Cao Yin: Legal eagles and celebrity lawsuits

Best story: I have often interviewed lawyers in China, but not those who work overseas. In May, I wrote a story about expat Chinese lawyers, their dreams and difficulties in foreign countries. I was lucky to meet several of them in London, where I had a two-month rotation. It took nearly a month to conduct the interviews and write the stories, which stretched across two pages.

Most interesting person: During my two-month stay in London, I interviewed Nicky Harman, a prize-winning translator from Chinese into English. She loves Chinese literature, but has an objective point of view and deep insight. Harman made a great impression on me, because I usually write about criminals, judges and legal experts.

Best interview: During a business trip in November, I had a hard-won opportunity to interview Wang Xuguang, deputy chief judge of the Environment and Ecology Tribunal at the Supreme People's Court.

Just a few days before, two NGOs had won China's first environmental "public interest" lawsuit, so it was a good time to review the tribunal's work in the past year. Wang responded to questions about many issues, such as establishing whether an NGO is qualified to launch public interest lawsuits.

Most unforgettable reporting experience: On Sept 10, I spent almost 10 hours in a court, hearing the proceedings against a controversial figure, Guo Meimei, whose inappropriate online posts tarnished the image of the Red Cross Society. Guo was sentenced to five years for organizing illegal gambling.

It was a long day, but it finally ended the two-year-long story about the online "celebrity".

Best quote: "Although I have been a judge for more than 10 years, I always make notes when I read materials about a case, which helps me question defendants with a clear and quick mind."

Lin Meimei, a Beijing judge who has heard cases involving celebrities, such as Jaycee Chan, son of Jackie Chan, the kung fu movie star.