THE MEASURES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ASSOCIATIONS FORMED BY LAW FIRMS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OR THE MACAO SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND MAINLAND LAW FIRMS
Ministry of Justice Order of the Ministry of Justice of the People’ s Republic of China No. 83 The Measures for the Management of Associations Formed by Law Firms of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the Macao Special Zhang Fusen, Minister of the Ministry of Justice November 30th, 2003 The Measures for the Management of Associations Formed by Law Firms of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the Macao Special Chapter I. General Provisions Article 1 The present Measures are formulated with a view to carrying out the Mainland and HK Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and the Article 2 The term “association” as mentioned in the present Measures means that a law firm of Hong Kong or Macao with a representative office Article 3 The association formed by a Hong Kong or Macao law firm with a Mainland law firm shall not be in the form of partnership or legal During the period of association between a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm, the legal status, name and financial Article 4 An association formed by a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm form shall abide by the laws, regulations and rules Chapter II. Application for Association Article 5 Any law firm in Hong Kong or Macao may file an application for association if it meets the following conditions: (1) It has been registered and established according to relevant law and regulation of Hong Kong or Macao; (2) It has been engaged in substantial commercial business for 3 full years by using its own business place or by renting a business place (3) The sole proprietor or all partners shall be certified practicing attorneys of Hong Kong or Macao; (4) Its main business scope shall be limited to providing legal services in Hong Kong or Macao; (5) The law firm and the sole proprietor or all its partners shall pay Hong Kong profit tax, or Macao income supplement tax or occupation (6) It has been allowed to establish a representative office in the Mainland; (7) Before an application for association is filed, it has no record of punishment by any regulatory institutions of Hong Kong or Macao Article 6 If a Mainland law firm meets the following conditions, it may file an application for association: (1) It has been for at least 3 years since its establishment; (2) There are not less than 20 full-time attorneys; (3) Before an application for association is filed, it hasn’t been given any administrative punishment or guild sanction within 2 years. No branch of a Mainland law firm may file an application for association as one party to the association. Article 7 Where a Hong Kong or Macao Law Firm and a Mainland law firm file an application for association, they shall jointly submit the following (1) The application for association signed by both parties; (2) The draft agreement on association concluded by both parties; (3) A photocopy of the valid registration certificate, which indicates the establishment of a law firm of Hong Kong or Macao upon approval, (4) A certification issued by the relevant department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or Macao Special Administrative Region, (5) A photocopy of the license of Mainland law firm, the name of the persons-in-charge, all of the partners or cooperators, (6) Other materials as required by the judicial administrative organ on the provincial level. The photocopies of the valid registration certificates as listed in Item (3) of the preceding paragraph shall be subject to the notarization The application materials shall be in Chinese and in triplicate. Where any material among them is in a foreign language, it shall Article 8 The judicial administrative organ on the provincial level shall, within 20 days from receiving the application materials for association, Any applicant who meets the requirements as provided for in the present Measures shall be allowed to form an association, and shall With regard to any applicant who is allowed to form an association, the judicial administrative organ on the provincial level shall, Chapter III. Provisions on Associations Article 9 Where a law firm in Hong Kong or Macao forms an association with a Mainland law firm, an written association agreement shall be reached (1) Each party’s name, address, the name of the sole proprietor, the name of the partners or cooperators; (2) The name and logo of the association; (3) Duration of the association; (4) The business scope of the association; (5) The arrangement of the office and equipment in common use; (6) The arrangement of the administrative staff, secretaries and other supporting staff; (7) The arrangements on sharing the income from association and the apportionment of operational expenses; (8) The arrangements on the insurance and the way of bearing responsibilities; (9) Termination and liquidation of association; (10) Liabilities for breach of contract; (11) Solutions to disputes; and (12) Other matters. An agreement on association shall be in conformity with the relevant laws of the Mainland. An agreement on association shall come into effect upon approval of the judicial administrative organ. Article 10 The duration of association as stipulated by a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm in their association agreement Article 11 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm form an association, they may use the name and logo for association upon The name and logo for the association shall comprise the names of the Hong Kong or Macao law firm and the Mainland law firm plus the Article 12 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm form an association, they may, in the name of association, accept the Any lawyer of Hong Kong or Macao who participates in association may not handle Mainland legal affairs. Article 13 Both parties under association shall avoid the conflict of interest between their respective clients, when they handle legal affairs Article 14 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm handle legal affairs in the name of association, they may charge clients Article 15 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm form an association, they may jointly carry out business promotion activities, (1) The association between both parties differs from the form of partnership or that of legal person; (2) The Hong Kong or Macao law firm under association and its lawyers shall not engage in Mainland legal services; (3) The name of lawyer who carries out the activities of business promotion shall give a clear demonstration of the name of the law firm Article 16 Both parties of association and the lawyers who participate in the association shall, according to the relevant regulations of Hong Article 17 During the period of association, if any losses are caused to a client because of offences or faults of either party, the compensations Article 18 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law operate in the form of association, they may share the same office and equipment Article 19 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm form an association, they may share administrative personnel and secretaries Article 20 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm operate in the form of association, each party shall keep separate accounting Article 21 With regard to a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm that operate in the form of association, they shall terminate (1) At the expiration of the association period, both parties fail to file an application for an extension; (2) Both parties discontinue the association pursuant to the contractual stipulations; (3) Either party doesn’t exist any longer or is bankrupt; or (4) Other circumstances in which the association shall be terminated in jure. The termination of association shall be subject to the cancellation formalities in the judicial administrative organ of the provincial Chapter IV. Supervision and Administration Article 22 Where a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm operate in the form of association, before the date of March 31 of each Article 23 With regard to a Hong Kong or Macao law firm and a Mainland law firm that operate in the form of association, if they are in violation Article 24 Any of the functionaries of the judicial administrative organ in violation of any of the laws, regulations or rules in the administrative Chapter V. Supplementary Provisions Article 25 The responsibility to interpret the present Measures shall remain with the Ministry of Justice. Article 26 The present Measures shall come into force as of January 1st, 2004. |
Ministry of Justice
2003-11-30