The Law Society of Hong Kong has submitted written submissions to the Legislative Council proposing amendments to the Legal Practitioners Ordinance to allow suitably qualified solicitors with outstanding achievements, professional standing, legal expertise and experience to be appointed as Senior Counsel.
The Law Society stressed it has no intention of undermining the existing status of Senior Counsel, who are currently appointed by the Chief Justice under the Legal Practitioners Ordinance.
The Law Society said its proposal would bring practical benefits to Hong Kong's judicial work, noting that courts continue to face increasing caseloads and resource pressures. It said the move would encourage more solicitors to develop advocacy practices.
Citing experience in England and Wales, the Law Society said 66 out of 231 solicitor applicants with Higher Rights of Audience have been appointed King's Counsel since 1995, a rate of about 28.5 per cent, demonstrating that appointments remain highly selective. In Ireland, the Senior Counsel title was opened to solicitors in 2020, with 48 appointed so far.
The Law Society also proposed changing the Chinese translation of "Solicitor" to a term that better reflects their role, saying the current wording has led to misunderstandings that Hong Kong solicitors only handle paperwork and do not appear in court.
