Judicial appointments

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (January 3) announced six judicial appointments covering the District Court and Magistrates' Courts.

     The appointments include the Chief District Judge, the Chief Magistrate and four Permanent Magistrates. All appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. They will take effect from January 6, 2020.
     
Chief District Judge
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     His Honour Judge Justin Ko King-sau is appointed as the Chief District Judge.

Chief Magistrate
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     Mr Victor So Wai-tak is appointed as the Chief Magistrate.

Permanent Magistrates
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     Ms Lau Suk-han, Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung, Miss Frances Leung Nga-yan and Mr Arthur Lam Hei-wei are appointed as Permanent Magistrates.

     Further judicial appointments will be announced in due course.

     The biographical notes of the appointees are as follows:

His Honour Judge Justin Ko King-sau

     His Honour Judge Ko was born in Hong Kong in 1967. He read law at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom and graduated with an LL.B. in 1992. After completing the Bar Finals Examination in the United Kingdom, he was called to the Bar in England and Wales (Lincoln's Inn) and in Hong Kong in 1993. He was in private practice until he joined the Judiciary as Permanent Magistrate in 2002. He was appointed as District Judge in 2009.
 
Mr Victor So Wai-tak

     Mr So was born in Hong Kong in 1972. He obtained an LL.B. and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1996 and 1997 respectively. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1997. He was in private practice from 1998 until he joined the Judiciary as Permanent Magistrate in 2009. He was appointed as Principal Magistrate in 2017.

Ms Lau Suk-han

     Ms Lau was born in Hong Kong. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1995, an LL.B. from the University of London (External) in 2003 and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2004. She was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2005 and was admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 2010. She joined the Department of Justice as Court Prosecutor from 1997 to 2008. She has been in private practice from 2010 until she joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2012. 

Mr Andrew Mok Tze-chung

     Mr Mok was born in Hong Kong in 1975. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from Queen's University in Canada in 1997. He obtained an LL.B. from the University of London (External) in 2005 and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 2007. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2008. He has been in private practice from 2008 until he joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2014.

Miss Frances Leung Nga-yan

     Miss Leung was born in Hong Kong in 1976. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Queen's University in Canada in 2000. She obtained an LL.B. and a P.C.LL. from the City University of Hong Kong in 2003 and 2004 respectively. She was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2005. She has been in private practice from 2005 until she joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2014. 

Mr Arthur Lam Hei-wei

     Mr Lam was born in Hong Kong in 1981. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Waterloo in Canada in 2003. He obtained a Juris Doctor Degree and a P.C.LL. from the City University of Hong Kong in 2006 and 2007 respectively. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2008. He has been in private practice from 2008 until he joined the Judiciary as Special Magistrate in 2014.