Law Society opens dispute-resolution hub at former Central office
The Law Society of Hong Kong has opened a 30,000-square-foot arbitration and mediation centre at its former Wing On House office in Central. The facility, launched Tuesday, offers subsidised meeting and hearing spaces to members amid rising demand and high rents.
The Law Society of Hong Kong has turned its former office at Wing On House in Central into a multifunctional centre for arbitration, mediation and other dispute-resolution services. The 30,000-square-foot facility officially opened on Tuesday, with Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan and other legal-sector leaders attending the ceremony.
The premises were originally purchased in 1997 under then-president Anthony Chow Wing-kin and served as the Law Society’s main office for nearly three decades before administrative operations moved to The Center in April. President Roden Tong Man-lung said the Council decided to repurpose the site in response to growing demand for arbitration and mediation facilities, while also helping practitioners manage high rental costs.
The centre provides a place for members and practising solicitors to share knowledge and experience, meet and build connections. It includes three arbitration suites, several meeting rooms that can double as examination venues for more than 100 people, a lecture hall, and a cocktail reception area. The Law Society plans to rent the facilities to members at half the market rate to give back to the profession.
Reflecting on the site’s history, Tong said generations of presidents, members and secretariat staff had witnessed significant milestones there, while upholding professional standards, public confidence and the rule of law. The Law Society’s membership has grown from 4,500 when it acquired the premises to nearly 14,000 today, he added.
Tong said the society’s core mission, to serve members, uphold professional integrity and defend the legal system, remains unchanged.
