The Hong Kong Bar Association’s third annual YBC Conference on Friday drew over a hundred lawyers, students, and international guests to dissect the legal frontiers of art and cryptocurrency, with experts warning that AI’s disruptive force demands collaborative, cross-border regulation to keep the city at the forefront of law and innovation.
Held today under the theme “The Art of Regulation,” the event—organized by the Bar’s Standing Committee on Young Barristers—featured Secretary for Justice Paul Lam as keynote speaker.
Bar chairman Jose-Antonio Maurellet highlighted how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing both creative works and digital assets, creating intricate, multi-jurisdictional legal puzzles.
He called for unified efforts to craft comprehensive frameworks that manage risks while fueling Hong Kong’s growth as a global legal and creative hub.
Delegates from the European Young Bar Association, Law Society of Singapore, and Malaysian Bar joined local barristers, solicitors, and law students.
The first panel brought Amsterdam Stedelijk Museum governance chief Martha Visser and Institute of Art and Law advisor Ephraim Tan face-to-face in Hong Kong with M+ Museum registrar Leanne Tse and barrister Val Chow to explore ownership, authenticity, and IP in an AI-driven art world.
The cryptocurrency session assembled Bar vice-chair Eva Sit, former vice-chair and current executive committee member Derek Chan, Securities and Futures Commission senior director Agnes Mak, PolyU finance professor Jack Poon, and Law Society council member Shum Hin-han to debate how regulators, practitioners, and businesses can navigate the digital-asset economy.
Young Barristers' Committee chair Felix Tang noted this year’s departure from litigation-focused talks, deliberately inviting art and finance specialists to spark interdisciplinary dialogue.
The aim is to equip barristers with seven or fewer years’ experience to grasp law’s broader impact on culture, fintech, and global standards.
The conference, a flagship Bar event, fosters early networking between Hong Kong’s rising legal talent and overseas peers while showcasing the city’s distinctive common-law system.
