Judicial Reform ‧ 上｜The amendment to the practicing qualifications is another controversy-is a barrister more senior than a lawyer?

The Legislative Council passed the "Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 2021" in its third reading at the end of last month (August 25), allowing legal officers who are not barristers to be qualified to be appointed as Senior Counsel (commonly known as "Senior Counsel") .

The incident once aroused the industry's attention. On the one hand, some barristers expressed dissatisfaction and criticized the amendment of "dwarfing the status of senior barristers." On the other hand, some lawyers believed that the society had long determined that "lawyers are shorter than barristers" based on incorrect translations. The SAR government should take this to merge the two types of practice to correct industry injustice.

However, although the "Draft" has been passed, the discussion on integrating lawyers and barristers has not been put on the agenda of the authorities, but the call for reform in the industry is still very high.

We might as well "return to the basic steps" and see why Hong Kong's legal services adopt the "diversion system" of lawyers and barristers?

What is the difference between the two in nature?

Is there a need to merge?

Featured articles on judicial reform include: Judicial Reform ‧ Top | Practicing Qualification Amendment Renewed Controversy-Is a barrister better than a lawyer?

Judicial Reform ‧ Part | Should "Barristers" and "Lawyers" be merged?

Both are legal professional service providers. Although the work nature of lawyers and barristers is not high or low, their social status is very different.

(Photo by Li Zetong/Picture of Profile)

For more details, please read the 283th "Hong Kong 01" Electronic Weekly Newsletter (September 20, 2021) "