沪港合作会议第六次会议于近期举行，上海、香港共同签署多份合作协议。这被视为沪港合作又一个重要里程碑，也必将为两地律所带来更多业务机会。
4月底举办的沪港合作会议第六次会议上，上海市市长龚正、香港特区特首李家超共同见证沪港相关部门签署20份全新的合作协议。
协议共涉及15个范畴的合作方向，包括共建“一带一路”和商贸投资、创新及科技、数字经济、金融、文化及创意产业、教育及人才培养、法律服务、城市规划管理、医疗卫生等领域，意图从各个角度推动沪港间深入合作。
其中法律服务领域是一大亮点。除提到支持和促进两地法律服务业扩大业务合作；支持和促进两地法律、仲裁、调解等专业服务拓展交流平台；开展服务人才的合作、培训和交流外，协议还特别提出，“支持香港与内地律师事务所在上海开展合伙联营、香港法律执业者受聘担任上海律师事务所法律顾问、两地律师事务所分别在对方设立分支机构等”。
沪港律所在上海展开联营、上海律所聘用香港顾问，这些都是比较新的想法，目前市场上相关实践也较少。
根据香港律师会网站，目前在香港本地律所中，只有13家开设了上海代表处。香港高李严律师事务所是其中之一，该所合伙人、中国事务部负责人叶琳宝律师介绍道：“我们的上海代表处目前只作为交流网点和和营销中心，并不提供任何法律服务。”
“而在上海自贸区展开联营合作，意味着合资律所将能够提供实际产生收入的法律服务，进一步善用当地人才、提高服务客户的能力。”叶律师解释道。
新的合作机会
鉴于大型律所在成立合资律所方面可能不太灵活，而小型律所又可能没有足够的客户及能力来成立此类合资律所，在叶律师看来，到上海成立合营律所，可能对香港的中型律所而言更具吸引力。“这类律所主要服务从事跨境业务的商业主体，合资律所能让他们向客户提供度身订造与及时的服务。在合资律所里，拥有香港执业律师资格和拥有内地执业律师资格的律师可以更易于沟通及交流意见，从而进一步达到为客户提供一站式全面服务的目标能力。”
此外，合资律所也可能有效帮助香港律所扩大客户群。“一方面，联营律所的内地律师会将自己的客户介绍给香港律师，并通过上海的据点发掘新的内地客户；另一方面，香港律师可以更直接地和内地客户展开交流，向他们展示离岸商业活动的优势，以及香港如何充当面向国际舞台的跳板，帮助内地企业进军国际市场。”叶律师说。
当然，这一切的前提和目的，都是促进沪港两地律师在专业知识及文化体验的层面上的交流。这对两地跨境商业主体（即总部设于上海、附属公司设于香港的企业集团，反之亦言）提供更好的一站式法律服务，至为重要。毫无疑问，这种合作有助提升及巩固沪港两地律师的业务能力，使其能以更高效、更务实的方式，为需要跨两地法律咨询的客户提供服务”。
与此同时，协议也鼓励更多上海律所在香港开设分支机构。
过去两年，已经有越来越多中国内地律所进驻香港法律市场。根据香港律师会网站数据，目前已有14家内地律所香港办公室取得香港本地牌照、29家在香港注册为外地律师行，不过其中仅有五家来自上海。
2021年，总部位于上海的通力律师事务所在六年联营后取得了香港本地牌照，合伙人佘铭律师工作于沪港两地，见证了通力落地香港的全过程，她坦言：“真正的合作并非建立一家办公室那么简单，我们深刻体会到：真的要两地律师多跑、多交流。”
佘律师介绍道，目前通力香港团队下一步规划在商事服务、金融资管等方面进一步拓展能力。“借助这次沪港合作协议，我们也看到新的契机，尤其是在科技创新、数字联动、新能源等领域的机遇。例如通力不少重点客户在香港设立了国际总部和研发中心，我们的香港团队如何更好地为这类客户提供服务？这取决于香港团队的服务范畴、能力是否能够吻合客户需求。”
佘律师坦言，内地律所来到香港，主要服务的还是内地企业的国际性商事活动，而在此方面，香港的国际业务成熟度、国际法律人才培养、律所相关业务所自身风险管控能力等，显然都值得内地律所进一步学习。
另一方面，关于此次协议鼓励两地法律人才的进一步流通，佘律师坦言，和许可港澳律师来大湾区执业的制度相比，沪港协议目前尚缺乏细节，“我们期待未来有更具体的跟进措施，例如在居民身份、退休制度、医保、子女教育等方面的便利及优惠举措”。
业务新机遇
伴随协议未来在诸多领域促进沪港交流，预计也将带来更多的法律业务机会。
佘律师指出，在这次沪港合作交流的多个领域中，其中三个领域特别值得律师同行们关注。“第一是创新及科技领域。香港自2022年起订立、公布了一系列创新科技发展蓝图，并规划落地了白石角香港科学园、九龙塘创新中心、太古创新园、元朗创新园等园区。我们在业务中也开始遇到越来越多和香港科创企业的合作项目，例如为香港本地芯片企业提供咨询、协助内地企业对香港高新企业展开投资、协助香港创新企业在内地设立分支机构等……可以看到，香港正从一个‘资源中转站’，逐渐转型建立起本地的实质性科创业务。”
第二是数字经济领域，尤其跨境数据流通方面的合作机会。“中国网信办出台了《促进和规范数据跨境流动规定》，香港也发布了《香港促进数据流通及保障数据安全的政策宣言》，为两地数据合作打下基础，对律所相关业务发展也有益处——例如我们可以利用相关政策，更好地为跨国企业客户规划数据跨境方案。”佘律师说。
第三则是“作为重头戏的沪港金融市场合作”。佘律师告诉ALB，通力早期便参与了“沪港通”政策制定，一路见证“沪港通”发展，伴随此次相关协议的签署，“我们预计新的‘互换通’将得到进一步发展，基金互认领域长期存在的‘南冷北热’现象也将得到改善”。
佘律师期待伴随沪港金融领域交流深入，内地将持续借鉴香港金融监管、现代化金融产品创新，以及与国际金融市场接轨的经验，同时两地在金融立法层面互取所长、相互借鉴。
高李严律师事务所的叶琳宝律师也赞同一系列协议将进一步促升沪港互动，并带来新的法律服务机会。“跨境投融资的融合将使两地的商业交易更为活跃，伴随越趋频繁的资本流动，企业对为保障自身所需的跨境法律服务也会相应增加。”
“科技和创新合作有利科技发展，与此同时知识产权亦须得以保护。这有赖内地、香港两地的律师保驾护航。此外，两地的经贸互动越趋方便、供应链融合、海关合作加深，亦有赖律师提供服务及支持，为跨境贸易带来方便，并透过法律文件提供保障。”叶律师说。
争议解决——尤其仲裁合作将是另一个亮点。佘铭律师告诉ALB，5月，上海国际仲裁（香港）中心正式成立，成为上国仲首个在中国内地以外设立的仲裁中心，将进一步促进两地在仲裁领域的交流。“通力有不少优秀的争议解决人才，期望能更深入地参与到沪港在争议解决方面的合作中。”她说。
叶琳宝律师则分享道，高李严团队有一名内地客户，牵涉于一宗于内地发生的合约纠纷, 而合约的另一方是一家国内公司并在香港有经营业务。不久前，高李严团队在香港高等法院采取了适当的执行措施，成功为该客户获得认可并执行了上国仲的某项仲裁裁决，为其讨回了一笔可观的赔偿额。 “这个案例只是众多类似例子的其中一个，证明：两地的相互联结才能够真正帮助申索人寻求公义。实际执行的裁决使跨境业务风险得以保障，能成为商事主体愿意更主动地展开两地交流的诱因”，叶律师说。
