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WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1988
HE SAID THE REVIEW WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN THE LIGHT OF A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR BY THE FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE.
THIS REPORT CONSIDERED VARIOUS ISSUES, INCLUDING THE SPECIFIC QUESTION OF THE WORK WHICH FOREIGN LAW FIRMS SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO UNDERTAKE AND WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO EMPLOY, OR TAKE INTO PARTNERSHIP, LOCALLY QUALIFIED SOLICITORS.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, A NUMBER OF AMERICAN LAW FIRMS IN HONG KONG HAD PETITONED THE GOVERNOR, SEEKING TO BE ALLOWED TO EMPLOY, OR TO ADMIT AS PARTNERS, HONG KONG SOLICITORS, WHO MIGHT CONTINUE TO PRACTISE HONG KONG LAW OR SUCH OTHER LAW AS THEY WERE QUALIFIED ΤΟ PRACTISE IN THE NAME OF THE FOREIGN LAW FIRMS.
THEY ALSO SOUGHT A CHANGE IN THE LAW ΤΟ ENABLE ADMISSION TO PRACTISE AS A SOLICITOR TO BE BASED ON MOTION WITHOUT EXAMINATION IF RECIPROCAL PRIVILEGES HAD BEEN ACCORDED TO HONG KONG PRACTITIONERS THE JURISDICTION OF THE APPLICANT.
IN
IT WAS IN THE LIGHT OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS THAT THE CURRENT REVIEW WAS BEING CONDUCTED, MR MATHEWS EXPLAINED.
"ALL I CAN SAY AT THIS STAGE IS THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE FORMULATED ON THE BASIS OF HONG KONG'S BEST INTERESTS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES COMMENSURATE WITH HONG KONG'S POSITION AS A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF COMMERCE AND FINANCE," HE SAID.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THE GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTED ANY ACTION TAKEN BY THE LEGAL PROFESSION TO ENSURE THAT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARDS OF LEGAL SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
"AT THE SAME TIME, IN LINE WITH ITS PHILOSOPHY IN SO MANY OTHER AREAS, GOVERNMENT DOES NOT FAVOUR RESTRICTIVE PRACTICES AIMED
AT PROTECTING PARTICULAR GROUPS AGAINST COMPETITION.
"THERE IS CLEARLY A BALANCE TO BE STRUCK BETWEEN THESE TWO AIMS," HE SAID.
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