The Law Society of Hong Kong has submitted its recommendations for the city's first five-year plan, stressing that all economic and social development visions must be implemented under the principle of "law comes first."
In its submission on Thursday, the society said a clear, predictable and internationally credible legal framework is essential for attracting investment and driving innovation. It put forward strategic recommendations on areas including the Northern Metropolis, wealth management, dispute resolution and sports law.
On land and infrastructure development, the society supported the rapid development of the Northern Metropolis but cautioned that streamlining procedures under the Northern Metropolis Development Bill must not come at the expense of procedural justice, environmental protection or public participation.
The society also recommended promoting Hong Kong as an international arbitration centre, establishing expert rosters for emerging areas such as digital assets and ESG, and piloting sector-specific mediation schemes following the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation's headquarters in Hong Kong.
On investment and wealth management, the society suggested that HKEX take the lead in establishing an international virtual asset exchange under a unified "institutional-grade" regulatory framework.
The submission also focused on intellectual property and sports law, proposing the establishment of a dedicated "Hong Kong Sports Law Office" to coordinate legal support for sports governance, sponsorship and dispute resolution. It also called for treating IP as core economic infrastructure and monitoring the legal and copyright challenges posed by AI and deepfake technologies.
