Wong Yan Lung
Encyclopedia
Wong Yan-lung, SC
, JP
(born 1963) is the current Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong since 20 October 2005.
. He sold ice cream with his father for a monthly income of HK$300-HK$400. Wong graduated from secondary school at Queen's College
in Causeway Bay
, Hong Kong. His top marks meant that he secured scholarships every year while studying at the College.
In the 1980s, the family "upgraded" to Wah Fu Estate
in Aberdeen. However, his father continued selling ice cream until Wong returned from studying in England. He graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge
while on a Prince Philip Scholarship, with a Bachelor of Arts (Law) and Master of Arts
(Law) degree, the latter being conferred without needing further study.
in private practice. In 1987, he was called
to both the Bar of England & Wales
and the Bar of Hong Kong. He was appointed a Senior Counsel
in 2002.
He sat as a Deputy High Court
Judge of the Court of First Instance
in July and August 2003, and was a Council member of the Hong Kong Bar Association
from 1989 to 1990, from 1997 to 2002 and from 2003 to 2005. He was also Chairman of the Special Committee on Legal Education of the Association from 2003 to 2005.
Wong has served as Chairman of the Buildings Appeal Tribunal, of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards, and of the Non-local Higher and Professional Education Appeal Board. He has also served as Vice-Chairman of the CEDAR Fund and Member of the Steering Committee and Volunteer of the Hong Kong Christian Concern for the Homeless.
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(born 1963) is the current Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong since 20 October 2005.
Early years
Wong grew up in a small flat in Tai Wong Street East (大王東街) in Wan ChaiWan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
. He sold ice cream with his father for a monthly income of HK$300-HK$400. Wong graduated from secondary school at Queen's College
Queen's College, Hong Kong
Queen's College , initially named The Government Central School in 1862, later renamed as Victoria College in 1889, is a sixth form college for boys with a secondary school attached. It was the first public secondary school founded in Hong Kong by the British colonial government...
in Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
, Hong Kong. His top marks meant that he secured scholarships every year while studying at the College.
In the 1980s, the family "upgraded" to Wah Fu Estate
Wah Fu Estate
Wah Fu Estate is a public housing estate located by the Kellett Bay, Pok Fu Lam, Southern District, Hong Kong. It was built on a new town concept in 1967 and was renovated in around 2003...
in Aberdeen. However, his father continued selling ice cream until Wong returned from studying in England. He graduated from Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
while on a Prince Philip Scholarship, with a Bachelor of Arts (Law) and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(Law) degree, the latter being conferred without needing further study.
Family
Wong has three daughters with his wife, Esther Chan. He met his wife while doing charity work between 1991 and 1996, and married in 1996. He received several hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars as a wedding gift from his wife's wealthy family, which he, in turn, gave to organisations for the homeless.Career
Before his appointment, he was a barristerBarrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in private practice. In 1987, he was called
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
to both the Bar of England & Wales
Bar council
A bar council , in a Commonwealth country and in the Republic of Ireland, the Bar Council of Ireland is a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the King's Inns. Solicitors are generally regulated by the Law society....
and the Bar of Hong Kong. He was appointed a Senior Counsel
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
in 2002.
He sat as a Deputy High Court
High Court (Hong Kong)
The High Court in Hong Kong consists of the Court of Appeal and the Court of First Instance. It deals with criminal and civil cases which have risen beyond the lower courts. It was named the Supreme Court before 1997.- High Court Building :...
Judge of the Court of First Instance
Court of First Instance (Hong Kong)
The Court of First Instance is one of two courts in the High Court of Hong Kong. The court has unlimited jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters...
in July and August 2003, and was a Council member of the Hong Kong Bar Association
Hong Kong Bar Association
The Hong Kong Bar Association 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...
from 1989 to 1990, from 1997 to 2002 and from 2003 to 2005. He was also Chairman of the Special Committee on Legal Education of the Association from 2003 to 2005.
Wong has served as Chairman of the Buildings Appeal Tribunal, of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards, and of the Non-local Higher and Professional Education Appeal Board. He has also served as Vice-Chairman of the CEDAR Fund and Member of the Steering Committee and Volunteer of the Hong Kong Christian Concern for the Homeless.