（Photo：Nanfang Daily）
A total of 204 residents from Hong Kong and Macao have been licensed to practice law in the mainland GBA cities, according to recent statistics provided by the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province.
In addition, 15 joint venture law firms to which 108 Hong Kong and Macao lawyers are stationed have been established in Guangdong thus far.
In recent years, legal departments from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have worked together closely to deal with the differences in legal systems and boost coordination of related rules and mechanisms within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Since 2019, the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province , the Department of Justice of the Hong Kong SAR and the Secretariat for Administration and Justice of Macao SAR have held three joint meetings to promote the “soft connectivity” between rules of legal services from the three regions. Projects ranging from mediation, arbitration to lawyers and legal training, have been discussed and implemented.
Achievements and progress:
Approval of ‘Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation Standards’ and ‘Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay AreaMediator Code of Conduct Best Practice’ during the third joint meeting in 2021.
A mini-program on WeChat developed by the Department of Justice of Guangdong Province for mediation facilitating the connection between mediators, mediation organizations, notarial institution, arbitration institutions, courts, etc.
Establishment of 13 foreign-related commercial mediation organizations in which more than 200 experienced lawyers, experts and scholars from Hong Kong and Macao work as mediators.
Establishment of GBA International Arbitration Center Exchange and Cooperation Platform and Henqin-Macao Cross-border Arbitration Cooperation Platform.
Held events such as the Annual meeting of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Arbitration Alliance and 2021 IPBA Arbitration Day.
The first examination for Hong Kong and Macao legal practitioners to practice law in the Greater Bay Area was held on July 31, 2021. The examination for 2022 will be held on June 11.
Author: Eastbrook
Editor: Wing, Olivia, Abby, Jerry