A WIN-WIN ARRANGEMENT
At the sixth session of the Hong Kong/Shanghai Cooperation Conference held recently, Shanghai and Hong Kong signed a series of new agreements, marking a significant advancement in their collaboration. This strategic move is set to enhance business opportunities for law firms in both cities.
At the end of April, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee witnessed the signing of 20 new cooperation agreements by relevant departments from both cities. These agreements span 15 areas, aiming to promote in-depth cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong from multiple aspects.
The agreements have placed a spotlight on the legal services sector. In addition to supporting business cooperation in legal services between the two regions and fostering exchanges in professional services such as law, arbitration, and mediation, the agreements specifically propose several innovative initiatives. These include supporting joint ventures between Hong Kong and mainland law firms in Shanghai, allowing Hong Kong legal practitioners to serve as consultants in Shanghai law firms, and further establishing branches of each region’s law firms in the other.
The concept of joint ventures between Shanghai and Hong Kong law firms, as well as the hiring of Hong Kong consultants by Shanghai law firms, are relatively new ideas with limited existing practices in the market. According to the Law Society of Hong Kong’s website, only 13 Hong Kong local law firms currently have representative offices in Shanghai. Oldham, Li & Nie (OLN) is one of them. Tracy Yip, partner and head of the China practice at OLN, explains: “Our existing office in Shanghai is a representative office which is a networking and/or marketing hub for our firm, that cannot be engaged in providing any legal services.”
However, “the possible collaboration in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone would allow the joint venture parties to be engaged in providing income generating legal services and to further leverage local intelligence and enhance service offerings to clients,” elaborates Yip.
New Cooperation Opportunities
Given that large-sized law firms might not have the flexibility in entering into any joint ventures and small-sized law firms may not have the sufficient clientele and capacity to support the formation of such joint ventures, Yip believes that setting up joint ventures in Shanghai might be more appealing for medium-sized law firms in Hong Kong like OLN. “These firms mainly target corporate groups with a cross-border presence. They would likely be more responsive to such proposal as they tend to target in providing more personalized and instant legal services to their clients.”
