Lawyer from Hong Kong, Macao takes over in Greater Bay Area

Cross-border practices of professionals from Hong Kong and Macao in the nine mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area are increasing, with the conclusion of the nation's first labor dispute case earlier this month that had a Macao lawyer as a mediator.

A worker surnamed Huang at a cultural technology company, which includes business both in Macao and the Guangzhou s Nansha district, applied for arbitration service in Nansha after a dispute with her employer over wages.

Cheng Ka-man was hired by Nansha's employment dispute arbitration commission to work as a labor dispute mediator in August.

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By mediating for COVID- 19 related reasons, the lawyer from Macao helped the two sides reach an accommodation in just two days.

I normally deal with such cases in Macao. She said that this is the first time that I have fully participated in mediation on the Chinese mainland.

She said that the experience helps her learn about mediation and arbitration procedures on the mainland.

With deepened regional integration, a growing number of professionals from Hong Kong and Macao are practicing in the mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area.

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In July four lawyers from the two special administrative regions, including Cheng and Hong Kong's Legislative Council member Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, became the first to obtain official qualification to practice in the nine Guangdong province cities of the Greater Bay Area.