NEWS



LEGAL GOVERNANCE EXPLORER 2018 | Visit to the Legal Aid Department



10 October 2018



The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) is pleased to report that a visit to the Legal Aid Department was successfully organised on 26 September 2018. Legal Aid Counsel Mr. Patrick Wong kindly received the GLC Delegation. Participating students were able to gain a first-hand insight into the challenging work of the Department in promoting the constitutional right to access to justice, without which the rule of law would become nothing but empty talk. Indeed, it was broadly agreed that any person who has reasonable grounds for taking or defending against a legal action should not be prevented from doing so simply because of lack of legal representation and financial resources. GLC, the official student community of the BSocSc (Govt&Laws) & LLB Programme at The University of Hong Kong, is committed to exposing students to the real world of government and laws to complement their studies.



CAREER EXPLORER 2018 | Firm Visit to Herbert Smith Freehills



4 October 2018



The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) is pleased to report that a firm visit to the Hong Kong office of Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has been successfully organised on the evening of 3 October 2018. To many law students, HSF may be famous for one of its former partners, Lord Collins of Mapesbury, currently a non-permanent judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, who made history in 2000 by becoming the first solicitor to become a full-time High Court judge in England, after which he was eventually promoted to the rank of Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, where he served between 2009 and 2011. ​ Around 20 participating students thoroughly enjoyed the guided tour of the office, and networking drinks with members of the firm. Partners, senior associates and associates of the firm, including several alumni of the HKU BSocSc (Govt&Laws) & LLB (GLaws) Programme, enthusiastically discussed with students about their career and academic prospects, offering the latter with first-hand advice about the actual complexities of private legal practice. GLC, the sole official student community of the GLaws Programme, is committed to exposing students to the real world of government and laws to complement their studies.



EMINENT LEADERS LUNCHEONS | Luncheon with Mr. Thomas S. T. So



3 October 2018



The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) is pleased to report that a luncheon with Mr. Thomas S. T. So （蘇紹聰律師) has been successfully organised on 3 October 2018 (Wednesday) at 12:00 pm in Rome Café, Graduate House, The University of Hong Kong. Mr. So is a former President of the Law Society of Hong Kong, a former Deputy District Judge, a solicitor advocate of the High Court of Hong Kong, and a Partner of Mayer Brown. Over thirty students took part in this cozy event, and benefited from direct exchanges with an eminent leader as experienced in legal practice and public service as Mr. So. During the luncheon, Mr. So highlighted the importance of exploring diverse opportunities as the key to sustaining one's career and equipping oneself with different skills in preparation for unexpected opportunities. Mr. So and participating students also discussed various issues such as the prospects of alternative dispute resolution and the potential of the digital court idea. GLC, the sole official student community of the BSocSc (Govt&Laws) & LLB Programme, is committed to exposing students to the real world of government and laws to complement their studies.



LEGAL GOVERNANCE EXPLORER 2018 | Visit to the Hong Kong Bar Association



28 September 2018



The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) is pleased to report that a visit to the Hong Kong Bar Association was successfully organised on 27 September 2018 (Thursday). Mr. Philip Dykes SC, Chairman of the Council of the Hong Kong Bar Association, and Mr. Hugh Kam, Chairman of the Young Barristers’ Committee, kindly received the GLC Delegation in the conference room of the Association located in the High Court Building, Admiralty. During the meeting, participating students exchanged views with Mr. Dykes SC and Mr. Kam on various issues of constitutional and public concern, and learned a lot about the prospects of young barristers, the importance of prosecutorial independence, the potential dire consequences of the shortage of judges, and the constitutional implications of the co-location arrangement, and the rule of law controversies associated with National People’s Congress Standing Committee Interpretations. Mr. Dykes highlighted that the rule of law is more than the exercise of legal powers, but also the exercise of such powers with great restraint, especially when judicial independence and fundamental rights are at stake. GLC is committed to exposing students to the real world of government and laws to complement their studies. Please stay tuned for news about other GLC visits.



