### same meaning as in the Solicitors’ Practice Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. H) 《律師執業規則》

7. Qualification for registration as a foreign firm
(1) Subject to subsection (2), a firm to which section 39B of the Ordinance applies is qualified to be registered as a foreign firm if—
(a) in the case of a firm that is a branch of an overseas firm—
(i) the overseas firm lawfully carries on the practice of law in its foreign jurisdiction; 
(ii) the overseas firm has satisfied the Society that it is of good standing in every jurisdiction in which it has at any time within the past 5 years carried on the practice of law; and 
(iii) at least one of the partners of the firm who intends to practise in Hong Kong—
(A) is a partner in the overseas firm; 
(B) has, at the date of the application for registration, been associated on a full-time basis with the overseas firm for the immediately preceding period of 12 months and had, during the 4 years immediately preceding the commencement of that period, been so associated with the overseas firm for an additional period of not less than 12 months; and 
(C) has been in the practice of the law for not less than 5 years; or 
(b) in any other case—
(i) each of the partners of the firm who intends to practise in Hong Kong has satisfied the Society that he is of good standing in the foreign jurisdiction in which he is qualified to practise the law and in every jurisdiction in which he has at any time within the past 5 years practised the law; 
(ii) one of the partners who intends to practise in Hong Kong is of substantial reputation in the foreign jurisdiction the law of which he is qualified to practise, or in a jurisdiction in which he has practised that law during the preceding 5 years; and 
(iii) each of the partners who intends to practise in Hong Kong has been in practice of the law of a foreign jurisdiction in which he is qualified to practise for not less than 3 years. 
(2) The Council may waive any of the requirements of subsection (1) where it considers it appropriate in the particular case. 

8. Registration as an Association
A foreign firm that is a party to an Association with a Hong Kong firm shall not, without the consent of the Council, be eligible to be registered with any other Hong Kong firm as an Association. 

9. Fee for registration
Where the Council has made rules specifying a fee to be paid in respect of any registration pursuant to Part IIIA of the Ordinance, such fee shall be payable prior to the registration. 

### same meaning as in the Solicitors’ Practice Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. H) 《律師執業規則》

10. Certificate of registration
A certificate of registration issued by the Society pursuant to Part IIIA of the Ordinance—
(a) shall be valid as from the date shown on the certificate as the date of issue; 
(b) shall be valid until 30 June next following the date of issue or, where the date of issue is a date between 15 May and 30 June in any year, until 30 June in the year following; 
(c) may be renewed by lodging with the Society on or before 15 May in the year in which the certificate expires—
(i) an application in the form approved by the Society; 
(ii) the fee fixed by the Society for such renewal; and 
(iii) documents showing that the applicant has complied with the requirements for registration under Part IIIA of the Ordinance. 

11. Appeal procedure
A person or firm seeking registration under Part IIIA of the Ordinance may—
(a) within one month of receiving notification from the Society of any decision of the Society under these Rules in respect of his or its application for registration, ask for the application to be reviewed; and
(b) within 3 months of receiving notification from the Society of its decision on a request for review under paragraph (a), apply to the Court of First Instance which may— (25 of 1998 s. 2)
(i) affirm the decision of the Society; or
(ii) make such other order as the Court thinks fit.

12. Prohibition on the practice of Hong Kong law
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a foreign lawyer shall not provide or offer any legal service which, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, can properly be regarded as a service customarily provided by a solicitor in his capacity as such. 
(2) A foreign lawyer may give advice on or handle any matter which—
(a) is expected to be subject to the law of a jurisdiction other than Hong Kong; or 
(b) involves private or public international law or conflict of laws. 

### same meaning as in the Solicitors’ Practice Rules (Cap. 159 sub. leg. H) 《律師執業規則》

13. Disciplinary matters
(1) A principal of a Hong Kong firm shall not permit the number of foreign lawyers associated with the firm to exceed the number of resident principals and solicitors employed in the firm or such greater number as the Council may approve in any particular case where it considers there are special circumstances. 
(2) A principal of a foreign firm shall not—
(a) offer, or permit to be offered, to the public the services of any employee as a practitioner of foreign law unless that employee is a foreign lawyer or a solicitor who does not hold a practising certificate; 
(b) in relation to any employee whose services are offered to the public as a practitioner of foreign law, hold out such employee, or permit such employee to be held out, to the public as being qualified or entitled to practise as a solicitor, whether at that or any other time. 
(3) A principal of the Hong Kong firm or any foreign firm in an Association shall ensure that the number of foreign lawyers associated with the Hong Kong firm or foreign firm or firms in the Association does not exceed the number of solicitors associated with the Hong Kong firm or such greater number as the Council may approve in any particular case where it considers there are special circumstances. 
(4) Where a foreign firm is a member of more than one Association, a foreign lawyer associated with that firm shall not be counted, for the purpose of subsection (3), in respect of more than one Association. 
(5) Where a Hong Kong firm is a member of more than one Association, a solicitor associated with that firm shall not be counted, for the purpose of subsection (3), in respect of more than one Association.