Solicitor General of Hong Kong

Last updated
Solicitor General of Hong Kong
Incumbent
Llewelyn Mui
since 15 September 2022
Department of Justice
TypeLaw Officer
Formation1947
First holderGeorge Strickland
Solicitor General of Hong Kong
Traditional Chinese 法律政策專員
Transcriptions
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization Faat leuht jing chaak jyūn yùhn
Jyutping Faat3 loet6 zing3 caak3 zyun1 yun4

The Solicitor General of Hong Kong is head of the Legal Policy Division of the Department of Justice (律政司) in Hong Kong. He (to date no woman has held the post) is responsible for the development of legal policy, advising the Secretary for Justice (called the Attorney General before 1997) on legal issues, and overseeing the department's staff and legislative programme.

Contents

History

The position of Solicitor General in Hong Kong was created after the end of World War II. [1] The Solicitor General acted as the deputy of the Attorney General and regularly appeared in court.

George Strickland QC, first Solicitor General of Hong Kong in 1952 whilst acting as AG George Strickland QC 1952.png
George Strickland QC, first Solicitor General of Hong Kong in 1952 whilst acting as AG

The position was abolished in 1979, but was later reinstated in 1981 as the head of the Legal Policy Division. [2]

The Secretary for Justice is now assisted by five law officers, namely:

Current holder

Mr. MUI Kei Fat, Llewellyn is the current Solicitor General. He was acting solicitor general for 1 year prior to his substantive appointment. He has served his entire career in the Department of Justice since 1992 [3]

Remuneration for the post is as a Law Officer which is Point 6 on the Directorate (Legal) Pay Scale. With effect from 1 April 2024, the pay was HK$287,990 (up from HK$201,950 in 2015) per month, together with housing allowance, 'leave passage allowance', and other benefits. [4]

List of Solicitors General before 1997

No.Office holderTermNotes
1 George E Strickland, QC [5] 1947-1952Came to Hong Kong in 1945 as Chief Legal Adviser to British Military Administration. Acting Attorney General prior to appointment. Appointed Attorney General for Sarawak in 1952. [6]
2 Arthur Hooton, QC [7] 1952-1961
3 Maurice Heenan, QC [8] 1961Non-British-born (born in New Zealand). Appointed Attorney General in 1961.
4 Denys Roberts, QC 1962-1966Appointed Attorney General in 1966. Later Colonial/Chief Secretary and Chief Justice.
5 Graham Sneath, QC [9] 1966-1973
6 John Hobley, QC [10] 12 May - 29 September 1973Appointed Attorney General in 1973. Retired and left Hong Kong 1979.
7 Garth Thornton [11] 1973-1979Author of Thornton's Legislative Drafting
None1979-1981Position abolished in 1979; reestablished in 1981. [12]
8 Ray Astin [13] 1981-1984Full name was Ernest Raymond Astin
9 James Findlay, QC [14] 1984-1986Later became Judge of the High Court.
10 Frank Stock, QC [15] 1987-1991Became High Court Judge, Vice President of the Court of Appeal and then Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal
11 Bertrand de Speville [16] [17] 1991-1993 British, born 16 June 1941, (Commissioner of ICAC, 1993-1996)
Anthony Philip Duckett, QC (Acting Solicitor-General)1993 - 1994Australian, born 26 September 1937. (Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, 1984-1995). Became Judge of County Court of Victoria.
12 Daniel Richard Fung Wah-kin, QC (馮華健) [18] 1994 - 30 Jun 1997born c1954. Was appointed from private practice; Returned to private practice as senior counsel

List of Solicitors General After 1997

No.Office HolderTenure StartTenure EndLength of TenureAppointed ByPrior RoleSilk
1Daniel Richard Fung Wah-kin, SBS, QC, SC, JP [19] 1 July 199730 August 19981 year and 61 days Elsie Leung Assumed role; was last Solicitor General in British Hong Kong QC (1990)
2Robert Charles Allcock, SBS [20] 17 August 200024 January 20076 years and 161 daysActing Solicitor General / Principal Government Counsel
3 Ian George McCurdy Wingfield, GBS25 January 20071 August 20103 years and 189 days Wong Yan-lung, SCLaw Officer (International Law)
4Frank Poon Ying-kwong [21] 2 August 20102 September 20155 years and 32 daysDeputy Solicitor General
5Wesley Wong Wai-chung, SC, JP [22] 3 September 201530 September 2021 [23] 6 years and 28 days Rimsky Yuen, SCDeputy Director of Public Prosecutions SC (2013)
6Llewellyn Mui Kei-fat [24] 15 September 2022Incumbent2 years and 344 days Paul Lam, SCPrincipal Government Counsel

The incumbent Solicitor General is an unofficial Justice of the Peace, and is given the "JP" designation while in office; this designation is removed upon leaving office, unless officially appointed separately.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Para 6, Preamble to Paragraph 6 Legal Officers Bill, 1950, [ Legco Debate 22 February 1950
  2. ↑ Hansard 22 October 1980, Speech by Peter Wong at p87 and Grenville Cross, "Directors Great and Small", Hong Kong Lawyer July 2011
  3. ↑ "Appointments of Law Officer (International Law) and Solicitor General (with photos)". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  4. ↑ Directorate (Legal) Pay Scale; [DOJ Advertisement for Law Draftsman, 2020 https://www.doj.gov.hk/en/career/add20200930a.html]; Advertisement in Hong Kong Lawyer January 2015
  5. ↑ R v Lo Sau King and others 1962 HKLR 299 at 307 to 308 and Mr George Strickland Lauded on Appointment as KC, China Mail, October 25, 1951, p1
  6. ↑ Obituary, Sarawak Gazette, 30 November 1957
  7. ↑ R v Lo Sau King and others 1962 HKLR 299 at 307 to 308
  8. ↑ Who's Who 2001, entry for Heenan
  9. ↑ Hong Kong Who's Who, 1970-1973 entry for Sneath
  10. ↑ Who's Who 1994 entry for Hobley
  11. ↑ https://law.tulane.edu/international-legislative-drafting-institute/honorees Tulane Law School Honorees
  12. ↑ Speech By Peter C W Wong in Legco, Hansard 22 October 1980 at p87
  13. ↑ Who's Who in Hong Kong 1984 entry for Astin. Full name is Ernest Raymond Astin
  14. ↑ Findlay CV at "CURRICULUM VITAE James Kerr Findlay, OBE, GBS, QC(HK), FCIArb" (PDF). Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  15. ↑ Judicial Appointment, 25 June 2009, Hong Kong Government press release
  16. ↑ Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard), 11 Jul 2000, p1515
  17. ↑ Bertrand de Speville, interview (Indonesia) [ usurped ]
  18. ↑ Appointment to the post of Solicitor General, LC Paper No. CB(2)2359/99-00(03), 20 June 2000
  19. ↑ "Law chief sticks by decision to quit". South China Morning Post. 19 June 1998. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  20. ↑ "Appointment of Solicitor General". www.info.gov.hk. 24 October 2000. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  21. ↑ "Appointment of Solicitor General". www.info.gov.hk. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  22. ↑ "Wesley Wong appointed as Solicitor General (with photo)". www.info.gov.hk. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  23. ↑ "法律政策專員黃惠沖 本月起被調任法改會秘書長". 東網. 3 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "Appointments of Law Officer (International Law) and Solicitor General (with photos)". info.gov.hk. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
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