Hong Kong Legal Services Forum in Shanghai – 6 July 2010

On 6 July 2010, over 100 lawyers from Hong Kong and about 400 representatives from enterprises and the legal community in the Mainland gathered for the ‘Hong Kong Legal Services Forum’, an unprecedented event hosted by the Department of Justice of the HKSAR and co-organised by the Law Society, the Hong Kong Bar Association, the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre and the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Bearing the theme of ‘Hong Kong Legal Services – Global Vision’, the Forum tied in with Expo 2010 hosted by the city of Shanghai and was staged to demonstrate Hong Kong’s qualities as a world class city and her strength as a regional centre of legal services and dispute resolution.

The Forum was officially declared open by the Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR, Wong Yan-lung on the morning of 6 July 2010 at the Grand Hall of the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel, Shanghai. The event was also attended by the Vice-minister of the Ministry of
Justice of the PRC, Mr Zhao Dacheng, the Deputy Director of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress, and other dignitaries from the local municipal justice bureaus, the local branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Federation of Trade and Commerce, the Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export Firms, and Lawyers Associations.

A glittering line-up of speakers, including heavyweights from the co-organising parties and practising lawyers shared their professional knowledge and expertise in sessions covering risk management in international trade and investment, corporate finance and governance and dispute resolution. The speakers provided practical advice on the legal issues that Mainland enterprises intending to expand their businesses abroad should be aware of, and solutions to resolve those issues. The presentations were informative, interesting and captivated the audience throughout the one-day event.

Speakers from the Law Society, namely, Mr Peter Sit, Sit, Fung, Kwong and Shum; Ms Emily Lam, P C Woo & Co; and Ms Jacqueline Chiu, Mayor Brown JSM captured the participants’ attention with their presentations on the legal aspects of international
investment and mergers and acquisitions of enterprises, legal risks involved in entering into an international commercial contract and in export and import trade, as well as fundraising in Hong Kong respectively. President of the Law Society Mr Huen Wong acted  as the moderator of the session featuring presentations by Mr Sit, Ms Lam
and Ms Winnie Tam, SC.

The networking lunch also turned out to be a perfect platform for participants from the Mainland and Hong Kong exchanging views and cultivating potential business relationship.

The Law Society of Hong Kong was privileged to be invited by the Department of Justice as one of the co-organisers of the Forum. It was a rewarding and fulfilling experience for those who participated in the event. For those who missed the occasion, presentation materials of speakers from the Law Society and some snapshots of the event will be made available to all Law Society members on its website.

Mainland Legal Affairs Committee

Luncheon talk by the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data

Mr Roderick B Woo, the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, gave a luncheon talk on ‘Some points for Solicitors to note in relation to compliance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance’ on 8 July 2010.

5th Anniversary and Professional Volunteer Service Accreditation Joint Presentation Ceremony

Hong Kong Academy of Law