XN000022-1981-08-21 — Page 5

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1981

HK BAR QUALIFICATION RECOGNISED IN ENGLAND, WALES

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THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JOHN GRIFFITHS, Q.C., ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT FOLLOWING TALKS HE CONDUCTED IN LONDON, THE BAR COUNCIL IN ENGLAND HAS AGREED TO THE MUTUAL RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS WITH HONG KONG.

THIS MEANS THAT THE POST-GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN LAWS (PCLL) OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY IS NOW ACCEPTED BY THE BAR COUNCIL, IN CONJUNCTION WITH ACTUAL PRACTICE AT THE BAR IN HONG KONG, AS AN APPROPRIA E QUALIFICATION FOR CALL TO THE BAR OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

IN MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, MR GRIFFITHS SAID HE WAS SURE ALL MEMBERS OF THE BAR IN HONG KONG WOULD BE PLEASED THAT THE STATUS AND QUALITY OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION AND OF PRACTICE AT THE HONG KONG BAR HAD BEEN SO APPROPRIATELY RECOGNISED.

HE WAS ALSO DELIGHTED THAT THE CLOSE TIES BETWEEN ENGLAND AND HONG KONG HAD BEEN PUBLICLY RECOGNISED IN THIS WAY.

AGREEMENT WAS REACHED WITH THE BAR COUNCIL FOLLOWING NEGOTIATIONS BY MR GRIFFITHS AS LEADER OF THE HONG KONG BAR OVER THE PAST YEAR.

ON JULY 30, 1981 THE SENATE OF THE INNS OF COURT AND THE BAR APPROVED A NEW CONSOLIDATED REGULATION TO RECOGNISE THE HONG KONG QUALIFICATIONS.

THE REGULATION MAINLY PROVIDES FOR MEMBERS OF THE BAR OF HONG KONG OF NOT LESS THAN THREE YEARS STANDING TO BE CALLED TO THE BAR OF ENGLAND AND WALES, SUBJECT TO FULFILLING CERTAIN CONDITIONS.

MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG BAR WILL BE EXEMPT FROM THE PRACTICAL EXERCISES IF THEY HAVE THE PCLL OR HAVE BEEN IN ACTIVE PRACTICE AT THE HONG KONG BAR FOR THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THREE YEARS.

MR GRIFFITHS HAS WRITTEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE HONG KONG BAR TO INFORM THEM OF THIS GOOD NEWS.

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