China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee has approved amendments to the Lawyers Law that formalise the Greater Bay Area legal practice arrangement, giving Hong Kong lawyers a more stable route to undertake permitted cross-border work. The revised provisions are reported to take effect next month, in September 2026.
Under the revised provisions, Hong Kong and Macao lawyers who pass the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination can provide legal services on specified matters in nine Guangdong cities. The arrangement does not amount to unrestricted permission to practise throughout the mainland.
The scheme began as a pilot in 2020 and was extended in 2023. As of June, more than 650 lawyers had passed the examination and obtained a Greater Bay Area lawyer’s licence.
The Hong Kong Bar Association welcomed the amendment, saying it provides a legal basis for making the Greater Bay Area policy and examination arrangements permanent. The Law Society said the change would give Hong Kong lawyers seeking to expand their cross-border business a long-term and stable development outlook.
The Law Society also suggested exploring a pilot professional indemnity scheme in mainland Greater Bay Area cities, saying this could increase confidence in cross-border legal services. The proposal has not been identified as an approved measure.
The examination is administered by the State Council’s judicial administration department, which also determines the applicants’ scope of practice. The permitted legal matters and the identities of the nine Guangdong cities were not provided in the source reports.
NPCSC delegate Starry Lee said she expected more Hong Kong lawyers to obtain or retain the qualification and participate in mainland legal work, particularly matters involving foreign-related law. She said Hong Kong’s common-law system and its position as an open, internationalised jurisdiction could support a role for its lawyers in foreign-related legal work and cross-border arbitration.
The provisions are therefore expected to move the arrangement from a temporary pilot to a permanent legal framework in September. The precise commencement date, the full scope of permitted work and any professional indemnity scheme remain to be clarified.