3
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1988
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MOREOVER, THE LAW SOCIETY WOULD HAVE SIMILAR POWERS OF DISCIPLINE OVER FOREIGN LAWYERS AS IT NOW HAD OVER LOCAL SOLICITORS.
ON THE SUGGESTION THAT THE PROPOSAL HAD BEEN MADE UNDER DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE OR THE THREAT OF TRADE SANCTIONS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID:
"THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT NEED TO BE PRESSURISED OR THREATENED INTO DOING SOMETHING WHICH WE FIRMLY BELIEVE ΤΟ BE IN HONG KONG'S BEST INTERESTS.
"WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING HAS NOT BEEN THE RESULT OF DIPLOMATIC PRESSURE. IT IS TRUE THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF TRADE ACTION BEING SOUGHT WAS MENTIONED BY CERTAIN AMERICAN LAW FIRMS IN THEIR PETITION TO THE GOVERNOR.
"THAT THIS WAS DONE IS REGRETTABLE, BUT IT PLAYED NO PART IN THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION.
"OUR PROPOSAL DOES NOT ONLY RELATE TO AMERICAN LAW FIRMS; IT WILL AFFECT LAW FIRMS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL.'
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MR MATHEWS SAID THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS LEADING TO THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL TO PERMIT FOREIGN LAW FIRMS ΤΟ TAKE IN HONG KONG SOLICITORS AS EMPLOYEES OR PARTNERS TO PRACTISE HONG KONG LAW.
FIRST, THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT ENABLING FOREIGN LAW FIRMS TO PROVIDE FROM WITHIN THE FIRM AN INTEGRATED LEGAL SERVICE TO THEIR CLIENTS WOULD HELP STRENGTHEN HONG KONG'S POSITION A8 A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE.
SECOND, SOME OF THE LARGER FIRMS OF HONG KONG SOLICITORS ALREADY PROVIDED THIS INTEGRATED SERVICE, ADVISING NOT ONLY ON THE LAW OF HONG KONG BUT ALSO ON THE LAWS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, AMERICA, CHINA AND OTHERS.
THERE WERE NO VALID GROUNDS ON WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD PREVENT FOREIGN LAW FIRMS FROM COMPETING ON THE SAME BASIS.
IN
TO
THE PROVIDE
THIRD, INTERNATIONALLY THERE WAS GROWING INTEREST INTEGRATION OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN LAWYERS MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL ADVICE WITHIN A SINGLE FIRM.
FINALLY, THE PROPOSAL WOULD ENHANCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR HONG KONG SOLICITORS.
ON THE QUESTION OF
CONSULTATION, MR MATHEWS SAID THE LAW
SOCIETY WAS CONSULTED BEFORE A DECISION WAS REACHED.
THE PETITION FROM THE AMERICAN LAWYERS WAS REFERRED TO THE SOCIETY FOR COMMENT AND THE SOCIETY RESPONDED WITH A FULL DETAILED SUBMISSION.
BOTH THE PETITION AND THE LAW SOCIETY'S CAREFULLY CONSIDERED BY THE GOVERNMENT.
LAW
AND
SUBMISSION
WERE
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