamed Wu didn't do much else. Everything that needed to be investigated had been investigated; now was the time to lie low.

As for Tang Fangjing, he also took the time to collect his legal professional qualification certificate and had his internship lawyer's license processed, which meant that he had officially started his one-year internship.

But it was clear that his internship was different from those of other interns.

Punching the clock was out of the question, and it didn't matter whether he came to the office or not. Even the law firm's director tacitly agreed to this; no matter how unsatisfied other lawyers were, it was useless.

Moreover, since he had brought such a big case to the firm, having a source of cases made you god in a law firm.

The risk agency contract was signed with a fifteen percent share. It might not sound high, but the amount at stake was frightening!

Now, with no results from the Economic Investigation Department yet, the law firm's team needed to get the procedures in order, whether it was suing to recover public income or auditing the accounts. Actually, the homeowners' committee had no authority.

The homeowners' committee and the property manager were on equal footing, and decisions had to be made by the homeowners' assembly. Without legal authorization from the homeowners' assembly, any lawsuit filed by the homeowners' committee would be rejected on the grounds of inappropriate plaintiff, so all procedural matters had to be addressed properly.

This was where Tengda had its professional talent, ensuring that the court could not find any fault.

As for the current property management company, it was certainly due for dismissal. During the temporary homeowners' assembly, someone expressed concerns that no property manager would dare to come in if they proceeded this way, but their fears were quickly dispelled.

The same day the recruitment for a new property manager was announced, eight property companies came knocking...

Even if you told them that the senior executives of the previous property company had been arrested and that an audit to reclaim public income was pending, they didn't care.

Whether a residential complex could make money was something peers understood best. Even without public income, there was still a lot to be earned from property management fees. And who wouldn't want to make money?

The public security organs maintained contact with the homeowners' committee. Basically, it was a foregone conclusion for General Manager Hou and that General Manager Ye, along with three other top executives from the parent company who were arrested together.

Even Tang Fangjing could only wait at this point, as investigating and building a case always required sufficient evidence.

As the weather turned cooler, even though Old Wang gave his tacit consent, Tang Fangjing couldn't possibly stay at home every day. Tasks needed to be actively pursued; no one wanted to squander their life.

Tang Fangjing had previously met with clients at the firm as well, doing some legal consultancy by the way.

Like now, Old Tang was conducting a legal consultation in a very earnest manner, with Li Wanting dutifully acting as an assistant. However, judging by her expression, she seemed to be questioning her life choices.

"You're saying your residential complex's property manager only managed to get the city leader to agree and didn't allow the three major telecom operators in, even cutting their cables if they did? That's some audacity there."

"Here's what you do, young lady. Nowadays, residences can apply for individual business permits, like for online stores, then draw a government-enterprise broadband line, and just wait for the property management to cut it..."

"What if they cut it? Call the police, of course. Do you know what government-enterprise broadband is? It's called public communications facilities. There's an offense called the destruction of public telecommunications facilities..."

Ah... huh? The girl seeking advice looked utterly bewildered.

"Then there's your case; you're charging for gas when serving barbecue? That's more audacity. What? You don't know what that entails? Conducting gas business activities without a gas operation permit--the gas management department can fine them enough to bankrupt the company. Report it, what are you hesitating for!"

This legal consultancy was nothing like what Li Wanting had imagined.

It indeed provided legal grounds and specific solutions, but something seemed off...

After several consultancy sessions, Old Wang stepped in.

"Director Tang, maybe you should stop providing consultancy. I've found you an office; you can rest there and have some tea, how about that?"

Old Tang felt that Old Wang was looking down on him, so he decided to go home and offer free legal advice to the elderly.

But just as he arrived at the entrance, he heard the sound of sobbing.

"I really beg you all, please spare my husband. He... he didn't mean any harm, he truly didn't, I beg of you..."

"Now I'm jobless, and without the money, my child won't have enough to eat..."

The entrance was already crowded with people, and it seemed that a woman was crying and pleading, occasionally trying to kowtow.

"Eh, Aunt Liu, what's going on here?"

Aunt Liu looked up to see it was Tang Fangjing, and although her expression was a bit strange, she explained, "It's the property manager's wife, that General Manager Hou who was arrested. She found out from somewhere and has come here to plead with us homeowners to write a letter of understanding."

"Sigh, you have to feel for her, suddenly her man's been locked up, and now she's left alone with a kid, not knowing what to do... what a mess this is."

Upon hearing this, a look of bemusement crossed Tang Fangjing's face. He glanced at the homeowners around, some of whom had already gone up to console her.

"Don't be too heartbroken, we... we'll write it for you. Children are always innocent. Hey, Director Tang, you're here. What do you think about this matter..."

It turned out Tang Fangjing had been recognized, and a familiar homeowner was calling out to him.

Hearing this voice, the woman at the door quickly approached as if clutching at a lifeline, pleading, "You're Director Tang, aren't you? I beg of you, please let my husband go. He didn't do anything, take the money back if you must, but what about my child if I do, he's only so young..."

