2
MONDAY, JUNE 29, 1987
LAW FIRMS FROM OF HONG KONG WORK
THERE ARE NOW BRANCH OFFICES OF 22 MAJOR CITY OF LONDON, ABLE TO UNDERTAKE ALL FORMS CHIEFLY BIDDING FOR COMMERCIAL WORK.
THE BUT
SAID MR THOMAS: "YOUNG BARRISTERS CAME TOO, BUT AT THE BAR THE
THE NUMBER MOST SIGNIFICANT TREND HAS BEEN THE RISE IN
OF QUEEN'S COUNSEL FROM ENGLAND AND WALES WHO ARE ADMITTED EACH YEAR TO TAKE THE PART IN THE MORE COMPLEX AND SPECIALIST DISPUTES THAT COME BEFORE COURTS OF HONG KONG.
"FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, AROUND 90 TO 100 QUEEN'S COUNSEL HAVE COME TO HONG KONG EACH YEAR.
"THIS INFLUX OF TALENT TO SUPPLEMENT HONG KONG'S RESOURCES HAS BEEN WELCOMED BY HONG KONG'S LEGAL PROFESSIONS.
"THEY HAVE BEEN QUICK TO RECOGNISE THE BENEFITS TO HONG KONG'S
ENGLAND BUSINESS ACTIVITY THAT SKILLED PRACTITIONERS FROM
AND WALES
HAVE PROVIDED."
THE THIRD RESPONSE TO HONG KONG'S RAPID AN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE ALSO CAME FROM OVERSEAS.
TRANSFORMATION INTO
NOT
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID FOREIGN LAWYERS WHO ARRIVED WERE
KONG, BUT QUALIFIED TO PRACTISE AS BARRISTERS AND SOLICITORS IN HONG WHOSE CLIENT HAD WORK TO GIVE THEM IN HONG KONG.
THE FIRST OVERSEAS LAW FIRMS APPEARED IN THE EARLY '70S AND AT
THE THE LAST COUNT THERE WERE 20 OF THEM, MOSTLY FROM
UNITED STATES AND CANADA, BUT INCLUDING OTHERS FROM WEST GERMANY, SWEDEN AND THE PHILLIPINES. THESE FIRMS HAVE ENGAGED ABOUT 70 LAWYERS.
THE NETHERLANDS,
ANOTHER 34 OVERSEAS LAWYERS WORK IN ONE PARTICULAR FIRM WHICH HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AS A LOCAL LAW FIRM.
IN OTHER LOCAL LAW FIRMS, SOME 17 OVERSEAS LAWYERS ARE AT WORK.
MR THOMAS SAID THIS MEANS THERE WERE NOW WELL OVER 100 LAWYERS
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED WORKING IN HONG KONG WHO LACKED THE
THE LAWS OF HONG KONG TO PRACTISE HERE AS BARRISTERS OR SOLICITORS.
BY
"SO THEY CANNOT APPEAR FOR CLIENTS IN THE COURTS OF HONG KONG PROBATE OF OR CONVEY TITLE TO REAL ESTATE IN HONG KONG, TO DEAL WITH WILLS OR OFFER FOR SALE ADVICE ON HONG KONG LAW.
THEY ARE BUSY CHIEFLY HANDLING COMMERCIAL WORK IN THE REGION, HE EXPLAINED.
"I
BUT
COUNCIL
AS A RESULT OF ADVICE FROM THE EXECUTIVE
ΤΟ OVERSEAS LAWYERS WHO WISH
OPEN UP OFFICES HERE AND PRACTICES ARE REQUIRED BY THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT ARRANGEMENTS FIRST WITH THE LAW SOCIETY OF HONG KONG.
IN 1977, BUILD UP TO MAKE
THIS THEY