Law Society of Hong Kong

Infobox public organisation
full_name = Law Society of Hong Kong

status = Company limited by guarantee
territory = Hong Kong
leadership = President Lester G. Huang
appointment =
founded = 1907
hq = Wing On House, Central, Hong Kong
budget = HK$80.6 million
budget_year = 2007
homepage = http://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/pub_e/default.asp

Established in 1907, the Law Society of Hong Kong (zh-t|t=香港律師會) is the professional association and law society for solicitors in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Bar Association is the equivalent association for barristers in Hong Kong.

The Law Society is currently headed by President Lester G. Huang and is located at Wing On House in Central.

History

It was formed on July 8 1907 as a company limited by guarantee, and was then known as The Incorporated Law Society of Hongkong. The present name was adopted in 1969.http://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/pub_e/about/]

tructure

The society is divided into two bodies:

* The Council - the governing body of the society and consists of 20 members with 2 vice presidents and 1 president
* The Secretariat - the body responsible for the standing committees within the society and has a staff of 76

Profile of the profession

As of May 2007, the Law Society regulates 5,741 solicitors in Hong Kong with a current practising certificate.

Of these:
* 4,678 solicitors were in private practice in 705 firms
* Of these 705 firms:
** 315 or 45% were sole practitioners. Of all the sole practitioners, 41% did not employ any other legally qualified persons.
** 195 firms employed a total of 596 trainee solicitors.
* 1,965 were in partnerships or were sole practitioners
* 2,818 solicitors are assistant solicitors or consultants in firms
* 1,063 solicitors worked with private businesses (in-house) or in government (Department of Justice, etc)
* 322 foreign lawyers employed by 53 foreign firms
* 518 foreign lawyers employed in local law firms
* Of all 5,741 practising solicitors, 57% were men and 43% were women.
* However, of the 596 trainee solicitors, 33% were men and 67% were women.
* 83% of practising solicitors were ethnic Chinese.

Finance

In 2006, the Society's income was HK$86.0 million, HK$46.26 million being raised through annual practising certificate fees and membership subscriptions.

In 2007, the fee for a practising certificate was HK$6,800 and the fee for membership subscription was HK$1,200.

The Society has an annual income budget of HK$80.6 million for 2007.

Past Presidents

* Anthony Chow

References

ee also

* Hong Kong Bar Association
* Law Society of England and Wales
* Law Society of Scotland
* Law Society of Singapore
* The Law Society of Upper Canada
* Postgraduate Certificate in Laws

External links

* [http://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/pub_e/default.asp Law Society of Hong Kong] Official website