How to check a lawyer is registered in Hong Kong

Look the person up on the official lists. Solicitors who hold a current practising certificate are on the Law Society of Hong Kong’s Law List; practising barristers are on the Hong Kong Bar Association’s Bar List. Both are free to search online.

The Law Society publishes the Law List to help the public identify and locate solicitors, foreign lawyers and law firms registered with it. Its “Members with Practising Certificate” section lists solicitors who hold current practising certificates and are current members of the Law Society. You can search by name and sort results by English or Chinese name. Separate sections list Hong Kong law firms and registered foreign lawyers.

Two limits to know. The full record of everyone admitted as a solicitor by the High Court is the Roll of Solicitors, kept by the Registrar of the High Court, not the Law List. And the Law Society states that, while it takes reasonable steps to keep entries accurate, it accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions.

The Hong Kong Bar Association publishes the Bar List so the public can identify practising barristers and barristers’ chambers registered with it. You can browse by surname, by Chinese stroke order, or by category: Senior Counsel, Junior Counsel, pupils, chambers, arbitrators and mediators.

The Law Society warns that fraudulent websites sometimes use fake law firm names and false contact details, and publishes verified reports on its website. If the name, firm or contact details you were given do not match the official list, treat that as a warning sign.

Both lists also state that the personal data in them must not be used for other purposes; the Bar Association notes that using it for direct marketing without consent is an offence under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance.

Before a legal professional joins Lawclear as a member, we check their professional credentials against the records of the Law Society of Hong Kong or the Hong Kong Bar Association. You can still check any member yourself on the lists above.

Law Society of Hong Kong, The Law List: https://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/en/Serve-the-Public/The-Law-List · Members with Practising Certificate: https://www.hklawsoc.org.hk/en/Serve-the-Public/The-Law-List/Members-with-Practising-Certificate

Hong Kong Bar Association, Bar List: https://www.hkba.org/Bar-List

Information checked against the official sources above on 28 September 2026. Rules, limits and fees change: check the official source before you act. This is general legal information, not legal advice.