Hong Kong Bar Association

The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) is the professional regulatory body for barristers in Hong Kong. The Law Society of Hong Kong is the equivalent association for solicitors in Hong Kong.

Jose-Antonio Maurellet is the current chairman of the Council of the HKBA.

History

File:HKBA formed 1948.png

Advertisement announcing the formation of the Hong Kong Bar Association in March 1948

According to its website, the Hong Kong Bar Association was founded in 1949. However, a newspaper advertisement from March 1948 records the foundation of the association on 12 March 1948 with Mr Eldon Potter KC being elected President, Mr H.D. Sheldon KC being elected chairman and Mr Percy Chen being elected Secretary Treasurer. The offices of the Association were located in the offices of Mr Chen in Prince's Building, Hong Kong.

Role

The objects of the Hong Kong Bar Association are generally to consider and to take proper action on all matters affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice. These include:

• the maintenance of the honour and independence of the Bar;
• the improvement of the administration of justice in Hong Kong;
• the prescribing of rules of professional conduct, discipline and etiquette;
• furtherance of good relations and understanding within the legal profession.

Like other professional bodies, the HKBA has the authority to take disciplinary action to the members who breach the Code of Conduct of the Association. The Law Society of Hong Kong is the equivalent association for solicitors in Hong Kong.

Route to entry

File:HKBA in 1964.png

List of members of the Hong Kong Bar Association in 1964

Students must first complete a basic degree in law, such as the Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Juris Doctor (JD) or convert from another first degree with the Common Professional Examination (CPE).

They must then complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) at The University of Hong Kong, the City University of Hong Kong or The Chinese University of Hong Kong. From 2008 onwards, all overseas applicants to the PCLL must satisfy each element of the PCLL conversion programme.

After finishing PCLL, prospective barristers will enter pupillage with a pupilmaster for a year; after half a year they will gain rights of audience in court.

Overseas barristers may, having at least three years' experience, take the Barristers Qualification Examination to officially become a Hong Kong barrister.

Additionally, Hong Kong qualified solicitors of at least three years' qualified experience may apply to be admitted as a barrister. However, one may not be both a barrister and solicitor at the same time and are required to remove themselves from the roll of solicitors before admission as a barrister. For example, the No. 1 ranked barrister in seniority in 2007, Sir John Swaine SC, switched to become a solicitor in 2002, but switched back in 2004. Solicitors seeking to qualify as barrister are required to do pupillage, however, the period may be shortened for those with substantial advocacy experience.

Number of practising barristers

As of February 2025, there were 108 Senior Counsel (92 male, 16 female), and 1,612 (1,110 male, 511 female) junior barristers in practice at the private bar in Hong Kong. There were 77 pupil barristers of whom 34 were male and 43 female.

Senior Counsel

After gaining ten years' experience as a barrister or government counsel in Hong Kong, a barrister admitted in Hong Kong may apply to become a Senior Counsel (SC) (資深大律師). Time in practice as a barrister or lawyer in another jurisdiction or as a solicitor in private practice in Hong Kong does not count. The Law Society of Hong Kong has called for this to be changed, so that solicitors may also be appointed Senior Counsel.

In colonial Hong Kong up until the handover on 1 July, 1997, the title was instead King's Counsel or Queen's Counsel (QC) (御用大律師). After the transfer of sovereignty, Queen's Counsel who had been appointed QC in HK or British Queen's Counsel who had been admitted to practice in Hong Kong generally prior to the handover became Senior Counsel automatically.

List of chairpersons

	Portrait	Chairman		Chinese	Year	Notes
1		Harold Sheldon	Template:Post-nominals		1948 1949	Eldon Potter, KC as President in 1948
2	File:Charles Loseby.jpg	Charles Loseby	Template:Post-nominals		1950
3		Leo d'Almada e Castro	Template:Post-nominals		1951
4	File:John McNeill, British Crown Advocate for China.png	John McNeill	Template:Post-nominals/Template:Post-nominals		1952
(2)	File:Charles Loseby.jpg	Charles Loseby	Template:Post-nominals		1953
(3)		Leo d'Almada e Castro	Template:Post-nominals		1954
(4)	File:John McNeill, British Crown Advocate for China.png	John McNeill	Template:Post-nominals		1955 1956
(3)		Leo d'Almada e Castro	Template:Post-nominals		1957
(4)	File:John McNeill, British Crown Advocate for China.png	John McNeill	Template:Post-nominals		1958
(3)		Leo d'Almada e Castro	Template:Post-nominals		1959
5	File:Lo Hin Shing (cropped).jpg	Lo Hin-shing			1960
(3)		Leo d'Almada e Castro	Template:Post-nominals		1961 1962
6		Brook Bernacchi	Template:Post-nominals	貝納祺	1963
7		S.V. Gittins			1964 1965
8	File:OV Cheung.JPG	Oswald Cheung	Template:Post-nominals		1966
(7)		S.V. Gittins	Template:Post-nominals		1967
9		Gerald de Basto	Template:Post-nominals		1968 1969 1970
10		Henry Litton	Template:Post-nominals		1971 1972
(9)		Gerald de Basto	Template:Post-nominals		1973
11		Archie Zimmern	Template:Post-nominals		1974
12		Charles Ching	Template:Post-nominals		1975 1976
(10)		Henry Litton	Template:Post-nominals		1977 1978 1979
13	File:Martin-lee-campaign2004.JPG	Martin Lee Chu-ming	Template:Post-nominals		1980 1981 1982
(10)		Henry Litton	Template:Post-nominals		1983 1984
14		Denis Chang Khen-lee	Template:Post-nominals		1985 1986 1987
15		Robert Tang Ching	Template:Post-nominals		1988 1989
16		Anthony Rogers	Template:Post-nominals		1990 1991
17		Jacqueline Leong	Template:Post-nominals		1992 1993
18		Ronny Wong Fook-hum	Template:Post-nominals		1994
19	File:Gladys Li (cropped).jpg	Gladys Li Chi-hei	Template:Post-nominals		1995 1996
20	File:Audrey thanking her supporters.jpg	Audrey Eu Yuet-mee	Template:Post-nominals/Template:Post-nominals		1997 1998
21	File:Ronny Tong Enlarged.jpg	Ronny Tong Ka-wah	Template:Post-nominals		1999 2000
22	File:Alan Leong.jpg	Alan Leong	Template:Post-nominals		2001 2002
23		Edward Chan King-sang	Template:Post-nominals		2003 2004
24	File:Philip Dykes 20200113 (cropped).jpg	Philip Dykes	Template:Post-nominals/Template:Post-nominals		2005 2006
25	File:律政司司長袁國強19.jpg	Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung	Template:Post-nominals		2007 2008
26		Russell Coleman	Template:Post-nominals		2009 2010
27		Kumar Ramanathan	Template:Post-nominals		2011 2012
28		Paul Shieh Wing-tai	Template:Post-nominals		2013 2014
29		Winnie Tam	Template:Post-nominals		2015 2016
30	File:Paul Lam 2023.jpg	Paul Lam Ting-kwok	Template:Post-nominals		2017
(24)	File:Philip Dykes 20200113 (cropped).jpg	Philip Dykes	Template:Post-nominals/Template:Post-nominals		2018 2019 2020
31		Paul Harris	Template:Post-nominals		2021
32		Victor Dawes	Template:Post-nominals		2022 2023 2024
33		Jose-Antonio Maurellet	Template:Post-nominals	毛樂禮	2025

