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IV. Demand for Legal Services in the GBA

4.2 Demand for GBA lawyers to practise in the Mainland

4.2.1 Demand for GBA lawyers to handle cases

(a) Policy and macro-environment boosts demand for legal services

Survey data shows that 62.3% of Hong Kong legal practitioners consider that the GBA has the advantage of
preferential policies, and 35.9% consider that there is a high demand for legal services in the GBA market.

Currently, there are comprehensive and specific laws, regulations and policies relating to the legal services
sector in the GBA, in particular the cooperation among legal practitioners in the GBA, including but not limited

to the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA”, the “Qianhai Plan”, the
“Hengqin Plan” and CEPA promulgated by the Central Government, the Pilot Measures issued by the Guangdong

Justice Department and the “Implementation Measures for Supporting the Gathering of High-end Legal Services
in Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Legal District (the Trial)” issued by Qianhai Administrative

Bureau of Shenzhen. Overall, these policies are favourable to the future prospects.
In addition, with the further development of the economy of the GBA, the demand for Hong Kong’s legal

services in the GBA is also increasing. Due to the differences in the legal systems adopted by Guangdong and
Hong Kong as well as the restrictions imposed by the Mainland’s policies, communication and cooperation

between law firms in both regions are necessary to meet the corresponding legal service needs. According to
relevant data, from 2019 to 2021, the People’s Courts in the GBA concluded 536,000 cases involving Hong

Kong and Macao matters, and handled 3,167 Hong Kong and Macao-related mutual legal assistance cases, of
50
which 2,520 were related to Hong Kong. This fully demonstrates the significant demand for Hong Kong’s legal
services in the GBA and the promising prospects for Hong Kong legal practitioners to develop their business in
the GBA.

(b) Most Hong Kong legal practitioners are motivated to explore the Mainland market

The survey data shows that of the 53 Hong Kong law firms surveyed, 32 of them (60.4%) have plans to
explore the Mainland market in the future. Among them, 50% intend to explore the Mainland market in the first-

50 Supreme People’s Court, Report on the People’s Courts’ Service and safeguard the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao
Greater Bay Area (2019-2022), 23 June 2022 https://www.court.gov.cn/shenpan/xiangqing/363221.html

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