{"id":1445,"date":"2019-10-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oln-law.zegal.xyz\/?p=1445"},"modified":"2026-02-24T14:56:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T14:56:29","slug":"obtaining-independent-legal-advice-in-hk-for-financing-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oln-law.com\/zh-hk\/obtaining-independent-legal-advice-in-hk-for-financing-in-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"Obtaining Independent Legal Advice (ILA) in HK for financing in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I often provide independent legal advice (\u201cILA\u201d) to people living in HK who wish to obtain financing from financial institutions in Canada, sometimes for investment purposes and other times, to obtaining financing for their beloved family members studying or working in Canada. Since the documents are governed by Canadian law, they usually require a Canadian solicitor to provide ILA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clients often wonder why the meeting takes such a long time and why I ask so many questions. Here is why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purpose of ILA and who is the client<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In most jurisdictions in Canada such as Ontario and British Columbia (as in Hong Kong and other common law jurisdictions), the purpose of the ILA is to give protection to financial institutions that fear challenges to the validity of the agreement based on the borrower\u2019s or guarantor\u2019s subsequent claims of undue influence, duress or lack of understanding. Financial institutions generally do not sign off on the financing documents until ILA has been properly given. Given the many potential ways to challenge the validity of the agreement, a solicitor needs to ask the right questions and based on answers to those questions, provide legal advice. Although the obtaining of ILA is the financial institution\u2019s requirement, the solicitor only owes a duty to the client, not to the bank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wide areas that must be explored<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

In giving ILA, the solicitor\u2019s obligation goes beyond explaining the legal aspects of the matter and assessing whether the client appears to understand the advice. The duty also requires an understanding of the individual\u2019s personal circumstances, financial (current and future) prospects, health and family circumstances to ascertain if he\/she is entering into the transaction with informed voluntary consent without pressure from anyone else and with the requisite mental capacity. Digging into the reasons for the transaction, the individual\u2019s financial situation and relevant family dynamics or the characteristics of the parties involved may uncover critical information. Extra care also needs to be given to those who appear to be vulnerable (e.g. some elderly individuals) or who lack fluency in the English language. In Ontario, the Supreme Court has even identified \u201cthe client\u2019s expectations arising from life in general<\/strong><\/em>\u201d as a relevant factor in deciding whether the person entered into the transaction under undue influence (Brandon v. Brandon<\/em> [2007] O.J. No. 2986 (Ont. S.C.J.)<\/strong> affirmed on appeal)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When rendering ILA in the context of a mortgage, I generally cover the following areas (at a minimum):<\/p>\n\n\n\n