Beside the woman, a boy of about twelve or thirteen was also crying, a sight that left many onlookers with heavy hearts.

Old Tang felt the urge to hit someone, he really did.

He just watched coldly as the other party spoke.

Feng Jiping spoke and gradually sensed something amiss. The man opposite her maintained the same deathly expression, without a hint of sympathy.

Finally, Tang Fangjing spoke up, "Are you done?"

"Ah? No... I mean, Director Tang, look at the situation now..."

"Your husband did nothing? I don't know how you can say that. Do you have any idea how much money your husband embezzled from our residential complex?"

"And you lot, still saying how the child is innocent. People are using your money to buy villas and luxury cars, providing their children with all sorts of amenities. Do you see the clothes they're wearing? Just this outfit alone costs more than what some homeowners in our complex make in a month, did you know that?"

"They have a three-story villa in the Vienna Residential Complex on People's Road. Where do you think their money comes from? The property management has been losing money for years, they can't even afford to hire cleaners."

"Now do you still feel sorry for their family? What were you thinking, huh?"

The surrounding homeowners fell silent, or maybe they hadn't thought that much about it before.

The concept of public income is too distant for the homeowners, even though the law states that it is commonly owned by them. In reality, the homeowners still don't care.

When something that's neglected is violated, they naturally don't feel a thing.

The high ground of rights is always usurped during times of indifference.

And now, Tang Fangjing had laid everything bare, leaving the homeowners to see the contrast. No one spoke again.

It's true, children are innocent, but the premise that misfortune shouldn't affect the children assumes that they also didn't benefit from the misdeeds. On one hand, the struggle for rights is enormously difficult, on the other hand, the children of debt-dodgers enjoy a peaceful life. You're telling me the kids are innocent, right!

"Alright, let her continue crying. She doesn't want to return the stolen goods. What's returned would be our public income. This is the first time I've come across someone pushing money away. Let's go."

Tang Fangjing turned and left, leaving the remaining homeowners looking at each other, speechless and no longer concerned with the matter.

Feng Jiping didn't know what to do. Wasn't it agreed that if she did this, surely some homeowners would sympathize? Why are they all listening to Tang Fangjing!

She took out her phone to make a call: "Hello, Lawyer Li, it's no use, everyone's dispersed. What kind of advice is this? Anyway, I definitely won't return the money. If I do, how am I supposed to live!"

On the other side, Tang Fangjing returned home. Of course, he knew the other party must have consulted a lawyer already, which only went to show how some lawyers had completely lost their moral compass.

But no matter, this was a public prosecution case, and as a lawyer for the public prosecution, the other party would surely have to show up. He was furious now.

No matter how Feng Jiping made a fuss, the case was steadily progressing. The investigation concluded, the indictment reviewed, step by step. Meanwhile, Old Tang and Old Song had already arrived at Guangming District Court to initiate a lawsuit and requested a judicial appraisal.

Another very unusual case. There had been plenty of cases of property management disputes over maintenance funds in court, but one that traced the accounts back over ten plus years was a first.

President Hou and others' case had already begun trial, and the homeowners' committee of Yuefu Residential Complex finally learned how much the property management had embezzled in public income over many years.

Twenty-six million eight hundred thousand, a figure the residents of the complex couldn't even fathom!

This was not just income but also the returns from investment of that income, which by regulation all needed to be repaid!

When the news broke, it immediately exploded online.

The compensation seemed so preposterous that many people simply couldn't believe it. Could a residential complex's public income really reach such a figure?

And yet the case hadn't even gone to trial, it was just a judicial appraisal result. There was a lot of discussion online with all sorts of opinions being expressed; some people from property management companies blurted out that this must be a mad grab for money!

Although Tang Fangjing had not posted any videos, he had done so much during the entire case that rumors were spreading more and more.

He also received many private messages in the backend, either asking him to explain the process or seeking his help.

Tang Fangjing initially didn't plan to bother with these, but among the pile of messages, one caught his attention.

"Old Tang, I wanted to ask, if a lawyer won a case for me, but then it couldn't be enforced, can I ask him to pay me compensation?"

You dare to ask me such an outrageous question?

He clicked on the person's account and saw that they had already posted about it once. In the comments section, they were thoroughly lambasted by lots of people bearing lawyer titles.

"The lawyer won the case for you and has already completed their commission. I am curious where you get the gall to think the lawyer should pay you money!"

"Exactly, even if the case was lost, the lawyer's fee is still charged. Why are there more and more legal illiterates?"

Tang Fangjing was about to throw in a few harsh words and leave, but then he went silent after reading the person's description.

The reason was that the involved party had done preservation of property, but then failed to renew it in time, resulting in weak enforcement...

After a moment's hesitation, Tang Fangjing replied to the message: "You can come to Tengda Law Firm to discuss in detail."

After responding, he didn't pay it any further attention. His current mission was still not complete. It was out of curiosity that he wanted to find out more.