 The emergence of the Weiquan movement was made possible by a confluence of factors , including a market for their services , and an emerging rights consciousness . It was also facilitated by the 1996 " Lawyers Law , " which changed the definition of lawyers from " state legal workers " to professionals holding a legal certificate who perform legal services . The law effectively delinked lawyers from the state , and gave lawyers greater ( though still limited ) autonomy within the profession . 
