The Law Society of Hong Kong held its annual general meeting on Thursday, electing its 2026-27 council. President Roden Tang congratulated the successful candidates and said the society would continue to take a broad and forward-looking view amid the rapidly evolving global political and economic landscape, expand international connections and uphold high professional standards to create opportunities for members.
Six members were elected to the new council: returning councillors Joyce Cheng, Heidi Chui, Tom Fu, Sharon Tam and Chris Zhao, along with newly elected Eric Woo.
Tang said the 20-member council, drawn from firms of various sizes and practice areas, has broad representation and will fully consider the overall interests of the legal profession.
The Law Society, founded in 1907, will soon mark its 120th anniversary. Tang said he will again join Chief Executive John Lee's trade delegation to Central Asia in early June, visiting Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. He said it was an honour to participate for the second consecutive year as a professional body and regulator, reflecting the key supportive role of legal services in the nation's external economic and trade development.
Tang said the visit aims to strengthen ties with local legal bodies and establish more institutionalised exchange and cooperation mechanisms, helping members explore emerging markets and cross-border legal service opportunities while showcasing Hong Kong's unique institutional advantages as an international legal and dispute resolution hub.
Looking back, Tang noted the society has encouraged members to align with the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan direction and leverage Hong Kong's internationalisation to help mainland enterprises go global and foreign enterprises enter the mainland.
Last month, Tang led a council delegation to Beijing, where they proposed to the Ministry of Justice that the current pilot arrangement for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area legal professional examination be gradually transformed into a permanent long-term system, facilitating deeper integration of Bay Area lawyers into the national legal system.
The society's second office opened on April 8, providing better facilities for member training and professional activities.
On social responsibility, Tang noted that after the recent fire at Wang Fuk Court, the society quickly set up a free emergency legal consultation hotline, mobilising volunteer lawyers to provide immediate support to affected residents.
