The Department of Justice today launched a two-month public consultation on the draft Code of Practice for Third Party Funding of Mediation.

The draft code sets out the practices and standards that third party funders are ordinarily expected to comply with in carrying on activities in connection with third party funding of mediation in Hong Kong.

The provisions in relation to third party funding of arbitration and mediation enacted by the Arbitration & Mediation Legislation (Third Party Funding) (Amendment) Ordinance 2017 came into operation upon gazettal on June 23, 2017, except for the relevant provisions of section 3 relating to the Arbitration Ordinance and that of section 4 relating to the Mediation Ordinance.

The Secretary for Justice issued the Code of Practice for Third Party Funding of Arbitration on December 7, 2018 and the relevant provisions of section 3 of the amendment ordinance took effect on February 1, 2019.

For the relevant provisions of section 4 of the amendment ordinance, its commencement has been deferred to a future date pending the issue of the Code of Practice for Third Party Funding of Mediation.

The consultation will end on October 15.

The public may submit their comments on the draft code by mail to 4/F, Main Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road in Central or by email to mediation@doj.gov.hk.