Law amendment opens Greater Bay Area roles
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Starry Lee Wai-king (李慧琼), a member of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, said the committee’s 24th meeting of the 14th term was held in Beijing from August 24 to 28 and reviewed 10 draft laws, with five passed. She said the decision amending the Lawyers Law is closely tied to Hong Kong because it both protects lawyers’ lawful practice and better safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of the public. According to Lee, the amendment adds Article 62, allowing qualified Hong Kong and Macau legal practitioners to carry out specified legal work in nine mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area after passing the Greater Bay Area lawyer practice examination and obtaining mainland practice qualifications. She said the change would create new opportunities for Hong Kong’s legal sector
Key Points
- Lee said the NPC Standing Committee’s latest meeting ran in Beijing from August 24 to 28 and examined 10 draft laws in total
- Five measures were passed, including the decision to amend the Lawyers Law, which Lee said has particularly close relevance to Hong Kong society
- The new Article 62 covers Hong Kong legal practitioners and Macau lawyers who pass the Greater Bay Area practice examination and secure mainland qualifications
- Eligible practitioners may work within a prescribed scope in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing
- Lee also said five other laws are open for public comment, including the Enterprise Bankruptcy Law and Anti-Cross-Border Corruption Law
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the most immediate consequence is a wider professional pathway for local lawyers seeking work linked to the mainland market within the Greater Bay Area. The amendment also points to deeper institutional links between Hong Kong’s legal profession and mainland legal services, while keeping access tied to examination and qualification requirements