Clause 5

Subject to this section, a Hong Kong practitioner who, for a continuous period of not less than 3 years immediately preceding his petition for admission, has been in active practice in Hong Kong as a barrister or solicitor may be admitted as an advocate and solicitor without being required to serve any period of pupillage or to attend any course of instruction or to pass any examination.(2) A Hong Kong practitioner shall not be admitted as an advocate and solicitor under subsection (1) unless either the Board or the Attorney-General certifies that by reason of his qualifications and experience he is a fit and proper person to be admitted as an advocate and solicitor.(3) Section 15 shall apply with the necessary modifications to any petition for admission under this section as it applies to a petition for admission under section 13(2).(4) The following provisions shall apply to a Hong Kong practitioner who is admitted as an advocate and solicitor under this section:

he shall not practise as an advocate and solicitor unless he is a partner or associate of or is employed by an advocate and solicitor of at least 12 years’ standing;

if he has practised as an advocate and solicitor in accordance with the restriction under paragraph (a) for a period of at least 2 years and has during that period resided in Singapore for at least 12 months in the aggregate, he shall be entitled to practise as an advocate and solicitor without being subject to that restriction.(5) The Minister may exempt any Hong Kong practitioner from subsection (4)(a) where he is of the opinion that the Hong Kong practitioner is of sufficient standing and experience to be so exempted.(6) In this section —“associate”, in relation to an advocate and solicitor, means a person who is neither a partner nor employee of that advocate and solicitor but carries on practice in the same office and maintains separate accounts;“Hong Kong practitioner” means any person who is entitled to practise as a barrister or solicitor in Hong Kong.”.