Like Nigeria’s Blue Silks, Hong Kong non-litigation lawyers to get Senior Counsel rank

In Hong Kong, non-litigation lawyers are set to receive a Senior Counsel rank, following a similar initiative in Nigeria. The Blue Silks SCN, an alternative to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) title, will be conferred on deserving non-litigation lawyers who excel in their professional standing, legal expertise, and experience. This proposal, submitted by the Law Society of Hong Kong to the country's Legislative Council, aims to alleviate the increasing caseloads and resource pressures faced by courts.

The Law Society believes that the introduction of the Senior Counsel rank will encourage more solicitors to develop advocacy practices, mirroring a trend seen in England and Wales where 66 out of 231 solicitor applicants with Higher Rights of Audience have been appointed as King's Counsel since 1995. Ireland also opened the Senior Counsel title to solicitors in 2020, with 48 appointments made so far.

The Law Society has also suggested changing the Chinese translation of "Solicitor" to better reflect the role of Hong Kong solicitors, as the current wording has led to misunderstandings that they only handle paperwork and do not appear in court. Countries such as Mauritius, Zambia, India, Bangladesh, Ireland, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Singapore, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago already have a Senior Counsel rank for lawyers.

The Blue Silks rank in Nigeria, which has faced a legal battle between the Nigerian Bar Association and the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, serves as a precedent for the proposed change in Hong Kong.