Legal Services

Home to a wide variety of legal services professionals and eminent international and regional organisations specialising in legal and dispute resolution services, Hong Kong’s deep and broad pool of local and international legal talent contributes to the city’s status as a location of choice for deal making and dispute resolution.

Hong Kong has a well-established common law heritage and a world-class legal system that is renowned for being transparent, trustworthy, and fair, underpinning Hong Kong’s reputation as one of the safest cities in the world. The city’s mature legal infrastructure, key to the robust protection of private property rights (including intellectual property rights), is integral to Hong Kong’s success as a business and financial hub in Asia.

The Basic Law preserves Hong Kong’s common law system, which is different from the legal system practised in Mainland China. Under the Basic Law, Hong Kong courts exercise independent judicial power including the power of final adjudication. Hong Kong is ranked No.2 in Asia for judicial independence according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2019.

Download our Hong Kong's Legal system fact sheet for more information

Press Releases

Aug 22, 2020Video series on 30th anniversary of promulgation of Basic Law rolls out
Aug 11, 2020DoJ welcomes special examination for legal practitioners in Greater Bay Area
Jul 30, 2020Mutual service of judicial documents in civil and commercial cases between HK and Macao comes into force on August 1
Jun 29, 2020COVID-19 Online Dispute Resolution Scheme launched today
Jun 25, 2020CE appoints Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal
Apr 27, 2020LawTech Fund to open for applications on April 28
Apr 13, 2020Online dispute resolution effective
Mar 24, 2020Senior Judicial Appointment: Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal
Mar 24, 2020Appointment of the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal
Mar 11, 2020World Justice Project reaffirms Hong Kong's position in the Rule of Law Index
Jan 16, 2020Secretary for Justice delivers 45th Alexander Lecture of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Jan 13, 2020Speech by the Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma at the Opening of the Legal Year 2020
Jan 13, 2020Speech by the Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng at the Opening of the Legal Year 2020
Jan 13, 2020Speech by Melissa Pang, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong at the Opening of the Legal Year 2020
Jan 13, 2020Speech by Philip Dykes, Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association at the Opening of the Legal Year 2020
Nov 4, 2019DoJ signed two MOUs at 3rd UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit
Nov 3, 2019Investment Law and Investor-State Mediator Training Course co-organised by DoJ concluded successfully
Sep 26, 2019SJ visits Seoul to strengthen legal co-operation
Sep 12, 2019Legal joint conference held
Sep 9, 2019HCCH Judgments Convention successfully held
Sep 7, 2019SJ signs legal pact in SZ
Aug 31, 2019Government promotes mediation
Aug 22, 2019Dialogue builds consensus: Secretary for Justice
Aug 19, 2019SJ visits Shanghai to boost ties with Mainland legal sectors
Jul 25, 2019SJ explores legal collaboration in Greater Bay Area
Jul 18, 2019SJ explores co-operation on dispute avoidance and resolution services with Mainland
Jun 22, 2019CJ's address at Ceremony for the Admission of the New Senior Counsel
May 29, 2019Speech by SJ at ASIFMA Compliance and Legal Conference
May 29, 2019 Speech by CE at AustCham Westpac Australia-China Business Awards Gala Dinner 2019
May 24, 2019Speech by SJ at opening ceremony of "Mediate First" Pledge Event
May 24, 2019Government committed to promoting mediation in Hong Kong
May 22, 2019Appointment of non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal
May 22, 2019Speech by CE at opening ceremony of 7th ICAC Symposium
May 22, 2019Speech by SJ at opening ceremony of 7th ICAC Symposium
May 8, 2019HKSARG responds to European Commission report
May 8, 2019Government responds to report by United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission
May 6, 2019Intellectual Property List in Court of First Instance of High Court to be established
Apr 25, 2019Speech by SJ at thematic forum on policy co-ordination of second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing
Apr 18, 2019Secretary for Justice gives update on Hong Kong's legal developments in Vienna
Apr 17, 2019Speech by CE at International Dispute Resolution Conference 2019
Apr 16, 2019Secretary for Justice visits international organisations in The Hague
Apr 12, 2019Secretary for Justice promotes Hong Kong as deal-making and dispute resolution services centre
Apr 9, 2019HKIAC First Foreign Arbitral Institution Permitted to Administer Disputes in Russia
Apr 2, 2019律政司司長出席《關於內地與香港特別行政區法院就仲裁程序相互協助保全的安排》簽署儀式致辭全文 (English)
Apr 2, 2019HKSAR and Mainland sign arrangement on interim measures in aid of arbitral proceedings
Mar 27, 2019HKSAR Government responds to UK report
Mar 22, 2019HKSAR Government responds to US report
Mar 18, 2019CE meets members of Congressional US-China Working Group
Jan 14, 2019SJ's speech at Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2019
Jan 14, 2019CJ's speech at Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2019
Jan 14, 2019Speech of Melissa K. Pang, President of the Law Society of Hong Kong at the Opening of the Legal Year 2019 (14 January 2019)
Jan 14, 2019Speech Given at the Opening of the Legal Year, 14 January 2019 by the Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association Philip J. Dykes SC
Oct 18, 2018New HKIAC Administered Arbitration Rules to come into force on 1 November 2018