Hong Kong remains an international hub for legal services
Perceptions of Hong Kong’s legal system have, in recent times, been shaped by political developments and new national security laws. But the city has continued to engage constructively with the international legal community in multiple areas, pursuing its ambition to become a leading hub for such services. It is making steady progress. A global conference for the International Advocacy Training Council (IATC), the latest in a series of high-level legal summits, was hosted in Hong Kong last week. Bar Association chairman Victor Dawes hailed the meeting as a “vote of confidence” in the city’s legal profession.
Meanwhile, the city is maintaining its appeal to the international legal community by developing the city’s role as a centre for law in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). It is perfectly placed, blending a common law heritage with a position as China’s connector to the world.
A new action plan for building legal services in the GBA, which comprises Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong cities, has been launched by the Department of Justice. It will focus on harmonising regulations, forming a pool of foreign-related legal talent for the area, facilitating cross-border research and enhancing legal training.
The IATC is a global charitable organisation for advocacy training and promotion in common law jurisdictions. Arbitration advocacy was the focus of last week’s summit. The city is one of the top arbitration venues in the world and the demand for dispute resolution services will grow with the development of the GBA and Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. To make the most of this opportunity, Hong Kong needs to ensure it can attract and maintain top legal professionals while nurturing new talent.
This year, as part of the GBA plan, Hong Kong will establish an International Legal Talents Training Academy to organise courses, seminars and international exchanges. Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok, in his speech at the conference, noted Hong Kong was facing a lot of issues, many arising from the complex geopolitical environment. National security laws will continue to make international headlines.
The city’s legal profession must ensure the core principles of the common law system, including an independent judiciary and protection of rights, are maintained. As Lam said, the city’s success and prosperity, now as in the past, depends on maintaining the rule of law both as a matter of perception and reality. International engagement is essential.
The theme of last week’s advocacy summit was “bridging borders, enhancing the rule of law”. That is what Hong Kong’s legal community must do as it faces the challenges ahead.