SJ attends sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Chengdu (with photos/video)

　　The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a delegation from Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution sector, which comprised more than 100 representatives from the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong and enterprises as well as other representatives, to attend the sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum today (August 24) in Chengdu. Organised by the Department of Justice (DoJ) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Forum aims to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services, and further consolidate Hong Kong's strategic positioning as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

　　Entitled "Sichuan, Chongqing and Hong Kong Join Hands for a Brighter Future", the Hong Kong Legal Services Forum this year explored various legal matters concerning Sichuan and Chongqing enterprises on international trade and foreign investment, and also introduced to the audience Hong Kong's international legal and dispute resolution services. Supported by the People's Government of Sichuan Province, the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Offices of the Sichuan Province and of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, the legal, commercial and intellectual properties departments and local lawyers associations, as well as a number of chambers of commerce, the Forum attracted close to 1 000 local legal practitioners and trade representatives.

　　In his opening address, Mr Lam said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the People's Government of Sichuan Province signed the "Co-operation Memorandum of the High-Level Meeting cum the Second Plenary Session of the Hong Kong/Sichuan Co-operation Conference" in September 2021 to promote co-operation between the two places in the area of legal professional services, encourage greater business collaboration between law firms in Hong Kong and Sichuan, and support the mutual training and exchange of legal professionals of the two places. The memorandum also stated that the Department of Justice and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council shall co-organise the Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Sichuan at an appropriate time. Today's event was the implementation of the commitment made between the two places back then.

　　It was followed by the two plenary sessions and the breakout sessions on demonstrating effective dispute resolution by mediation and arbitration through the staging of mock mediation and arbitration, where more than 30 leaders of Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution sector shared their insights.

　　The Hong Kong Legal Services Forum has been held by the DoJ on a biennial basis in different Mainland cities since 2010. The Forum, resumed for the first time after the pandemic, has been held in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Qingdao and Nanjing to promote Hong Kong's international legal and dispute resolution services to enterprises and other service users on the Mainland.

　　In addition, Mr Lam and his delegation visited Tianfu Central Legal Services District (CLD) after arriving in Chengdu yesterday (August 23). Tianfu CLD is the first modern central legal services district promoted at a provincial level in the country. The regulation on Sichuan Tianfu New Area promulgated in July this year has expressed clear support for the CLD to develop commercial arbitration, mediation, and foreign related legal services and explore the establishment of a multi-mechanism for commercial dispute resolution, as well as full support for China and foreign legal service bodies, including those from Hong Kong, to commence relevant businesses in Tianfu New Area.

　　Mr Lam will depart for Beijing tonight to attend the seminar on the legal challenges and coping strategies under the Belt and Road Initiative tomorrow (August 25).

Ends/Thursday, August 24, 2023



The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution sector delegation to attend the sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council today (August 24) in Chengdu. Photo shows Mr Lam (front row, sixth right) with Vice-Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Mr Du Heping (front row, sixth left); Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Mr Patrick Lau (front row, fifth left); Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association Mr José-Antonio Maurellet, SC (front row, third left); the President of the Law Society of Hong Kong, Mr Chan Chak-ming (front row, fourth right); Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and former Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, Ms Winnie Tam, SC (front row, third right), and other guests at the event.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution sector delegation to attend the sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council today (August 24) in Chengdu. Photo shows Mr Lam delivering his opening address.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution sector delegation to attend the sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council today (August 24) in Chengdu. Photo shows Mr Lam (front row, centre); Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Mr Patrick Lau (front row, fifth right); Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association Mr José-Antonio Maurellet, SC (front row, first right); the President of the Law Society of Hong Kong, Mr Chan Chak-ming (front row, fifth left), and other members of the delegation at the event venue.
The sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council was held in Chengdu today (August 24). Photo shows renowned speakers from legal and business sectors sharing their views at plenary session one on the legal risk assessment and management for Chinese enterprises going global.
The sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council was held in Chengdu today (August 24). Photo shows renowned speakers from the legal and dispute resolution sector sharing their views at plenary session two on cross-border commercial dispute resolution services.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution sector delegation to attend the sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council today (August 24) in Chengdu. Photo shows Mr Lam (second right) and Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Mr Patrick Lau (first right) proposing a toast at the event luncheon.
The sixth Hong Kong Legal Services Forum organised by the Department of Justice and co-organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council was held in Chengdu today (August 24). Photo shows renowned speakers from the legal and dispute resolution sector sharing their views on how to make use of arbitration to resolve disputes at the mock arbitration of the breakout session.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a delegation from the Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution sector, comprising more than 100 representatives from the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Law Society of Hong Kong and enterprises as well as other representatives, on a visit to Chengdu today (August 23). Photo shows Mr Lam (front row, 10th left) and members of the delegation at the Tianfu Central Legal Services District.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a delegation from Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution sector to visit Tianfu Central Legal Services District in Chengdu on August 23. Photo shows Mr Lam (centre) being briefed on Tianfu Central Legal Services District.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, led a delegation from Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution sector to visit Tianfu Central Legal Services District in Chengdu on August 23. Photo shows Mr Lam (left) looking at exhibition panels on Tianfu Central Legal Services District for a better understanding of its development.


SJ leads delegation to visit Chengdu