HILS and the Global Christian Legal Community: Reflections from the 2026 Advocates Asia Conference in Bali

Faith, Justice & Integrity: Renewing Biblical Wisdom in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

From September 17–20, 2026, six faculty members from Handong International Law School (HILS), together with 2L student Kyunghoon Chung, participated in the 2026 Advocates Asia Conference in Bali, Indonesia.

[Photo1] HILS & HGU delegation, including faculty, alumni, and students, gathered at the Advocates Asia Conference

Held in coordination with Advocates International, the conference brought together Christian lawyers, legal educators, scholars, and students from across Asia under the theme “Faith, Justice & Integrity: Renewing Biblical Wisdom in the Era of Artificial Intelligence.” The gathering sought to strengthen Christian legal networks throughout Asia and to encourage the next generation of Christian legal professionals to serve faithfully and professionally in a rapidly changing legal environment.

[Photo2] Keynote speakers, session leaders, and legal experts gathered following the conference presentations

Exploring the Challenges Facing Christian Lawyers

The conference addressed a wide range of contemporary issues facing Christian lawyers and the legal profession, including the calling and identity of Christian lawyers, religious freedom, artificial intelligence, the sanctity of life, human trafficking, corruption and professional integrity, attorney wellness, family disputes, and Christian legal aid.

Participants also explored the relationship between Christian faith and professional legal practice, considering how biblical wisdom can inform the way lawyers approach emerging technologies, ethical challenges, human rights, vulnerable communities, and the responsibilities of the legal profession.

A significant part of the conference focused on the future of Christian legal education and the role of law schools in preparing students to combine professional excellence with faithfulness, integrity, and service.

Contributions from the Handong Community

The Handong delegation made several contributions to the conference program.

Dean Hee Eun Lee, Dean of Handong International Law School, served as an expert panel titled “Shaping the Next Generation: The Future of Christian Legal Education.” The session considered how Christian law schools can prepare students not only with strong professional and academic foundations, but also with a clear sense of calling and responsibility as Christian lawyers.

[Photo3] Dean Hee Eun Lee delivering remarks and presenting on legal education and faith at the main podium

Prof. Jae-Chun Won of Law Department, Handong Global University served as moderator for “International Child Rights: What Every Christian Lawyer Needs to Know.” He also joined Prof. Angela Semee Kim in presenting “Lawyering Skills: Negotiation and Mediation as a Christian Lawyer,” exploring practical legal skills through the perspective of Christian legal practice.

The HILS delegation included Dean Hee Eun Lee, Dean Dongcheon Daniel Syn, Prof. David L. Mundy, Prof. John J. Park, Prof. Jeongwoo Jimmy Kim, and Prof. Sharad Kumar Sharma together with student Kyunghoon Chung (2L). Prof. Jae-Chun Won and Prof. Angela Semee Kim also participated as representatives of Handong Global University.

[Photo4] Assistant Dean Dong Cheon Daniel Syn participating in a panel discussion alongside fellow international legal scholars

A Longstanding Relationship with Advocates International

HILS’s participation in Advocates Asia reflects a longstanding relationship between the law school and Advocates International.

HILS was founded in 2002 in Pohang, South Korea, with the late Dr. Lynn R. Buzzard serving as its founding dean. Dr. Buzzard also served as a former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Advocates International.

The relationship has continued through successive generations of leadership. Dean Hee Eun Lee has served on the Board of Directors of Advocates International, and leaders from Advocates International have continued to visit the HILS campus to engage students and faculty on issues including faith, justice, human rights, and the role of Christian lawyers in society.

HILS also hosts an active Advocates International Student Chapter (AISC), connecting students with a global network of Christian legal professionals and providing opportunities for students to participate in the wider Christian legal community.

This partnership reflects HILS’s commitment to “Mission and Law”—the pursuit of professional excellence in law while preparing lawyers to serve with justice, integrity, compassion, and faithfulness.

A New Generation of Christian Legal Leaders

The conference also provided a significant opportunity for student leadership.

During the conference, Kyunghoon Chung (2L) was selected to serve as a Board Member of Advocates Asia as Student Representative, with a particular role in connecting, encouraging, and inviting Christian law students across Asia to participate in future conferences and strengthening the regional network among the next generation of Christian legal professionals.

[Photo5] The newly selected Advocates Asia Board Members taking the stage to mark the start of their leadership term

HILS is also pleased to share that Prof. Jae-Chun Won has been appointed to the Advocates Asia Board and elected Vice Chairman.

In addition, Attorney Yeshoo Jushua Ezra, a member of the HILS Class of 2012 from Pakistan, has been appointed as a Board Member of Advocates Asia.

These appointments create new opportunities for members of the Handong community to contribute to the development of Christian legal networks throughout Asia.

Continuing the Mission

For the HILS delegation, the Advocates Asia Conference was a meaningful time of learning, fellowship, professional dialogue, and relationship-building with Christian lawyers, scholars, educators, and students from across Asia.

The conference also reaffirmed the importance of preparing Christian lawyers who can navigate a rapidly changing legal environment with both professional competence and biblical wisdom.

HILS looks forward to continuing these relationships and to encouraging more students from HILS and throughout the region to participate in future Advocates Asia gatherings.

As HILS continues its commitment to Mission and Law, we remain grateful for opportunities to learn, serve, and grow together with Christian legal professionals around the world—seeking to uphold faith, justice, and integrity in the practice of law.

Student Reflection

Reflecting on the conference, HILS student Kyunghoon Chung (2L) shared:

“Attending the Advocates Asia Conference was a deeply meaningful experience for me as a Christian law student. Over four days of practical seminars and conversations with senior Christian attorneys from around the world, I was able to see the legal profession as something more than a career—as a vocation through which faith and professional responsibility can be integrated in practical ways, both within and across national borders.

What encouraged me most was meeting lawyers who demonstrated genuine passion for both their legal work and their faith. Seeing how these attorneys had integrated their faith into the way they lived and practiced law broadened my understanding of what it means to serve faithfully as a Christian lawyer.

I would strongly encourage HILS students, especially those who are seeking to better understand what it means to be a Christian lawyer and ‘what the Lord requires of you’ (Micah 6:8), to participate in future Advocates Asia conferences.”

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