Yorkshire delegation strengthens legal links with Asia

A 10-strong delegation of lawyers and business leaders made a week long visit to two of Asia’s hotspots in Hong Kong and China recently, led by representatives of Leeds Legal.

The visit was the second to Hong Kong within a year for the organisation charged with promoting the legal services profession in Leeds, further strengthening connections for Leeds lawyers with their counterparts in the region.  

A series of briefings from the British Consulate, the China-Britain Business Council and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, alongside meetings with some of Asia’s top law firms, offered the lawyers an in-depth look at the business networks in the region and the opportunities for referrals and cross collaboration.

From Hong-Kong, the delegation travelled to Leeds’ twin city Hangzhou, capital of the Zhejiang Province in China, where they met with ministers responsible for development and discussed issues of regeneration and public private finance initiatives.

Rosemary Edwards, director of Leeds Legal and partner at Leeds-based Shulmans said:  “As the largest legal centre out of London we already have good links with both regions, but the opportunity of leading another delegation to Hong Kong and China was one we couldn’t afford to turn down.

“The visit was a tremendous success. Not only did we build on contacts and opportunities created on our visit in March, but we also had very interesting discussions looking at broader issues of funding regeneration projects and the involvement of lawyers in the processes.  These are two issues which are close to our hearts as lawyers in Leeds. 

“We were welcomed very warmly by both the Law Society of Hong Kong and the China-Britain Business Council in Hangzhou. Both organisations said that they were keen to build links for reciprocal working and that there were opportunities for business collaboration between Yorkshire and the Zhejiang and Hong Kong areas.”

Colin Russell, UK Trade & Investment sector specialist for professional and business services, who accompanied the delegation, said: “Our visit to these Asian markets was an important insight.  Figures for 2006 show that total trade involving Yorkshire and the Humber was worth £1.2bn with China and £689m with Hong Kong.  The close links we have established during the trip will only enhance these, allowing us to work closer to, and more effectively with Asia.”

The Leeds Legal visit followed a trip to Yorkshire by a group of business leaders and lawyers from Hong Kong and Hangzhou, who were keen to find out more about opportunities in the region, earlier this year.