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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1993

MR

MATHEWS PREDICTED THAT THE CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMY WOULD PRODUCE LEGAL WORK OF AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX AND SOPHISTICATED NATURE.

"THIS WILL ENGENDER A NEED FOR A LEGAL PROFESSION THAT HAS A SUFFICIENT RANGE OF EXPERTISE AND TRAINING TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE.

"THE ABILITY OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN HONG KONG ΤΟ PROVIDE SERVICES FOR A GROWING INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC CLIENT BASE WILL INEVITABLY REQUIRE ALTERATIONS TO THE STRUCTURE AND PATTERN OF SOME FIRMS IN HONG KONG," HE SAID.

LOOKING AHEAD, MR MATHEWS SAID IN THE YEAR 2000 LAWYERS AND JUDGES WOULD BE TRAINED IN THE COMMON LAW; THE JUDICIARY WOULD BE INDEPENDENT; THE LAW WOULD BE FAMILIAR AND ACCESSIBLE.

"LAWYERS WILL BE IMBUED WITH COMMON LAW TRADITIONS AND PRINCIPLES AND WILL PRACTISE IN A COMMON LAW SYSTEM.

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"THE PROFESSION WILL INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF LAWYERS WHO WILL BRING THEIR OWN TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES ONLY BENEFIT THE PROFESSION, HE SAID.

FOREIGN THIS CAN

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AT PRESENT, HONG KONG HAS ABOUT 130 JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES, BARRISTERS, 2,700 SOLICITORS, AND 230 LAWYERS IN GOVERNMENT LEGAL SERVICE, 90 LEGAL ACADEMICS IN TWO LAW SCHOOLS, AND 180 FOREIGN LAWYERS AND 26 FOREIGN LAW FIRMS.

"THE PRESENCE OF SO MANY FOREIGN LAWYERS IS A REFLECTION OF HONG KONG'S POSITION IN THE REGION AS A LEADING FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS CENTRE.

"PRESENTLY, THE ADMISSION OF FOREIGN LAWYERS IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE MATTER, BUT IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, A BILL WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE A STATUTORY FOUNDATION FOR THE ADMISSION AND PRACTICE OF FOREIGN LAWYERS AND FOREIGN LAW FIRMS IN HONG KONG," MR MATHEWS EXPLAINED.

"THE BILL ALSO PROPOSES ΤΟ ESTABLISH AN OBJECTIVE, NON- DISCRIMINATORY SCHEME FOR THE ADMISSION OF NON-HONG KONG QUALIFIED LAWYERS AS SOLICITORS TO PRACTISE HONG KONG LAW.

"FOREIGN LAWYERS ADD ΤΟ THE IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF SERVICES OFFERED BY HONG KONG'S LAWYERS AND HAVE HELPED MAKE HONG KONG ONE OF THE LEADING CENTRES FOR LEGAL SERVICES IN THE REGION, HE SAID.

LASTLY, MR MATHEWS REITERATED THAT HE FIRMLY BELIEVED THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY OF HONG KONG WOULD BE A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND LEGAL PROFESSION.

"THE SPECIFIC GUARANTEES IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND BASIC LAW RELATING TO THE LEGAL SYSTEM, TOGETHER WITH THE EXERCISE TO

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AND ADAPT HONG KONG'S LAWS AND TO PRODUCE BILINGUAL ASSURANCES OF THE CONTINUANCE OF THE COMMON LAW AND STATUTE HONG KONG, HE SAID,

LOCALISE LAWS ARE LAW IN

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