Notable cases and statements

Input in the 2010 Hong Kong electoral reform

The Bar reiterated their call for the abolition of functional constituencies as being non-compliant with international law – Article 25(b) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 21 of the Bill of Rights. They urged the government to put forward a revised consultation document with more progressive proposals, a clear road map on the way forward, and a commitment to abolish functional constituencies. The Bar Association said that corporate or directors' voting was also incompatible with international law; they said the failure to comply is not mitigated by replacing corporate voting by an authorised representative with voting by directors, executives, member associations, individual members.

Comments on Guangzhou–Shenzhen–Hong Kong Express Rail Link Co-location arrangement

The Bar Association criticised the arrangement for distortion of the Basic Law, stating it damages the rule of law in Hong Kong as Article 18 was clearly written and leaves no room for any interpretation which would allow Chinese law to apply in any certain part of HKSAR. Carrie Lam defended the arrangement and responded by stating that "some Hong Kong legal professionals have an elitist mentality or double standards, that is, they think that Hong Kong’s legal system is supreme, and that the mainland legal system – a big country with a 1.3 billion population – is wrong." Her statement prompted widespread disbelief in Hong Kong.

Concerns about Hong Kong's National Security Law

The association was quoted saying it was "gravely concerned with both the contents of the [national security law] and the manner of its introduction." The statement noted that the law was enacted in a way that prevented the city's lawyers, judges, police and residents from understanding its contents in any way prior to its coming into force.

Admission of overseas counsel for Jimmy Lai

In September 2022, the HKBA (along with the Secretary for Justice) opposed an application by Jimmy Lai to hire a King’s Counsel in the UK to represent him in his trial in Hong Kong, stating that "the well established criteria for admitting overseas counsel on an ad hoc basis are not met."

In November 2022, after the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal ruled to allow Tim Owen KC to be admitted as an overseas counsel on an ad hoc basis, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, John Lee, made a request to the NPCSC for an interpretation of the national security law over whether overseas counsel are allowed to take part in national security cases.

The former HKBA chairman Victor Dawes, SC said at a media briefing that "the national security law is a relatively new piece of legislation and we hope that any ambiguity can be clarified by our courts in the future and the power to interpret… be exercised sparingly" whilst noting that "I do understand the government's position and the reasoning given by the chief executive." He dismissed suggestions that disallowing overseas barristers in national security cases would undermine defendants' rights and freedom in legal representation, saying there are sufficient lawyers in the city to handle such cases. Referring to Lai's case, Dawes claimed that an overseas lawyer would not contribute much. Dawes also said that the incident would not damage Hong Kong's judicial independence.

Tanya Chan

In April 2023, the HKBA censured former barrister and Legislative Council member Tanya Chan over her involvement in the Umbrella Movement. The complainant was anonymous.

National security law judges

In May 2023, the HKBA expressed "grave concerns" over the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which asked for judges in national security cases to be sanctioned. The HKBA said "The Bar stresses once again that there is no basis at all to call into question the integrity and independence of Hong Kong judges..." and that calls to do so "must be sternly deplored and condemned."

Resignations of foreign judges

In June 2024, after two foreign judges on the Court of Final Appeal resigned, the HKBA said "the Bar strongly believes that their resignations will not affect the ability of our apex court in discharging its judicial functions and has every confidence in the independence of our judicial system." In contrast, one of the judges who resigned said that judges' freedoms had been "severely limited" and that "The rule of law is profoundly compromised in any area about which the government feels strongly."

See also

• Law Society of Hong Kong
• Bar association
• Bar council
• Postgraduate Certificate in Laws

External links

• Hong Kong Bar Association Official homepage
• Code of Conduct of the Hong Kong Bar