外国律师事务所驻沪代表机构及代表、港澳等地区律师事务所驻沪代表机构及代表将有机会成为上海律师协会会员，并享有和上海律师同样的权利，比如参加各种律协举办的法律培训班和上海律师代表大会。
 
在近日刚闭幕的上海市第八届律师代表大会上，律协表示，为增强上海律师与外国律师，港澳律师的信息交流，沟通及合作，律协将同意吸收在上海工作的外国律所驻沪代表和港澳律所驻沪代表作为其特邀会员。
 
据了解，外国律师和港澳律师在沪工作人数已经跃居全国第一。他们在资本市场，企业融资，证券，知识产权及海事法等方面具有丰富的经验。他们和内地律师既是同行亦是竞争对手，这种竞争将大大提高整个上海市法律服务水平。同时，吸收非大陆会员还将使他们更好的融入上海的法务市场。

另外，公司律师、公职律师、也将成为上海律协的特邀会员。目前，上海律协正在斟酌提议的具体细节。在提议细节完善后，还需上海司法局的批准。

For the first time, foreign, Hong Kong and Macau lawyers who are working in their firms’ Shanghai representative offices may be given the opportunity to join the Shanghai Bar Association (SBA).  As special members, they will enjoy the same benefits as mainland lawyers, such as attending various legal training course and lawyer representatives meetings, according to the recent proposal from the eighth Shanghai lawyer representatives meeting.
 
The proposal is aiming to strengthen the knowledge exchange, communication and cooperation between local lawyers and lawyers from other jurisdictions including Hong Kong and Macau. 

Though the proposal still needs to be approved by Shanghai Bureau of Justice, it is welcome by non-mainland lawyers. “It is a good start to improve the cooperation between mainland lawyers and Hong Kong lawyers. I will closely observe this development,” said Franki Cheung, partner of Hong Kong Deacons.

According to the SBA, Shanghai has the country’s largest number of non-mainland lawyers, many of whom have much experience dealing with capital market, M&A, securities, IP and maritime law.  A healthy level of competition and cooperation between them and the local profession will improve the quality and strength of the Shanghai legal services market. In addition, the acceptance of non-mainland lawyers will help them integrate better.

In-house counsels and public-sector lawyers will also be invited to join the SBA as special members.  The SBA is currently working on the details of the proposal. ALB

Shanghai Bar Association: quick facts

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