https://www.scmp.com/rss/514608/feed Paul Lam Ting-kwok is Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong special administrative region. Before joining the government, he was a Senior Counsel in private practice specialising in general civil and commercial proceedings. He was a former vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association from 2014 to 2017 and the chairman from 2017 to 2018. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Paul Lam Ting-kwok Paul Lam Ting-kwok The signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation will be held in Hong Kong this Friday. It will be of extraordinary historical significance for the world, the country and Hong Kong. The peaceful settlement of international disputes is a fundamental principle of international law and relations. Both the UN Charter (Article 33) and the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3312114/hong-kongs-role-global-mediation-hub-will-bring-untold-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3312114/hong-kongs-role-global-mediation-hub-will-bring-untold-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2025 00:30:08 +0000 The government is proposing to amend the Legal Practitioners Ordinance by barring overseas lawyers who are not qualified to practise in Hong Kong from appearing as barristers in cases, unless the chief executive believes it would not involve national security or be contrary to the interests of national security. The legislative exercise is intended to be completed in the first half of the year. This proposal is in the best interests of Hong Kong. Let me explain why. In law, context is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3214609/why-proposed-curb-overseas-lawyers-national-security-cases-right-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3214609/why-proposed-curb-overseas-lawyers-national-security-cases-right-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Mar 2023 00:15:12 +0000 On December 30, the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for the first time interpreted provisions in the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which came into force on June 30, 2020. The national security law was made by the NPC Standing Committee, which is the permanent body of the NPC, which in turn is the highest organ of state of power under the constitution. Article 67(4) of the constitution... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3205166/npc-interpretation-foreign-lawyers-upholds-law-and-will-benefit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3205166/npc-interpretation-foreign-lawyers-upholds-law-and-will-benefit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Dec 2022 05:58:05 +0000