HKBA awards Patrick Yu Memorial Scholarship to three rising barristers

The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) held an awards ceremony Monday evening for the "Patrick Yu Memorial Scholarship," honoring three newly qualified barristers. With this year’s grants, the association has awarded nearly HK$1.2 million in total since the scholarship’s inception.

HKBA chairman Jose-Antonio Maurellet thanked the Legal Aid Department and the family of the late Patrick Yu for their support, highlighting how their collaboration has provided junior barristers with hands-on experience. 

Through legal aid cases, recipients learn appellate advocacy skills under the guidance of seasoned barristers while assisting financially disadvantaged individuals in seeking justice—a reflection of the rule of law in action.

Maurellet: Upholding procedural justice in criminal cases is vital

Maurellet emphasized the critical importance of safeguarding procedural fairness in criminal cases, including the right to legal representation and a fair trial, to ensure the judicial system operates equitably and effectively. He stressed that the right to legal counsel is protected under Article 35 of the Basic Law.

The three awardees—Thonas Nip, Ferrida Chan, and Deryk Yue—received their certificates from Susan Kwan Shuk-hing, Vice President of the Court of Appeal and Chair of the Scholarship Committee. 

The ceremony was attended by Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal Patrick Chan, Court of Appeal Vice President Andrew Macrae, Justice Maggie Poon, and Director of Legal Aid Chris Chong Yan-tung, among other dignitaries.

Past scholars share their experiences

The event was hosted by barristers Angel Wong and Kelly Cheng, both 2024 scholarship recipients. Wong shared how the award led to her being assigned diverse legal aid cases, including sexual offenses, conspiracy to defraud, and money laundering, calling it a rare opportunity. 

Cheng echoed the sentiment, noting that handling appeal cases early in her career—under the mentorship of senior barristers—helped her develop expertise in complex legal arguments.

Patrick Yu's legacy and donation plans

Patrick Yu Shuk-siu, the first Chinese person to be appointed Crown Counsel of colonial Hong Kong and a key figure in establishing the University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Law, was granted life membership in the Hong Kong Bar Association in 1994. 

His daughter, Dominica Yang, revealed plans to donate her father’s handwritten notes—documenting his insights on criminal litigation and advocacy—to a university or private library, offering future generations a glimpse into his legal acumen.

Scholarship background

Since its launch following Yu’s passing in 2019, the scholarship—one of the Bar Association’s top three grants—has supported 14 barristers. Recipients work on legally aided criminal appeals under senior barristers’ supervision and may receive up to HK$200,000 based on performance.

The initiative continues to nurture Hong Kong’s next generation of legal talent while upholding access to justice for all.