On 7 December 2008, the Hong Kong Department of Justice, the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong sent delegates to attend the public event 'Shenzhen Legal Panorama' held at the Kite Square of Shenzhen's Lotus Hill Park. The Law Society delegates were Mr Junius Ho, Vice President and Chairman of the Mainland Legal Affairs Committee, Mr Raymond Ho, Secretary General, and Mr Wong Tak Shing, member of the Mainland Legal Affairs Committee.

Jointly organised by the Propaganda Department of CPC's Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Shenzhen Municipal Justice Bureau, Shenzhen Municipal Office of Law Education and Shenzhen Municipal Urban Administration, the Shenzhen Legal Panorama event on 4 December was intended to provide legal education for the city's residents. At the follow-up event on 7 December, consultation booths were set up by the city's various functional authorities, including public security, prosecution, courts, labour administration, urban administration, administration for industry and commerce, customs, taxation, public health and public education, as well as other service providers, including the People's Reconciliation Service under Shenzhen Municipal Justice Bureau, legal assistance, notary public, lawyer's associations and forensic services. Delegates from Hong Kong's Department of Justice, Bar Association and Law Society shared a single consultation booth, adjacent to that of the Shenzhen Municipal Lawyers' Association.

The event was a great experience for those present.

Naturally there were ceremonial activities, including speeches by senior officials, VIPs lining up on stage, presentation of souvenirs, beating of gongs and drums, and singing and dancing by organised citizens. As a large government-sponsored public event, it seemed to stage a better performance than similar events in Hong Kong, such as campaigns to clean Hong Kong, fight crimes and prevent drug abuse, possibly as a result of the good weather, a larger available space and greater manpower and supporting equipment.

Most importantly, it was a law popularisation event featuring the participation of many government organs which sent staff to man their consultation booths. These people usually have their own functions, titles and offices. Most of their time is spent meeting subordinates and reading documents. On that day, however, they were required to forget about their status and handle public queries patiently in the hot weather. They even had to deal with a few unhappy individuals who wanted their problems solved immediately - a real challenge for them! They answered questions properly and politely. They acted both as public servants and lawyers, with the aims of increasing the public掇 understanding of laws and helping the public make better use of their functions and services. There were also plenty of correspondents on site.

There was wide public participation in the event. Most people attended on their own initiative, although with a variety of purposes. As it was a Sunday, some people were simply there to spend their holiday at the park flying kites with their families, just like Hong Kong people visiting Victoria Park. With so many government and quasi-government functions attending the event, visitors could learn something free of charge and also receive souvenirs and environmentally-friendly bags as gifts, as if they were attending an international food exhibition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai. With the presence of so many officials from various government functions, people could voice their grievances at one stop instead of having to travel around and waste their time and money. Fortunately for them, there were also plenty of media representatives around to hear their complaints.

The government also benefits from such an event. On the one hand, it can take advantage of the opportunity to train its staff in how to deal with the public and better solve problems. On the other hand, such activities can serve as an opportunity for the public to voice its dissatisfaction early, before it escalates into a situation where tens of thousands of people full of anger are moved to confront thousands of police. Such activities are not simply designed as a pretence of peace and prosperity, but are about nipping problems in the bud. If similar activities were organised in Hong Kong, people's grievances and complaints may conceivably be dealt with sooner and better.

For fellow lawyers in Hong Kong, in particular most small and medium-sized law firms, Hong Kong and Shenzhen have fast become one market. We should make use of such opportunities to better promote our professional knowledge and position. Business does not fall through the chimney. Think about the following facts:

• Attending an event in Shanghai would involve an airfare of $2000.
• Attending an event in Beijing would involve an accommodation cost of $1000 per night.
• Joining a business promotion trip to the Mainland for 3 days and 4 nights would cost you $15,000.
• It is estimated that half of Shenzhen's residents understand Cantonese.
• Shenzhen boasts a vibrant local economy.
• Many non-residents living in Shenzhen are able to travel to Hong Kong on their own without joining a tour.
• There is no air ticket or hotel cost involved for people attending events in Shenzhen.
• The Mainland Legal Affairs Committee will try its best to make proper arrangements for members attending any event taking place in Shenzhen organised by the Society.

The Mainland Legal Affairs Committee of the Law Society of Hong Kong strives to help you better expand the scope of your service in the Mainland and Hong Kong. As evidenced by the Shenzhen Legal Panorama at Lotus Hill, cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong will produce win-win results. If we can work together with the Department of Justice and Hong Kong Bar Association, both of which also attach great importance to the principle of 'one country, two systems' to develop the legal services market in both the Mainland and Hong Kong, it will certainly bring more benefit than harm. I was pleased to have had the opportunity to learn from the invaluable experience of Mr Junius Ho and Mr Raymond Ho when I attended the event in Shenzhen with them.

