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IV. Demand for Legal Services in the GBA

of the enterprises interviewed considering them “very important” or “relatively important”. In terms of fees,

according to the “Measures for the Administration of Lawyers’ Fees” promulgated in 2006, Mainland lawyers’
fees are subject to government-guided and market-adjusted prices. Mainland lawyers’ fees may adopt different

fee structures based on the types of services, including charging on a case-by-case basis, fees based on a
percentage of the subject matter, and hourly rates, etc.

In contrast, Hong Kong solicitors operate an hourly rate system for general cases, with the cost of handling
the case being negotiated between the solicitor and the client. Barristers’ fees are negotiated by the law firms

engaging them and their clients. Due to the difference in the stage of economic development between the
Mainland and Hong Kong, as well as the difference in fee standards, Hong Kong legal practitioners charge

relatively higher fees. 58.3% of the Mainland law firms identify this as a relative disadvantage of Hong Kong
legal practitioners, while 81.8% of the surveyed enterprises identify the relatively higher fees charged by Hong

Kong lawyers as one of the reasons for not engaging Hong Kong lawyers for services.

(c) Communication problems with Hong Kong legal practitioners

This study surveyed a total of 22 Mainland enterprises, most of which are mainly real estate, finance,

insurance, securities, manufacturing and internet enterprises. The companies’ headquarters are predominantly
located in first-tier cities in the GBA (Guangzhou and Shenzhen). The survey results show that 31.7% of the

Mainland law firms and 36.4% of the Mainland enterprises consider that “communication problems with Hong
Kong legal practitioners” is a relative disadvantage for Hong Kong legal practitioners practising in the GBA.

Hong Kong legal practitioners mostly use English or Cantonese as their working language, while Mainland
lawyers primarily use Putonghua or Cantonese, thus there is a certain language barrier for Hong Kong legal

practitioners to practise in the GBA. In addition, due to the different legal systems, different legal procedures,
different legal cultures and professional customs between Hong Kong and the Mainland, there are certain

differences in the mindsets between Hong Kong practitioners and the Mainland lawyers. As a result, there is a
certain degree of communication barrier between Mainland lawyers or clients and Hong Kong legal practitioners.

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