Judicial appointments

The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

     The Judiciary today (January 11) announced five judicial appointments covering the High Court and the District Court.

     The appointments include one Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court, three Judges of the Court of First Instance of the High Court and the Principal Family Court Judge. The appointments are made by the Chief Executive on the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission. All appointments will take effect from January 14, 2019.

Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court
—————————————————————-

     The Honourable Mr Justice Thomas Au Hing-cheung is appointed as Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court.
 
Judges of the Court of First Instance of the High Court
————————————————————-
 
     His Honour Judge Poon Siu-tung, Her Honour Judge Marlene Ng May-ling and His Honour Judge Lee Wan-tang are appointed as Judges of the Court of First Instance of the High Court.
 
Principal Family Court Judge
——————————–
 
     His Honour Judge Chan Chan-kok is appointed as the Principal Family Court Judge.
 
     The biographical notes of the appointees are as follows:
 
The Honourable Mr Justice Thomas Au Hing-cheung

     Mr Justice Au was born in Hong Kong in 1963. He obtained an LL.B. from the University of Hong Kong in 1996 and a Bachelor of Civil Law Degree from the University of Oxford in 1997. He acquired a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1998. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1998 and was in private practice between 1999 and 2007. He was appointed as District Judge in 2007 and as Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2009.
 
His Honour Judge Poon Siu-tung

     His Honour Judge Poon was born in Hong Kong in 1967. He obtained an LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1990 and 1993 respectively. He was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 1994 and was in private practice between 1994 and 2002. He was appointed as Permanent Magistrate in 2002, as District Judge in 2009 and as the Chief District Judge in 2012. He was appointed as the judge with special responsibility for the Executive Body of the Hong Kong Judicial Institute in 2017. 
 
Her Honour Judge Marlene Ng May-ling

     Her Honour Judge Ng was born in Hong Kong in 1960. She obtained an LL.B. and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1982 and 1983 respectively. She was admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1990. She was also admitted as a Solicitor of Supreme Court of England and Wales and as a Barrister and Solicitor of Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory in 1991, and as a Solicitor of Supreme Court of New South Wales of Australia in 1993. She was in private practice as a solicitor between 1990 and 2002. She was appointed as District Judge in 2003.
 
His Honour Judge Lee Wan-tang

     His Honour Judge Lee was born in Hong Kong in 1966. He obtained an LL.B and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1989 and 1991 respectively. He was admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1993 and was called to the Bar in Hong Kong in 2000. He joined the then Legal Department as Crown Counsel in 1993 and was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 1995. He was appointed as Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 2005 and took up the post of Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions in the same year. He joined the Judiciary as District Judge in 2013.
 
His Honour Judge Chan Chan-kok

     His Honour Judge Chan was born in Macao in 1960. He obtained an LL.B. from the University of London in 1989 and a P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1990. He acquired an LL.M. from the City University of Hong Kong in 1997. He was admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1992 and in England and Wales in 1993. He was in private practice between 1992 and 1998. He was appointed as Permanent Magistrate in 1998 and as District Judge in 2009.