All Rise Episode 9 Recap
> All Rise Recap
Jiang Chen struggled with his case file review, having revised it multiple times over a week without satisfaction. Tian Min, observing his frustration, explained that Ren Jiatong had efficiently organized her case facts into chronological tables and visualized them with software, even attaching a draft legal opinion. Tian Min then challenged Jiang Chen, reminding him that artificial intelligence was increasingly prevalent in law, with some Red Circle Firms even laying off translation teams.
She questioned what competitive advantage he and other new recruits, lacking case experience and client communication skills, would have over AI if they could only perform basic tasks. Jiang Chen understood her point, realizing he needed to make AI serve him, not replace him. He thanked her for clarifying his path. Later, Tian Min and Zhou Nian discussed the interns' potential.
Tian Min, jokingly calling herself a "senior colleague who's beautiful, kind-hearted, and caring" compared to Zhou Nian's "expert diplomat," expressed her anxieties about the future of the legal profession due to AI, mentioning a classmate who had been laid off. Zhou Nian, a fifth-year associate, reassured her that they were safe for now. Ren Jiatong approached Zhou Nian and Tian Min to request a field visit that afternoon.
She was working on negotiation points for the tenant group and needed to gather more information by speaking directly with the protesting tenants at the Warm Nest headquarters. Zhou Nian approved her request, stating that the task encouraged creative methods. Privately, Zhou Nian and Tian Min placed friendly bets on who would excel in the Talent Hunt Program, with Tian Min backing Ren Jiatong and Zhou Nian supporting Jiang Chen.
Tian Min humorously noted a trend of women winning such competitions at their firm. Jiang Chen returned to Bai Xiao with his re-done case file review. He articulated his new understanding, stating that the true growth from case review came from actively analyzing and identifying the core issues and defense strategies, just as senior lawyers would.
He credited Tian Min for enlightening him about the challenge posed by AI and his need to enhance his unique value by using AI as a tool rather than being replaced by it. Bai Xiao acknowledged his improvement and instructed him to conclude the case review task, shifting his full attention to the Warm Nest project.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen received a phone call from his aunt, who informed him that the tenant rights group was organizing a large demonstration at the Warm Nest headquarters, believing a massive protest would force the company to pay compensation. His aunt planned to join, but Jiang Chen urged her not to get involved in such extreme actions, sensing the situation was escalating rapidly.
Shortly after, Li Ke informed Jiang Chen that Ren Jiatong had gone to the Warm Nest office for her investigation, speculating she might have obtained leads from the tenant group chat. Jiang Chen grew concerned for Ren Jiatong's safety, knowing that news of Jun An representing Warm Nest had infuriated the tenants, and Ren Jiatong's earlier viral video made her highly recognizable, making her vulnerable to conflict. Li Ke decided to accompany Jiang Chen to ensure their safety.
At the Warm Nest apartment lobby, Ren Jiatong tried to assist an elderly woman when she was recognized by protesting tenants. They immediately surrounded her, accusing her of being a lawyer sent by Warm Nest to counter them, despite the elderly woman's attempt to defend Ren Jiatong by stating Ren Jiatong had helped her earlier. Overwhelmed by the crowd's anger and insults, Ren Jiatong was momentarily stunned, recalling a painful memory of debt collectors at her own home.
Just then, Jiang Chen rushed in. A man named Liang Xiaosong threw an object that struck Ren Jiatong's forehead, leaving a visible red mark. Jiang Chen immediately pushed Liang Xiaosong away to protect Ren Jiatong. Liang Xiaosong, however, feigned serious injury and called the police, accusing Jiang Chen of assault. At the police station, Liang Xiaosong's sister arrived and, upon learning the interns were from Jun An, contacted her boyfriend, Zhou Nian. Yan Fei drove Zhou Nian to the station.
After reviewing the surveillance footage, Zhou Nian tried to persuade Liang Xiaosong's sister that her brother was primarily at fault, having pushed Ren Jiatong and thrown an object at her. He explained that a settlement would be more beneficial for Liang Xiaosong than pursuing charges that could lead to detention. However, Liang Xiaosong's sister was enraged, accusing Zhou Nian of siding with "outsiders" and prioritizing his work over his family.
She criticized his inability to afford a house or prioritize their seven-year relationship. When Yan Fei arrived to return Zhou Nian's phone, the sister’s anger escalated, leading her to return Zhou Nian’s engagement ring and break off their relationship. Zhou Nian, feeling both heartbroken and liberated, reflected on his long-standing commitment and how the breakup, though painful, freed him from its pressures.
