Hong Kong Lawyers Gain Path to Practice in Nine Guangdong Cities Under New Law
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
China's top legislative body has approved amendments to the Lawyers Law that will allow Hong Kong and Macau lawyers to practise in nine Guangdong cities. The changes, taking effect September 1, regularize a pilot programme launched in August 2020 and require lawyers to pass the Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok welcomed the move as a significant step for the rule of law.
Key Points
- The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed amendments to China's Lawyers Law on Friday, effective September 1
- Hong Kong and Macau lawyers must pass the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination and obtain a mainland practice qualification
- Qualified lawyers can handle specified legal matters in nine cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing
- The State Council's judicial administration department will set examination requirements, application procedures and scope of permitted practice
- As of June, more than 650 Hong Kong and Macau lawyers were already providing legal services in the GBA under the pilot scheme
- The amendments provide the legal basis for regularising the GBA lawyers' pilot scheme launched in August 2020
Why It Matters
The regularised practice regime gives Hong Kong lawyers a formal pathway to serve clients across the Greater Bay Area, a region Beijing is developing into an international first-class bay area under the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok expects the growing number of GBA-licensed lawyers to play a greater role in the country's rule-of-law development .
The regularised practice regime gives Hong Kong lawyers a formal pathway to serve clients across the Greater Bay Area, a region Beijing is developing into an international first-class bay area under the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok expects the growing number of GBA-licensed lawyers to play a greater role in the country's rule-of-law development .