Hong Kong’s biggest lawyer group has sent warning letters to some of its members for accepting fees from a now-defunct defence fund for protesters involved in the 2019 social unrest, after the organisation wrapped up an investigation into 16 complaints.
The Law Society of Hong Kong did not reveal on Monday how many lawyers had received the letters over professional misconduct complaints related to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund.
“The society has issued different warning or closing letters to the relevant lawyers who were the subject of the complaints, including letters of disapproval, regret and advisory ones on good practice,” society president Roden Tong Man-lung said.
“The contents of the letters include pointing out that relevant lawyers have accepted money from the fund, which was not registered under the Societies Ordinance, and compromised or impaired their integrity and the reputation of the profession.”
Tong said he would not comment on individual cases, citing the confidential nature of professional conduct investigations.
In May 2022, national security police lodged complaints with the society and the Hong Kong Bar Association after the force’s investigation into the fund uncovered “suspected misconduct by solicitors and barristers” in their provision of legal services.
