Question:   Which country has eight cities with populations of over 10m, economies larger than a small country and experiencing economic growth of around 8-10%?

Answer: China

Foreign investment in China is on the move and the trade mix is of second tier cities is changing rapidly as China's economy diversifies and develops.   This is an opportunity for you to input to the Law Society and Government's plans for supporting legal services in China's regional cities. The China-based UK Trade and Investment team led by Ben Chesson are here in London and will also provide briefings on developments in these rapidly changing regions.

Headstart offers practical in-market support for SMEs, including access to office space and locally established UK expertise.

The Law Society of England and Wales in association with the Korean Bar Association and UK Trade and Investment will be hosting a legal services reception in honour of the visit of the Lord Mayor of London, Roger Gifford, to Seoul.

The Law Society is supporting the launch of a new UK-based forum for businesses and firms interested in opportunities in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands. The forum seeks to improve trade, business and cultural links between the UK and the Pacific Island nations.

Discovering and demystifying South East Asia

Thursday 21 March 2013, The Midlands Hotel, Manchester (16:00 - 19:30).

Free to attend!

South East Asia

China and India are often the first countries that come to mind when talking about Asia, but Southeast Asia (or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) shouldn't be over looked.

The Law Society recently hosted a roundtable consultation with the president of the Malaysian Bar Council. UK firms discussed the new legislation that liberalises the Malaysian legal services market and the secondary regulations that will implement the new regime.

The IPBA Annual Conference will be in Seoul Korea in April 2013. The conference will be focussed on Dynamic Asia: New Opportunities s & Challenges for Law and Business, and will provide a vibrant discussion forum for the future development of law and business in the Asia Pacific region. For further details, please see our events page.

Clifford Chance is the first UK firm to receive approval to operate in the Korean legal services market-a natural extension of the firm's long history working with Korean clients.  The Korean legal services market is set to gradually open in line with the EU-Korea free trade agreement (FTA). 

A special committee to review the regulatory framework of the legal profession in Singapore, chaired by the Attorney General, has issued a consultation on proposals to overhaul the regulation of lawyers and firms practising in Singapore.