Hong Kong Bar Association

Circular No. 079/03

To : Members of the Bar Association

From : Andrew Mak - Hon. Secretary

Date : 22 September 2003

Catch Up With the Set Sail Boat?
"Seminar to open up PRC's Legal Environment"
jointly organised by the Dongguan Lawyers Association, Zhongshan Lawyers Association & Hong Kong Bar Association
on 18 October 2003

As the second event of the programme under the Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme, the Bar Association has invited both the Dongguan Lawyers Association and the Zhongshan Lawyers Association to jointly visit Hong Kong during the period from 16th to 18th October 2003.

For members' information, Dongguan has been known as a global processing & manufacturing base, as well as an important export base in China. Dongguan is just located between Guangzhou and Hong Kong, with a total area of 2,465 square kilometers. The GDP of Dongguan in 2002 reached USD8.13 billion, with a growth rate of 18.4% over the previous year. In 2002, the total foreign trade volume of Dongguan is USD44.3 billion, with export of USD23.7 billion, accounting for 20% of the Guangdong Province and 7.29% of the country. This trade volume now ranks No.3 in China for 7 consecutive years just after the cities of Shenzhen and Shanghai.

Zhongahsn lies just South of the centre of the Pearl River Delta, with a total area of 1,800 square kilometers. The economy of Zhongshan has been growing fast in the past few years and its GDP was increased by 14% last year.

Because of the substantial economies in those two places, the seminar to take place on Saturday, 18th October 2003 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. aims to cover the nuts and bolts of the front line practice of Hong Kong Barristers in Mainland, with speeches and panel exchange respectively by speakers from both the Dongguan Lawyers Association, the Zhongshan Lawyers Association and also the Hong Kong Bar Association.

Full details of the programme and the bio of the speakers will be circulated to members shortly. The delegation will include a group of key practitioners and potential users of Hong Kong barristers' services respectively from the Dongguan and Zhongshan legal profession.

As part of the programme, there will be a refreshment break enabling members to network with individual delegates of the two Lawyers Associations. Dress is expected to be smart casual.

The seminar is free of any charge for members under 5 years Hong Kong call and student members. For others, pursuant to the terms of agreement between the Bar Association and the Professional Services Development Assistance Scheme, the Bar Association has to charge a registration fee of HK$50 per attendee.

Members who are interested to attend please return the attached reply slip by 11 October 2003. Since the venue is at the Jury Assembly Room, attendance will have to be on a "first come, first serve" basis.

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Bar Circular No. 079/03

REPLY SLIP

"Seminar to open up PRC's Legal Environment"
jointly organised by the Dongguan Lawyers Association, Zhongshan Lawyers Association & Hong Kong Bar Association
on 18 October 2003
(9.30 am - 12.30 pm, Saturday 18th October 2003)

To: Miss Priscilla To
(fax before 11 October at 2869 0189)

I would like to attend the seminar.

Name:

Signature:

Tel :

Fax:

E-mail:

Date:

[ Pupil/ Limited Practice / Year of Call (H.K.) : 19___ / 200___ ] *
* (delete as appropriate)
Please make cheques payable to the "Hong Kong Bar Association"