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Ⅰ. The Macro-environment of the GBA

(d) Development of legal profession in Macao and other cities in the GBA

The system of lawyers in the Macao SAR is mainly composed of the “Macao Lawyers General Regulations”
promulgated by the SAR government and a series of rules, regulations, and codes of conduct issued by the
Macau Lawyers Association, which comprehensively regulate the qualifications, rights and obligations, business

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scope, and modes of practice of the lawyer community. Historically, the legal profession in Macao was once
monopolised by Portuguese or Portuguese born in Macao. After the 1980s, the Macao Government began to
regulate the legal profession. In 1991, the “Macao Lawyers General Regulations” was promulgated, which for
the first time regulated the lawyer management system such as the recognition of lawyer qualifications and

practise management in Macao. As of April 30, 2024, there are a total of 447 lawyers, 173 interns, and 103 law
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firms listed on the official website of the Macao Lawyers Association in Macao. On September 6, 2023, Southern
Finance learned that as of August 31, 2023, the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone had gathered 22
law firms and 332 lawyers, including 5 partnership associations and 47 Hong Kong and Macao lawyers. After the

establishment of the Cooperation Zone, the number of law firms and lawyers have increased by 100% and 49.5%

respectively, with Macao lawyers increasing by 65%. 30
Dongguan, Foshan, Huizhou, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing have also made continuous
efforts, achieving outstanding results in accelerating the construction of foreign-related legal service institutions,

building foreign-related legal cooperation and exchange platforms, and developing and strengthening legal

service teams.

1.3.2 Integrated construction process of legal service market in the GBA

Lawyers are an important symbol of the rule of law in society and an indispensable social link for the open

operation of modern society. In November 2019, the Ministry of Commerce and representatives of the Hong
Kong and Macao SAR governments signed an agreement under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic

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Partnership Arrangement (“CEPA”) to amend the CEPA Agreement on Trade in Services , which further opened

28 GUO Yuewen, WANG Tinghui, REN Zhihong, “Report on the Development of the Legal Profession in the GBA”, GBA Construction
Report (2022), published in April, 2023.
29 Li Ke, “Analysis of the Liberalization of Legal Services in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao under the GATS Framework”, Macao
Law, published in July, 2023.
30 Looking at Hengqin with Legal Eyes: Macao Lawyers Increase by 65%, Deeper Innovation in the Rule of Law in Macao, 21 Finance,
(September 6, 2023). https://m.21jingji.com/article/20230906/herald/7918155f307d32408a4a74c58164f9ce.html
31 Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, DOJ (Point 16), https://www.doj.gov.hk/en/mainland_and_macao/cepa.html

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