Hong Kong’s legal reputation still intact, say Singapore-based lawyers

Singapore and Hong Kong have been competing to be the leading dispute resolution centre in the region, and are neck and neck in rankings

But some legal eagles have expressed concern over the impact of ongoing protests against the now-shelved extradition bill

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Demonstrators stage sit-in at the arrival hall of Hong Kong airport. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:00pm, 11 Aug 2019Updated: 1:00pm, 11 Aug 2019

Ongoing anti-government protests in Hong Kong have raised eyebrows in Singapore’s legal community, leaving some lawyers concerned about the impact on the city as a legal centre.

British Queen’s Counsel Toby Landau, who serves as an arbitrator in Singapore, said the situation in Hong Kong was damaging in terms of perception of judicial independence and this could play to Singapore’s advantage.

“What matters in this field is perception” said Landau. “The real position on the ground is that Hong Kong gets a perfectly independent and perfectly impartial judge, notwithstanding what’s happening.

“But the perception is this is a territory in turmoil. One does not know how the court will react, will there be a response or intervention from government?”

Another Singapore-based veteran arbitrator, who was in Hong Kong last year, was concerned about safety and whether lawyers could fly there safely.