As Jiang Chen walked Ren Jiatong home, he explained that he had to protect his colleague, saying that as a member of Jun An, he couldn't let "outsiders" bully her. He playfully exaggerated his speed, claiming to have saved her in a flash, but Ren Jiatong pointed out the legal risks of his actions. She confessed that being a lawyer felt challenging, especially after seeing Zhou Nian's relationship end due to the profession's demands.
Jiang Chen acknowledged the difficulty of balancing work and personal life as a lawyer. Ren Jiatong then shared her childhood experience of always having to be strong and protective of her mother after her father’s death. She told Jiang Chen that his act of shielding her was the first time she had felt truly protected since her father passed away. Jiang Chen expressed his happiness in being able to stand up for her.
Ren Jiatong jokingly called his words a "confession," but Jiang Chen clarified that he considered her a friend. As they parted ways, Ren Jiatong lightheartedly challenged Jiang Chen to improve his case analysis so that beating him wouldn't be "unexciting," and advised him to communicate with Guo Xiaoyu, emphasizing the importance of not losing friends to their careers.
Upon returning to their shared apartment, Ren Jiatong found Guo Xiaoyu, who, despite still being angry, noticed Ren Jiatong's forehead injury and expressed concern. Ren Jiatong explained her motivation for handling the Warm Nest case: it wasn't just about winning, but about problem-solving and finding a "win-win or even triple-win scenario" for all parties.
She reiterated that for the tenants to recover their money, reconciliation was the most viable option, quoting Mr. Song’s belief that negotiations aim for mutual benefit rather than absolute victory. Guo Xiaoyu understood, accepting Ren Jiatong's explanation and deciding to continue working on the task. The two friends reconciled with a hug. However, the situation escalated when Liang Xiaosong posted on Weibo, sharing photos and accusing Jun An lawyers of assaulting him, instigating cyberbullying against the firm.
The post, which included Jiang Chen's picture and profile, quickly gained traction. Li Ke and Guo Xiaoyu urged Jiang Chen to apologize to de-escalate the situation and potentially salvage Zhou Nian's relationship. Jiang Chen, however, steadfastly refused. He acknowledged the personal cost to Zhou Nian and expressed willingness to pay any compensation Liang Xiaosong demanded.
However, he maintained that he would not apologize for an action he believed was just, emphasizing that doing so would compromise his fundamental principles as someone studying law. He also informed them that he had preserved the Weibo post as evidence for future legal action.
At a meeting of partners, Zhuang Xin and Zhang Kai advocated for severe disciplinary action against Jiang Chen, citing the negative public relations and direct complaints from Warm Nest's legal director, who threatened to report Jun An to the bar association. Bai Xiao countered, arguing that as interns, the individuals were still in a developmental phase and not subject to the bar association's direct oversight.
The discussion was abruptly cut short when Warm Nest's senior management arrived unexpectedly at the firm. Shortly after, the interns received an email announcing that the deadline for their case reports was moved up to 10 PM that night, with no extensions. Zhou Nian explained that Bai Xiao's meeting with Warm Nest had been rescheduled, necessitating the change.
He added that for this round, interns could form teams, but the scoring criteria now required both the team to achieve the top ranking and the individual to demonstrate outstanding performance within their group to earn high marks. Jiang Chen, learning he might be penalized for the Warm Nest incident, confronted Bai Xiao. He argued that the police had found him not legally liable and demanded a rational explanation for any score deductions.
Bai Xiao calmly laid out his violations: leaving work without informing his mentors, instigating a conflict at a client's headquarters that led to police involvement and negative online publicity for both Warm Nest and Jun An, and causing the Warm Nest meeting to be brought forward, which increased the workload for all lawyers and impacted his fellow interns by advancing their deadline. She concluded that merely deducting points was already a lenient response.
She then reinforced that the legal profession is a service industry, aiming to maximize client interests within legal boundaries. She stated that Warm Nest wanted his apology and a swift resolution, emphasizing that finding a solution was his responsibility, and the firm would not tolerate excuses or complaints if he wished to avoid elimination. Later, Ren Jiatong approached a visibly distressed Jiang Chen, realizing he was deeply troubled and perhaps facing financial difficulties.
She also tried to persuade him to apologize, stressing that the situation had moved beyond right and wrong; it was about problem-solving and protecting the firm's interests. She cautioned him that if the issue escalated, Jun An would prioritize its major client, Warm Nest, over an intern.
Jiang Chen, while agreeing to financially compensate Liang Xiaosong to mitigate the impact on Zhou Nian's situation, refused to apologize, stating he couldn't betray his core principles as a law student—that right is right and wrong is wrong. Ren Jiatong smiled, acknowledging his idealism as "precious" and essential, adding that a world without such idealists would lose its meaning.
