The Hong Kong Bar Association was founded in 1949. To properly recognise barristers who have made a lasting and very significant contribution, members are able to nominate such giants for Life Membership. It is bestowed on those who “have rendered outstanding service to the Bar … or to the administration of justice in Hong Kong”….
Every few months, another headline announces that artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to “disrupt” the legal profession. Lawyers, we are told, will soon be replaced by algorithms. Judges, apparently, are next, with some recent research suggesting that machines are more “accurate” in following established legal principles than human judges. While disruption will surely come, suggesting…
I have a habit of re-watching movies during festive times. As we entered the Year of the Horse, one movie that I watched again during Chinese New Year was Marriage Story, a legal drama released on streaming platforms in 2019. The story centres on the divorce of the two lead characters and the resulting legal…
Uber is set to outdo itself on Hong Kong taxi drivers’ meter (of hate) – it is reportedly planning to launch its robotaxi services in Hong Kong by the end of 2026. On the tech side, this is nothing short of a miracle. The Uber robotaxi features Level 4 autonomous driving, deploying real-time AI processing…
One of the rewarding aspects about practice at the Hong Kong Bar is that one gets to learn many new things. Conducting litigation well involves delving deep into the relevant facts. We therefore get to learn about different industries and different trust or corporate structures all the time. By the same token, doing divorce cases…
On January 13, the British-born corporate governance activist David Webb, who had made Hong Kong his home for the past 35 years, died. Like many who have come from near and far after finding success, he did much to contribute to our society and its fabric. Many of our city’s landmarks bear the philanthropic imprint…
The new head of the International Bar Association (IBA) has said that the organisation will speak out if unjustified and illegal sanctions are imposed on legal professionals in Hong Kong. The remarks from IBA president Claudio Visco came during his visit to attend the ceremonial opening of the legal year on Monday, following calls from…
Hong Kong’s justice minister has refuted “unfounded” accusations against the judiciary regarding several highly charged national security cases, stating that none of the judges had failed to fulfil their duties and that their independence remains strong. In his address at a ceremony on Monday to mark the start of the legal year, Secretary for Justice…
Hong Kong lawyers should not think of competing head-on with mainland counterparts in the Greater Bay Area, but instead position themselves as common law specialists and collaborators in cross-border legal teams, Hong Kong Bar Association chairman Jose-Antonio Maurellet has said. His comments came during a fireside chat on the sidelines of the China Conference: Greater…
Recent events in Hong Kong, particularly the tragic blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last November, have focused society’s attention on reforms to the legal system, especially those concerning building management and maintenance. Corruption and improper practices in the tendering process for large-scale building renovation or maintenance have also become a hot-button issue….