Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan today attended the sixth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Legal Departments Joint Conference in Zhongshan.

He met representatives from the legal departments of Guangdong and Macau to promote the flow of legal talent among the three places, take forward the interface of regulatory frameworks and the establishment of a diversified dispute resolution mechanism in the GBA to provide legal support for the development of a world-class bay area.

The joint conference was hosted by Department of Justice of Guangdong Province Director-General Chen Xudong and attended by Secretary for Administration & Justice of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government Cheong Weng Chon, and other representatives.

The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said the conference made good progress in the area of "soft connectivity" of talent.

On the interface of mediation professionals, the department noted that the three parties agreed to complete the work on the GBA mediators' accreditation as soon as possible and submit the proposed list of GBA mediators to the joint conference for confirmation, with a view to jointly announcing a consolidated panel of GBA mediators within this year.

Mr Cheung thanked the Guangdong and Macau authorities for their strong support for the first GBA Mediator Training Course of Hong Kong held earlier by the department, as well as their assistance in arranging mediation experts to share in the course their practical experiences, enhancing Hong Kong mediators' understanding of the mediation systems in Guangdong and Macau.

On the interface of arbitration professionals, the department said Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau have considered and endorsed the Working Guidelines on the Panel of GBA Arbitrators, and reached a consensus on the detailed arrangements for the mechanism of setting up a panel of arbitrators.

The three places will commence their respective nominations of local arbitrators and selection procedures next year, endeavouring to announce the first batch of GBA arbitrators within 2025.

Mr Cheung said the announcement of a consolidated panel of GBA mediators and endorsement of the Working Guidelines on the Panel of GBA Arbitrators are both important deliverables achieved by the three places in jointly taking forward the interfaces of regulatory frameworks and talent in the GBA, thereby facilitating the “soft connectivity” of the non-litigation dispute resolution mechanism in the bay area.

Regarding the practice of GBA lawyers, Mr Cheung reflected at the meeting that the Hong Kong legal sector looks forward to participating in more practical training and exploring further expansion of the scope of practice of GBA lawyers.

He pointed out that the department is positively responding to the sector’s suggestions and will strive to establish a dedicated platform for GBA lawyers as soon as possible.

The department will also continue to support the sector in deepening professional co-operation with Guangdong and Macau counterparts and to support the sustainable development of GBA lawyers, contributing to the construction of foreign-related rule of law of the country, he added.

On nurturing talent, Mr Cheung said the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy, formally launched in early November, will proactively start capacity-building programmes and conduct training projects, in addition to co-ordinating and collaborating with relevant ministries and institutions in the GBA to nurture legal talent.