The Shenzhen Legal Panorama was a very successful event. Facing the current financial tsunami, we should embark together on blazing a new path, first from the nearer reaches such as Shenzhen, the Pearl River Delta Region and Guangzhou, and then moving further afield. So let's get moving.



Wong Tak Shing
Member, Mainland Legal Affairs Committee
The Law Society of Hong Kong

深圳市「12.4」法制大觀園活動有感 

香港特區政府律政司、香港大律師公會及香港律師會於2008年12月7日分別派出代表參加了深圳市「12.4」法制大觀園活動於深圳蓮花山公園風箏廣場的公眾活動。我會副會長兼內地法律事務委員會主席何君堯、秘書長何志強及內地事務委員會委員黃得勝參加了該日的活動。

「12.4」法制大觀園活動由深圳市市委宣傳部、市司法局、市普法辦公室、市城市管理局主辦，目的是讓市民更深入的接受普法教育。12月7日的活動，由深圳市公、檢、法、勞動、城管、工商、海關、稅務、衛生、教育等多個職能部門，和深圳市司法局人民調解、法律援助、公證、律協、司法鑒定等部門組成各個諮詢攤位。香港特區政府律政司、香港大律師公會及香港律師會的代表人員共同組成一個諮詢攤位，相鄰的是深圳市律師協會的諮詢攤位。

你需要親身出席該日的活動，才會有多一些體會。

一些儀式性的活動是不缺的。長官訓誡，嘉賓站台，頒發紀念品，響鼓鳴鑼，群眾組織彩歌耀舞。一個官辦的大形群眾活動，與香港的清潔運動、滅罪運動、防止濫用藥物運動等相比，成績是更為出色。可能這是基於天氣好，場地大，人手及配套設備充足等原因。

更難得的是，這是一個法律普及活動，眾多的政府職能部門都要派員在諮詢攤位當值。平時他們都有自己的職能、官階和衙門，見到的多是自己的下屬和檔案。當日卻要放下身段，在烈日之下，面對公眾人士的質詢和耐心地作答。更有甚者，是在遇到心中有鬱結的個別平民，要你馬上代為解決多個問題時，真的是不容易應付。既不能答錯，又不能失禮﹔既是公僕，又是律師。你的目的，是要增加公眾人士的法律知識，要大眾更好使用你的部門，使用你的服務。還有，現場記者多的是。

不過，當天出席該項活動的公眾人士確是不少，大多是自發參加的，雖然可能各有不同目的。星期天放假，到公園去的民眾，有的是一家大小去放風箏，好像去維多利亞公園一樣。有這麼多官方、半官方職能部門一起參展，既可以免費學習，又有紀念品和環保袋送贈，就好像去灣仔會展參加國際美食展覽一樣。這麼多政府部門的官員都要出席，心中滿是鬱結的人，可以進行一站式的申訴，不用四處奔波，省卻不少車費，而媒體又多的是，投訴有理，真的是天有眼。

對政府來說，它一方面可以訓練員工更好地面對群眾，解決問題；另一方面，又可以在民怨仍未加深的時候，先行引爆，避免了動輒出現數萬不滿的民眾與數千警察對抗的場面。這不是歌舞昇平，而是息於微時。香港民眾的怨氣可以更好及更快地疏導。

對香港的律師同業來說，尤其是大部份的中小律師行來說，深港已成一體。我們應把握這些機會，去更好地推廣我們的律師專業知識和律師地位，生意是不會從煙囪掉下來的。請考慮以下的事項：

• 到上海參加活動，機票要2,000元
• 到北京參加活動，酒店住宿一晚要1,000元
• 參加香港商業國內推廣團活動，四晚三日要15,000元
• 深圳有一半人（估計）能聽懂白話
• 深圳經濟活動飛躍
• 深圳的非本地人士中，有很多也可以參加自由行
• 到深圳參加活動，免機票、免酒店
• 到深圳參加我會活動，內地法律事務委員會為你努力安排

香港律師會內地法律事務委員會，就是要令大家能更好地拓展內地和香港的服務範疇。今次深圳蓮花山的活動，內地香港合則雙贏，律政司和香港大律師公會重視一國兩制，配合我會事務律師，一同擴寬中港法律事務這一塊餅，肯定是利多於弊。今次參加深圳蓮花山的活動，有幸能與副會長及秘書長交流他們的寶貴經驗。

深圳市「12.4」法制大觀園活動辦得很成功。有感：希望能與同業在此際金融海嘯之時，打開新的局面，由近而及遠，深圳、珠三角、廣州等。起來吧﹗

內地法律事務委員會委員
黃得勝