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II. The Status Quo and Basis of Cooperation of Hong Kong Legal Practitioners in the GBA

(b) Limited business promotion channels

During the survey, it was found that many GBA companies get acquainted with Hong Kong lawyers through
referrals from acquaintances or recommendations from lawyers’ associations in the Mainland, with a notable
absence of online promotion and media coverage. For Hong Kong law firms that have not previously built up a

client base in the Mainland, the lack of online promotional channels hinders their ability to expand business and

increases visibility.

(c) Differences in various areas impede business operations

Survey data indicates that the unfamiliarity of Hong Kong lawyers with the Mainland’s environment is a

major obstacle to expanding the Mainland business. Firstly, the legal system of the two regions are different,
and Hong Kong lawyers may not be familiar with Mainland litigation procedures and legal policies, affecting

their proficiency in handling the business. Secondly, there is a difference in the language environment in the two
regions, and language barriers increase communication costs. As mentioned above, while Hong Kong lawyers

can use English as a working language, which is a consideration for Mainland clients when choosing Hong Kong
lawyers for handling foreign-related cases, the importance of Putonghua in client communication should not

be overlooked. Lastly, the system for legal professionals differ in the two regions, and the fee standards are not
uniform. Some companies express concerns that hourly billing by Hong Kong lawyers is not conducive to cost

control. 81.8% of the respondents state that the relatively high fees of Hong Kong lawyers is a reason for not
choosing them.

2.2.2 Views of Hong Kong legal practitioners on legal service cooperation in the GBA

(a) General understanding of legal services in the GBA

According to the results of the 53 questionnaires received, only 7.6% of Hong Kong lawyers are very
familiar with the legal services in the GBA, especially the relevant laws, regulations and policies governing

the cooperation of legal practitioners. The majority of respondents (49.1%) reported being aware of these laws,
regulations and policies but lacked a comprehensive understanding, or have some level of understanding (33.9%).

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