Hong Kong Bar Association head hails city’s hosting of common law summit as ‘vote of confidence’ for legal sector

Hong Kong’s successful hosting of an international legal summit for the first time has served as a “vote of confidence” in the city’s law profession, according to the head of the Bar Association.

Victor Dawes hailed the completion of the fourth global conference for the International Advocacy Training Council on Tuesday evening, an event which the city hosted following a four-year delay brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s a vote of confidence. It goes to show that they trust the professional members of the legal profession [in Hong Kong],” he said.

The council is a global charitable organisation registered in Hong Kong that focuses on advocacy training and promotion among common law jurisdictions. The organisation held its first international conference in Kuala Lumpur in 2014.

This year’s summit drew about 100 legal professionals from various jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, Malaysia, South Africa and mainland China.

“It’s like seeing old friends,” Dawes said. “Although it was adjourned, although there are events that moved elsewhere, there was never any doubt that they would come back to Hong Kong.”