Interested in international legal services?

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has a new website to provide the latest information on:

• licensing and rights of foreign lawyers to provide services in foreign and/or international law; and
• rights for foreign lawyers to work in association with host economy lawyers.

What's on the APEC legal services website?

The website explains the requirements and procedures for practicing foreign law across the participating economies that are members of APEC.

Members of APEC

• Australia
• Brunei Darussalam
• Canada
• Chile
• People's Republic of China
• Hong Kong, China
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Papua New Guinea
• Peru
• The Philippines
• Russia
• Singapore
• Chinese Taipei
• Thailand
• The United States
• Viet Nam

The website

• Compiles information about regulatory regimes for foreign lawyers in APEC member economies;
• provides contact details for the regulating bodies and peak professional groups of APEC member economies;
• compares regulatory arrangements, including specific information on the rules on foreign legal consultants, in APEC member economies; and
• assists the development of best practice for the regulation of foreign lawyers.

The APEC Legal Services Initiative

The Legal Services Initiative (APEC LSI) was developed by APEC's Group on Services.

The initiative aims to strengthen the capacity of APEC economies to promote the professional mobility of lawyers in order to provide services in home, foreign and/or international law.

The APEC LSI is sponsored by Australia and co-sponsored by Canada, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States.

What is APEC?

APEC is the premier Asia-Pacific economic forum. Its primary goal is to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

APEC has 21 member economies, united by their drive to build a dynamic and harmonious Asia-Pacific community. It champions free and open trade and investment, promoting and accelerating regional economic integration, encouraging economic and technical co-operation, enhancing human security, and facilitating a favourable and sustainable business environment.

APEC initiatives turn policy goals into concrete results and agreements into tangible benefits.