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Deacons

At 150 years young, Hong Kong's oldest law firm is set to enhance its position as the largest legal practice in Asia

Few companies can claim to have such a long and prestigious history as Hong Kong law firm Deacons. The firm's founder, William Bridges, arrived in Hong Kong in 1851, just nine years after Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Nanking. His arrival on the "barren rock," as Hong Kong was then called, was to practice law at the invitation of the Governor's Private Secretary, William Mercer.

As one of the colony's first barristers, Mr Bridges quickly developed a lucrative practice feeding off litigation which quickly flared in the competitive colony. His busy schedule in the Supreme Court helped him earn a reputation as a strong and capable opponent, and Dr Bridges, as he later became, also served as acting Attorney General as well as Colonial Secretary from time to time.

Bridges left Hong Kong after 10 years, by which time, Hong Kong's commercial potential was undeniable. The robust trading post was coming into its own. The rule of law was gaining pace. And, thanks to Bridges' pioneering spirit, a robust and dynamic legal practice had been born.

Those responsible for Bridges' practice after his departure elected to act as solicitors rather than barristers, following the separation of the professions after their temporary fusion. Operating from offices near the Supreme Court on Queen's Road, the Deacons of today was becoming a recognisable entity.

The firm's namesake, Victor Deacon (left), arrived in Hong Kong aboard the Peninsula and Oriental steamship "Ravenna" on July 7, 1880.

The 33-year-old solicitor joined the partnership of Messrs Brereton and Wotton, a direct continuation of Bridges' original practice. While it had been just 19 years since Bridges' departure, much had changed and the practice was now one of four firms of solicitors that were flourishing in Hong Kong.

In just two years, he had quickly become respected as one of Hong Kong's leading conveyancers, and in 1882, Mr Deacon was admitted as a partner, thus adding his own name to the firm's.

Hong Kong entered a period of strong growth over the next 20 years which saw it and the law firm expand significantly into the 20th century.

The firm moved in 1901 to new offices in Ice House Street, where it found itself separated by just a narrow alley from Messrs Johnson Stokes and Master. According to reports from the time, "Communication in case of need was frequently obtained by vociferous shouting from one window to another."

That arrangement lasted only a few years. In 1904, the firm took residence in the recently completed Prince's Building, a luxury four-story edifice at 1 Des Voeux Road on the new Chater reclamation.

Just two years later, Mr Deacon bade farewell to Hong Kong to return to his native England. During his time in the then colony, he brought renewed focus to the legal practice which would continue to bear his name in perpetuity.

The outbreak of World War I had little impact on the territory, other than a temporary shortage of solicitors as men signed up for the war effort. The territory felt the full brunt of World War II with the surrender of Hong Kong to the Japanese in 1941 after a bloody siege.

The foreign community became prisoners of war. Many died of malnutrition and physical abuse under their incarceration, including two Deacons assistants. Wai-chiu Hung ("Willie") the last remaining member of the firm, fought valiantly to keep the office running, but ultimately the office was requisitioned and the firm's files, papers and books were discarded and destroyed.

It was to this desolation that many of the former members of the firm returned when the war ended in 1945. Yet there was little time for mourning. The practice had to simply be rebuilt, just like the lives of millions of other people around the world.

Willie, who had fought so loyally to keep the office running after all other members of the firm had been imprisoned, was made partner, only the second Chinese partner in the firm's history. Soon after, Wong Wai Pat became the firm's first Chinese articled clerk, later becoming partner in 1959 and the firm's first Chinese senior partner in 1974. He remains with the firm to this day.

In 1962, Prince's Building was zoned for demolition and Deacons moved into new offices in Union Building (later Swire House and today the location of 11 Chater Road).

The move helped drive the firm's growth and by the mid-1970s, Deacons was a busy full-service business law firm and a highly-respected name in commercial circles.

It was in 1976 that the firm's current senior partner, Mark Roberts (left), came out to Hong Kong for a holiday at the invitation of fellow article clerk Robert Lo, son of Kenneth Lo, then senior partner of Lo & Lo.

Kenneth Lo bumped into then Deacons senior partner who asked if his son was interested in working for Deacons. Knowing his son wanted to work in London, he thought Mr Roberts might be interested in the position and set up an interview for him the next morning.

"An hour later I was offered a job, and I came back in May 1977," Mr Roberts said. "It's been very exciting, and I've never regretted that decision to come out here."

In the 24 years that he has been in Hong Kong, the international landscape of the territory has become much more diverse.

Deacon's client base, historically, had been very domestic. But in the '80s and '90s, increasingly, a significant number of international clients wanted to use a local firm -- Deacons is a Hong Kong firm and always has been -- to help develop their ambitions in the Mainland.

"That is the advantage we have always had. Apart from our cultural mix, we've had Chinese partners who have been with us for years for 20 or 30 years," he said.

Deacons longest serving member of staff has been with the firm for 54 years, and his father before him worked for Deacons for 45 years.

"That is what distinguishes us from the city firms of London and New York. So obviously we have this very strong client trust and relationship," he said.

The 150 lawyers who work at Deacon's Hong Kong office are increasingly involved in work related to the Mainland. Mr Roberts predicts the current rate of 35-40 per cent of work with a China connection to it will continue to increase, even as more firms try to enter the Mainland directly.

At the moment, foreign lawyers are not allowed to practice in the Mainland, but they can advise clients on the legal aspects of doing business there.

Mr Roberts said Deacons is hoping to get a license to open an office in Beijing early next year, which will enhance its position as the largest legal practice in Asia, employing about 800 lawyers regionally.

"There is no point going to London and New York because the market is just over-saturated there. Our focus going forward is undoubtedly Asia, and particularly China," he said. "Some people say what about India and other places? But it doesn't make sense when you have such a large market on your doorstep."

Company: Deacons Established: 1851 Business: Legal services Number of lawyers: 150 in Hong Kong, 800 regionally Year joined HKGCC: 1904