2.3
7
As explained in Chapter 1, the Government
believes that the concern that foreign lawyers might advise on Hong Kong law is met by the proposals set out in Chapter
Some other countries do in fact permit foreign lawyers to retain local lawyers to advise on domestic law.
5.
2.4
Also in January 1988, a number of leading American law firms with offices in Hong Kong petitioned the Governor seeking
2.5
(a)
(b)
to be allowed to employ or to admit as partners, Hong Kong solicitors who may continue to practise Hong Kong law or such other law as they are qualified to practise in the name of the foreign law firms; and
a change in the law to enable admission to practise as a solicitor to be based on motion without examination if reciprocal privileges have been accorded to Hong Kong practitioners in the jurisdiction of the applicant.
On 13 May 1988, a copy of the petition was sent to the Law Society who were invited to comment by 13 June 1988. This they did with a 60 page submission dated 10
June 1988.
2.6
The matter was considered by the Executive Council on 26 July 1988 and their decision is set out at paragraph 1.1. The Council is not, of course, bound by the views of any advisory committee, no matter how eminent its membership may be. Nevertheless, the Council did have before it the recommendations of the Chief Justice's Committee as well as the views of the Law Society which it took into account in reaching its decision.
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