Kinds of practice
Law firm LLPs in Hong Kong: what LLP means for clients
An LLP law firm limits partners’ personal liability for other people’s defaults, and must carry extra insurance. The Law Society lists which firms are LLPs.
At a glance
- Official list
- Law List, Limited Liability Partnerships
- Indemnity limit (claims from 1 Oct 2019)
- HK$20 million any one claim
- LLP top-up insurance
- At least HK$10 million any one claim
- Proof of top-up to the Society
- Within 14 days of starting as an LLP
- Changes to top-up cover
- Notified within 14 days
A law firm limited liability partnership (LLP) is a partnership in which a partner is not personally liable, just because they are a partner, for professional mistakes made by other partners or staff. The Law Society publishes a Limited Liability Partnerships list showing which firms practise as LLPs and when each first commenced as one. For a client, LLP status does not change what law the firm can practise, and a Hong Kong law firm that is an LLP must carry extra insurance.
What LLP means
The Law Society’s LLP information package for Hong Kong law firms says an LLP operates in substantially the same way as a general partnership, with one difference. A partner is not, solely because they are a partner, jointly or severally liable for a partnership obligation arising from the firm’s professional services, where that obligation results from the default of another partner or of an employee, agent or representative of the firm.
The same package says a partner stays personally liable for:
- their own default
- the default of an employee, agent or representative of the firm whom they directly supervised on that matter at the time
- a default they knew about when it happened and failed to take reasonable care to prevent
The LLP rules at a glance
For a Hong Kong law firm practising as an LLP, the Law Society’s package and indemnity scheme pages set out:
| Topic | Position |
|---|---|
| Partner liability for another partner’s or staff member’s professional default | Not personally liable solely because they are a partner |
| Partner liability for their own default | Remains |
| Professional Indemnity Scheme limit, claims first made from 1 October 2019 | HK$20 million any one claim, including deductible and costs |
| Top-up insurance above that limit | At least HK$10 million any one claim, no aggregate limit |
| Evidence of top-up cover to the Law Society | Within 14 days of commencing as an LLP |
| Changes to top-up cover | Notified to the Society within 14 days |
Insurance behind an LLP
All Hong Kong law firms are covered by the Law Society’s compulsory Professional Indemnity Scheme, which the Society says exists mainly to protect members of the public who use a Hong Kong law firm. For claims first made on or after 1 October 2019 the limit is HK$20 million for any one claim. A Hong Kong law firm practising as an LLP must also maintain top-up insurance for the part of a loss above that limit, up to not less than HK$10 million for any one claim, with no limit on the aggregate amount or the number of claims. A principal must give the Society evidence of that cover within 14 days of the firm commencing, and must notify any change within 14 days.
How to check whether a firm is an LLP
- Open the Law Society’s Limited Liability Partnerships list and search the firm name.
- Note the date the firm first commenced as an LLP. The Society also publishes a status history page for LLP status changes.
- Check the firm itself in the Hong Kong Law Firms or Foreign Law Firms section. LLP is a structure, not a separate kind of practice.
- Check that your engagement letter uses the firm’s exact name, including “LLP”.
Our guide on how to check the Law List explains each section.
What LLP status does not tell you
- It does not let a registered foreign law firm practise Hong Kong law. The Law Society says those firms are precluded from it.
- It is not a quality mark, a size indicator or a recommendation.
- It is about partners’ personal liability. It does not tell you whether a particular claim would succeed or who would pay it.
Nothing here is legal advice. If you think a firm has made a mistake on your matter, take independent advice from another solicitor; see how to instruct a solicitor. For the kinds of practice, read solicitor firm, foreign law firm or chambers, or compare firms in our law directory.
Questions people ask
What does LLP mean after a Hong Kong law firm’s name?
It means the firm practises as a limited liability partnership. The Law Society says an LLP works in substantially the same way as a general partnership, except that a partner is not personally liable, solely because they are a partner, for professional-services obligations caused by another partner’s or a staff member’s default.
If something goes wrong at an LLP firm, who is liable?
According to the Law Society, a partner stays personally liable for their own default, for the default of an employee, agent or representative they directly supervised on the matter at the time, and for a default they knew of and failed to take reasonable care to prevent. Take independent legal advice on any actual claim.
Does an LLP law firm carry less insurance?
No. A Hong Kong law firm practising as an LLP must keep top-up insurance of at least HK$10 million for any one claim, on top of the Professional Indemnity Scheme limit of HK$20 million for any one claim.
Where can I check whether a law firm is an LLP?
In the Limited Liability Partnerships section of the Law Society’s Law List, which shows the date each firm first commenced as an LLP. Then check the firm itself in the Hong Kong Law Firms or Foreign Law Firms section.
Does LLP status change what law a firm can practise?
No. LLP describes how a partnership is structured. A registered foreign law firm is still precluded from practising Hong Kong law, and you still check the firm’s own Law List entry.