Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 draws 6,000, marks UNIDROIT Asia-Pacific office launch
More than 6,000 participants from over 50 jurisdictions attended Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, which marked the centenary of UNIDROIT and the opening of its first Asia-Pacific liaison office in the city. Officials and legal experts highlighted Hong Kong's role as a bridge between China and the world.
More than 6,000 people from over 50 jurisdictions took part in Hong Kong Legal Week 2026, attending in person or online to discuss international dispute resolution, the development of foreign-related rule of law and legal technology, according to the Department of Justice.
The five-day event, themed “Collaboration & Innovation: Legal Synergy for a Shared Future”, included a celebration marking the centenary of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the establishment of its first Asia-Pacific liaison office outside its Rome headquarters.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu described the launch as a “double celebration,” praising UNIDROIT’s century-long contributions to modernizing and harmonizing international private law. He said Hong Kong’s unique role as a bridge between China and the rest of the world made it an ideal location for the new office.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said the office would be based at the Hong Kong Legal Hub in Central, creating synergies and streamlining communication between governments and industries across the region. UNIDROIT president Enzo Moavero-Milanesi noted that the Asia-Pacific accounts for more than 40 per cent of global GDP, and said Hong Kong’s role as a regional bridge would foster fruitful cooperation.
UNIDROIT secretary-general Ignacio Tirado outlined two main aims for the new office: promoting the institute’s legal instruments, including the Cape Town Convention, by drawing on Hong Kong’s legal and economic strengths; and encouraging developing countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia to join the institute.
The week also featured the Fourth Legal Forum on Interconnectivity and Development, co-organized by the Department of Justice and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR. Cui Jianchun, the ministry’s commissioner in Hong Kong, said the arrival of the UNIDROIT office, alongside the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law and the Hague Conference on Private International Law, formed a “private law trinity”. He said he hoped Hong Kong would become an international organization hub comparable to Geneva or Vienna.
The Third Asia-Pacific International Private Law Summit drew more than 600 industry representatives and experts from over 40 jurisdictions. David Goddard, a former judge of the New Zealand Court of Appeal, highlighted Hong Kong’s distinctive position under “one country, two systems” and said the city was on the front line of global legal innovation.
