TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1993
LEGAL PROFESSION CAPABLE TO RESPOND TO CHANGES
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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JEREMY MATHEWS, TOLD AN INTERNATIONAL LAW CONFERENCE THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE PRACTICE OF LAW IN HONG KONG IN THE YEAR 2000 WOULD NOT BE VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM TODAY.
"THE LEGAL PRACTICE IN HONG KONG TODAY EXHIBITS ALL THE VIGOUR AND STRENGTH OF A TRIED AND TESTED LEGAL SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE RULE OF LAW IS PARAMOUNT, BUT WHICH IS CAPABLE OF CHANGE TO MEET THE NEEDS AN ACTIVE, WELL-EDUCATED AND AMBITIOUS SOCIETY.
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"THE LEGAL PROFESSION HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND TO CHANGES THE BUSINESS, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT IN HONG KONG, CHINA AND ABROAD.
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THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997 WILL BE JUST ANOTHER MATTER FOR THE PROFESSION TO TAKE IN ITS STRIDE,' MR MATHEWS SAID.
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HE TOLD PARTICIPANTS OF THE LAWASIA CONFERENCE" IN SRI LANKA THAT HE FORESAW THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 WOULD HAVE TO RESPOND, AS IT HAD DONE IN THE PAST, TO MANY NEW DEMANDS.
"ONE SIGNIFICANT DEMAND WILL ARISE FROM HONG KONG'S POSITION AS PART OF CHINA.
"ALTHOUGH THE JOINT DECLARATION GUARANTEES ONE
COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS, AND THAT THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (SAR) WILL ENJOY A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, IT MUST BE REMEMBERED THAT HONG KONG WILL BE PART OF CHINA.
"BUT HONG KONG'S LEGAL SYSTEM WILL BE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE REST OF CHINA.
"LEGAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE HONG KONG SAR AND THE REST OF CHINA WILL BE THE NORM, AND SQ. IT IS CRITICAL THAT THERE ARE IN PLACE MECHANISMS AND PROCEDURES FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO LEGAL SYSTEMS," MR MATHEWS SAID.
THE
SUCH ASSISTANCE WOULD INCLUDE ARBITRATION AWARDS, REGISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF JUDGMENTS, AND THE SERVICE OF WITNESS SUMMONS AND OTHER JUDICIAL DOCUMENTS, HE ELABORATED.
MEANWHILE, THE BUSINESS AND SOCIAL TIES BETWEEN THE HONG KONG SAR AND THE REST OF CHINA WOULD BE INEXTRICABLY LINKED. MR MATHEWS ADVISED LAWYERS WISHING TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE DEVELOPMENTS TO BE VERSED IN CHINA LAW.
"OBVIOUSLY, LAWYERS WORKING IN CHINA LAW WHO ARE BILINGUAL WILL HAVE AN ADVANTAGE, HE ADDED.
A FURTHER SPECIALISATION.
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DEMAND FOR THE LEGAL PROFESSION WOULD BR FOR
/MR MATHEWS