Lawyers in Hong Kong are admitted as either barristers or solicitors. Solicitors have limited rights of audience whereas barristers have unlimited rights of audience in all courts. Lawyers practising within one branch of the profession are not, at the same time, allowed to practise within the other branch.

Hong Kong has over 5 700 practising solicitors and 698 local law firms, plus 48 foreign law firms, 901 registered foreign lawyers, and 11 registered associations between foreign law firms and local law firms. Around 380 solicitors are also notaries public, and are members of the Hong Kong Society of Notaries.

The Law Society is responsible for maintaining professional and ethical standards of solicitors and foreign lawyers and foreign law firms and for considering complaints against these legal professionals.

The governing body for Hong Kong's 996 barristers is the Hong Kong Bar Association. The Bar's Code of Conduct governs their conduct and etiquette.