“The ease of communication and exchange of thoughts within the joint-ventured firm between HK qualified lawyers and PRC qualified lawyers would further enhance the achievement of their all-rounded service goals to clients,” says Yip.
Moreover, joint ventures could effectively help Hong Kong firms enlarge their client base. "On one hand, it will expose them to the existing clientele of the joint venture partner and to enhance the tapping of new PRC based clients by way of their existence in Shanghai. On the other hand, it will enable them to educate clients on the beauty of expanding their onshore businesses to offshore whilst having Hong Kong as a springboard to face the international arena," Yip explains.
Fundamentally, the premise and purpose of all these efforts are to promote exchanges in professional knowledge and cultural experiences between Shanghai and Hong Kong lawyers, which is of vital importance to support the one-stop legal services as required by cross-border corporate groups having their headquarters in Shanghai and subsidiaries in Hong Kong or vice versa. “It is beyond doubt that the collaboration shall widen up and solidify the practical expertise of both Shanghai and Hong Kong lawyers, which inevitably equips them in such a way to provide legal services involving both jurisdictions in a more efficient and pragmatic manner,” says Yip.
The agreements also encourage more Shanghai law firms to establish branches in Hong Kong.
Over the past two years, an increasing number of mainland law firms have entered the Hong Kong legal market. According to the Hong Kong Law Society, 14 mainland law firms' Hong Kong offices have obtained local licenses, and 29 are registered as foreign law firms in Hong Kong, though only five of these are from Shanghai.
In 2021, Shanghai-headquartered Llinks Law Offices obtained a local license in Hong Kong after six years of joint operations. Selena She, who splits her time between Shanghai and Hong Kong, admits, "True cooperation is not as simple as setting up an office; we have realized that lawyers from both regions need to visit and exchange more frequently."
She explains that, based on its strength in capital markets, Llinks Hong Kong's next step is to further expand its capabilities in general corporate, financial asset management, and other areas. "With this Shanghai-Hong Kong cooperation agreement, we now see new opportunities, especially in fields such as tech innovation, data, and new energy. For example, many of our key clients have set up international headquarters and R&D centers in Hong Kong. How can our Hong Kong team better serve these clients? It depends on whether the scope and capabilities of our Hong Kong team's services can meet their needs."
New Business Opportunities
With the agreements set to promote exchanges between Shanghai and Hong Kong in various fields, they are expected to bring more legal business opportunities as well.
She points out that among the various areas of cooperation, three sectors are particularly worth the attention. "The first is the field of innovation and technology. Since 2022, Hong Kong has established and published a series of blueprints for innovation and technology development, leading to the establishment of science parks such as Hong Kong Science Park in Pak Shek Kok, the Kowloon Tong InnoCentre, the Taikoo Innovation Park, and the Yuen Long InnoPark.”
“We have started encountering more and more cooperation projects with Hong Kong's tech companies in our business, such as providing consulting services to local chip companies, assisting mainland companies in investing in Hong Kong's high-tech firms, and helping Hong Kong's innovative enterprises set up branches in the mainland... It is evident that Hong Kong is transitioning from a 'transit station' to establishing substantial local tech businesses," says She.
The second area is the digital economy, particularly opportunities for cooperation in cross-border data flow. "Relevant regulations issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China and the Hong Kong government have laid the foundation for data cooperation between the two regions. This is beneficial for law firms—allowing us to better plan cross-border data solutions for multinational clients using these policies," explains She.
The third key area is the Shanghai-Hong Kong financial market cooperation. With the signing of the new agreements, "we expect further development of the 'Swap Connect,' and the long-standing issues in mutual fund recognition will also see improvement."
Yip also agrees that the series of agreements will further enhance Shanghai-Hong Kong interactions and bring new opportunities for legal services. "The integration on cross-border financing and investment would bring about more active business transactions between the two places, with capital flows and exchanges, which would definitely stimulate the need for cross-border legal services to put forward and protect such ventures."
“The collaboration on innovation and technology would bring about technology advancement which requires intellectual property rights protection in both places, which again inevitably requires legal services from both PRC qualified and HK qualified lawyers. The further improvement on cross-border trade facilitation, supply chain connectivity and customs cooperation would again stimulate the need and support required from lawyers to facilitate the happening of such and the protection of the same via legal documentation,” says Yip.
Dispute resolution, particularly arbitration cooperation, will be another highlight. She tells ALB that in May, the Shanghai International Arbitration (Hong Kong) Center was officially established, becoming the first arbitration centre set up by SHIAC outside mainland China, further promoting exchanges in arbitration between the two regions.
Yip also shares an example from OLN, where the firm successfully recovered a sizeable claim amount for a PRC client by taking appropriate enforcement steps at the Hong Kong High Court against a PRC party with a business presence in Hong Kong. “The matter arose from a contractual dispute which occurred onshore PRC and our client obtained an Arbitration Award from the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre, which is just one of the many similar examples which proves the connectivity between two places that helps to promote justice to the claimants. Having cross-border business risks being more well protected with actual enforcement results would again trigger more incentive on the business parties to be part of such,” says Yip.
