Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap.159): Commentary and Annotations

The Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap.159) is the standard that must be abided by the legal profession here in Hong Kong. In simple terms, the Ordinance provides the statutory framework necessary for facilitating the establishment of the legal profession here in Hong Kong. 

This publication’s aim is to provide a reference tool to comprehend and understand the high standards of conduct and professionalism expected of all members of the legal profession here in Hong Kong. The professional responsibility of both solicitors and barristers, as well as other members of the legal profession in Hong Kong, has continued to evolve and grow at an alarming pace both locally and internationally, leading to a stricter and more rigid standard of behavior expected by all those serving the legal community. This publication is therefore an important resource for all legal practitioners, no matter if they are veterans of the legal profession or just firs year trainees/pupils, as well as current law school students, as all must be alert and up-to-date to the changes in regards to the professional code of conduct and requirements of their chosen legal profession.

This publication incorporates the most up-to-date analyses and information regarding practices, principles, and code of conduct required of all those in the legal profession, namely solicitors, barristers, the judiciary, government lawyers, prosecutors, in-house counsel as well as foreign lawyers. Feature highlighted and examined include relevant decisions and legal precedence, as well as references to the Hong Kong''s Guide to Professional Conduct for both Solicitors and Barristers. Recent developments examined include the landmark case of Winnie Lo v HKSAR, where the lawyer in the matter was convicted of champerty and maintenance, analysis of the Solictors and Barrister code of conduct, qualifications for legal practice here in Hong Kong, etc.