The first Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course, co-organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), commenced today.

The two-week course is the academy’s inaugural programme, following its launch in November.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam spoke at an opening ceremony for the course before delivering its first lecture.

Highlighting that Hong Kong has a robust bilingual common law system, and is the only common law jurisdiction in the country under the “one country, two systems” arrangement, he expressed his hope that the course will facilitate exchanges that bridge the legal systems of Hong Kong and the Mainland, and also deepen participants’ understanding of Hong Kong’s common law system so that they can put their learning into practice in future.

The course, primarily conducted in English, introduces the practical and operational aspects of Hong Kong’s common law system to participating Mainland judges through various formats, including lectures, seminars and visits.

Speakers include local judges and legal officers, experienced legal professionals and members of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Expert Committee.

The first intake to the course consists of 25 judges from the SPC, the High People’s Court of Guangdong, and courts in the nine Mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.