Ho Chi Minh City lawyers partner with Hong Kong colleagues as city builds international financial center

With approval from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association has signed a cooperation agreement with the Law Society of Hong Kong, seeking to strengthen professional capacity, management standards and international legal expertise.

The memorandum of understanding was signed on Jan. 19 in Hong Kong, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of Hong Kong Legal Year 2026, jointly organized by the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association.

Representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong sign a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 19, 2026. Photo courtesy of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association

Under the agreement, the two sides will expand cooperation in professional organization management, specialist exchanges and advanced training for lawyers. The partnership also aims to deepen international professional networks and support the sustainable development of the legal profession in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong, particularly as cross-border legal work increases.

Planned activities include sharing experience in managing legal organizations, facilitating exchanges in legal practice and helping lawyers better understand each other's legal systems. The two organizations will also co-host international conferences on contemporary legal issues and promote networking to build broader international legal cooperation.

In addition, the partnership includes plans for study visits and research delegations, along with training programs focused on practical skills, professional competence, legal ethics and the social role of lawyers.

During the visit, the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association delegation also held working sessions with the Hong Kong Bar Association to exchange views and discuss prospects for further cooperation.

According to Nguyen Van Hau, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association, recent administrative consolidation has strengthened the city's role as a major regional financial center. He noted that Ho Chi Minh City is also in the process of developing specialized courts within its International Financial Center, set to be launched next month.

Against the backdrop of rapid digital transformation and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on legal services, cooperation with Hong Kong, which operates under a mature common law system with extensive international practice, is expected to help Ho Chi Minh City lawyers improve their competitiveness and strengthen their standing in the region, Hau said.