XN000022-1991-05-10 — Page 7

6

FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1991

A

SPOKESMAN

SAID

THERE

AMONG SHOULD

WAS A CONSENSUS GOVERNMENT TRAINEE SOLICITORS (ARTICLED CLERKS) AND SOLICITORS THAT THERE

WHICH COMPLEMENTED BE COURSES RELATING TO SUBSTANTIVE LAW AND SKILLS THEIR ACTIVITIES IN PRACTICES.

JUDGING

FROM

SIMILAR SUCCESS IN

JURISDICTIONS WITH OTHER

THAT MANDATORY CONTINUING LEGAL SOCIETY DECIDED SCHEMES, THE LAW

THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION COURSES SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE COMPETENCE OF SOLICITORS.

TO IT WAS INTENDED

BENEFIT THE

SOLICITORS AND THE

PUBLIC

THROUGH THE PROVISION OF BETTER LEGAL SERVICES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

INITIALLY, THE SCHEME WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO TRAINEE AND JUNIOR SOLICITORS IN THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS OF PRACTICE.

SOLICITORS

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS CLAUSES 3, 4 AND 10 OF THE BILL AMEND THE

SUPERVISE A ORDINANCE BY PERMITTING THE LAW SOCIETY TO IMPLEMENT AND

PRACTISING CERTIFICATES AND TO MCLE SCHEME

ISSUE CONDITIONAL ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE SCHEME.

ΤΟ

AT PRESENT,

THE

ISSUANCE

OF

PRACTISING

CERTIFICATES

LAWYERS IN HONG KONG IS DONE BY THE LAW SOCIETY FOR SOLICITORS AND THE REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT FOR BARRISTERS.

FOR

BY

THAT THE BAR ASSOCIATION THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS BELIEVED

CERTIFICATES FOR SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER THE ISSUANCE OF PRACTISING

SELF- BARRISTERS, SO THAT THE BAR COULD BE SEEN TO BE INDEPENDENT AND REGULATING.

WOULD REPLACE THE CERTIFICATES, AND THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE

BAR THE

COUNCIL THAT THE BILL PROVIDES REGISTRAR OF THE SUPREME COURT TO ISSUE PRACTISING WOULD MAKE RULES ON ISSUANCE SUBJECT TO CHIEF JUSTICE.

THE

SPOKESMAN SAID IT HAD BEEN ON ADMISSION OF BARRISTERS, DIFFICULT UNDER THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS ORDINANCE FOR SOME SOLICITORS WHO HAD PRACTISED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN HONG KONG TO LEGAL PRACTICE TO BARRISTERS.

CHANGE THEIR

A HONG CLAUSE 5(a) OF THE BILL AMENDS THE ORDINANCE TO PERMIT

YEARS' RECENT EXPERIENCE TO BE KONG SOLICITOR WITH AT LEAST THREE ADMITTED AS A BARRISTER.

FOR

OUTSIDE HONG KONG IN PRACTISED WHO BARRISTERS

PERSONS COULD BE BOTH JURISDICTIONS WITH A FUSED PROFESSION (WHERE

OF THE SOLICITORS AND BARRISTERS SIMULTANEOUSLY), CLAUSES 5(b) AND 7

AND ADMITTED BILL REMOVE RESTRICTIONS UPON THEM FROM BEING QUALIFIED AS A BARRISTER.

THIS WOULD ENABLE MORE PERSONS FROM OVERSEAS TO BE ADMITTED

A BARRISTER UNDER THE BAR, SUBJECT TO THEIR BEING QUALIFIED AS LEGAL PRACTITIONERS ORDINANCE.

TO

THE

ΤΟ

IT WOULD ALSO PERMIT BARRISTERS IN HONG KONG TO BE ADMITTED PRACTISE IN JURISDICTIONS WITH A FUSED PROFESSION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/THE BILL