Hong Kong Bar Association

Hong Kong Bar Association
Formation	1949
Legal status	Society under the Societies Ordinance
Headquarters	LG2, High Court, 38 Queensway, Hong Kong
Region served	Hong Kong
Chairman	Mr Kumar Ramanathan SC
Website	hkba.org

The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) (Chinese: 香港大律師公會) is the professional regulatory body for barristers in Hong Kong, and was founded in 1949. 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.

Kumar Ramanathan SC is the current Chairman of the Council of the HKBA, having been elected in 2011.

Route to entry

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, 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, lawyers of at least three years' qualified experience may apply to switch membership of either the HKBA or the Law Society of Hong Kong. However, one may not enjoy membership of both entities at once. 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.

Senior Counsel

After gaining ten years' experience, a barrister may be nominated to become a Senior Counsel (S.C.). In colonial Hong Kong before 1997, the title was instead Queen's Counsel (Q.C.) (御用大律師). After the transfer of sovereignty, the rank of Queen's Counsel has been replaced by Senior Counsel.

As of August 2009, there are 85 Senior Counsel (77 male, 8 female), out of a total of about 1000 practising barristers in Hong Kong.

List of chairpersons

1949 Harold Sheldon KC 1950 Charles Loseby KC 1951 Leo D'Almada KC 1952 John McNeill QC 1953 Charles Loseby QC 1954 Leo D'Almada QC 1955 John McNeill QC 1956 John McNeill QC 1957 Leo D'Almada QC 1958 John McNeill QC 1959 Leo D'Almada QC 1960 Hin Shing Lo 1961 Leo D'Almada QC 1962 Leo D'Almada QC 1963 Brook Bernacchi QC 1964 S.V. Gittins 1965 S.V. Gittins 1966 Oswald Cheung QC 1967 S.V. Gittins QC 1968 Gerald de Basto QC 1969 Gerald de Basto QC

1970 Gerald de Basto QC 1971 Henry Litton QC 1972 Henry Litton QC 1973 Gerald de Basto QC 1974 A. Zimmern QC 1975 Charles Ching QC 1976 Charles Ching QC 1977 Henry Litton QC 1978 Henry Litton QC 1979 Henry Litton QC 1980 Martin Lee QC 1981 Martin Lee QC 1982 Martin Lee QC 1983 Henry Litton QC 1984 Henry Litton QC 1985 Denis Chang QC 1986 Denis Chang QC 1987 Denis Chang QC 1988 Robert Tang QC 1989 Robert Tang QC 1990 Anthony Rogers QC

1991 Anthony Rogers QC 1992 Jacqueline Leong QC 1993 Jacqueline Leong QC 1994 Ronny Wong QC 1995 Gladys Li QC 1996 Gladys Li QC 1997 Audrey Eu SC 1998 Audrey Eu SC 1999 Ronny Tong SC 2000 Ronny Tong SC 2001 Alan Leong SC 2002 Alan Leong SC 2003 Edward Chan SC 2004 Edward Chan SC 2005 Philip Dykes SC 2006 Philip Dykes SC 2007 Rimsky Yuen SC 2008 Rimsky Yuen SC 2009 Russell Coleman SC 2010 Russell Coleman SC 2011 Kumar Ramanathan SC

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