LEGAL GOVERNANCE EXPLORER 2018 | Visit to the Department of Justice Prosecutions Division



21 September 2018



The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) is pleased to report that a visit to the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice was successfully organised on 21 September 2018. Mr. Martin Hui SC, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, kindly and enthusiastically explained to participating students the structure and operations of the Department and the Division; how the criminal justice system operates in practice; the role played by prosecutors in the criminal justice system; the principles that govern how prosecutions ought to be conducted; as well as his inspiring personal experiences in the legal governance of Hong Kong. Please stay tuned for other GLC visits to prominent constitutional institutions of Hong Kong.



glc meets with the dean of social sciences



21 September 2018



GLC meets with the Dean of Social Sciences The President, Executive Director and Operations Director of Government and Laws Committee, Politics and Public Administration Association SSS HKUSU (GLC) had a meeting with Professor William Hayward, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences yesterday afternoon (20 September 2018). The GLC Delegation was not part of another Society’s delegation, nor was another student delegation present at the meeting. The Delegation requested the Dean to give serious consideration to GLawyers’ common concerns about credit transfer, the delivery of GCSI information, and reforms of the sequence of courses; the Delegation also informed the Dean about recent initiatives and achievements of GLawyers. This meeting marked the establishment of a collegial work relationship between GLC and the Faculty of Social Sciences management. GLC, the sole official student community for the BSocSc (Govt & Laws) & LLB Programme, is uniquely and strategically positioned to have equal access to both the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Law to communicate the views of GLawyers to both managements. GLawyers who wish to express specific concerns are welcome to email them to: glchku6810@gmail.com.



PUBLIC GOVERNANCE EXPLORER 2018 | Visit to the Legislative Council Complex



19 September 2018



The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) is pleased to report that a visit to the Legislative Council Complex was successfully organised on 18 September 2018. Participating GLawyers were able to have fruitful exchanges with Mr. Kenneth Chen Wei-on SBS, Secretary General of the Legislative Council Secretariat (立法會秘書處秘書長陳維安先生) who kindly received the GLC Delegation following a tour around the interiors of the Complex. The Delegation and Mr. Chen exchanged views on various issues of public and constitutional concern. In particular, Mr. Chen provided the Delegation with invaluable insights about the Legislative Council's Rules of Procedure from a real world, practical, perspective. Please stay tuned for other GLC visits to prominent constitutional institutions of Hong Kong



The Pulse Forum on Land Supply: Housing - A Crisis in Land Supply?



15 September 2018



President of GLC and President of HKUSU weighed in during RTHK The Pulse Forum on Land Supply: Housing - A Crisis in Land Supply?



thank you
professor joseph c. w. chan!



7 September 2018



Professor Joseph C. W. Chan has recently stepped down as Director (PPA) of the HKU Government and Laws (GLaws) Programme. The Government and Laws Committee (GLC) would like to express heartfelt thanks on behalf of the GLaws community to Professor Chan for his distinguished service to and leadership for the GLaws Programme, as well as his educational vision for the GLC. To this end, a GLaws souvenir donated by alumni was presented to him by GLC officers yesterday.


We wish Professor Chan all the best in his role as Global Scholar at Princeton University in the United States. Professor Eliza W. Y. Lee has succeeded Professor Chan as the incumbent Director (PPA) of the Programme and ex officio Honorary President (PPA) of GLC. Dr. Eric C. Ip will remain Director (Law) of the Programme and ex officio Honorary President (Law) of GLC.



traditional glaws
welcoming lunch



7 September 2018



The Department of Politics and Public Administration (DPPA), home department of Government and Laws (GLaws) freshers, marked the beginning of the new semester with its traditional annual GLaws welcoming lunch. Professor Richard Hu, Head of the DPPA and Professor Eliza Lee, GLaws Director (PPA) gave welcoming speeches to freshers, who were also introduced to other DPPA academic staff present.


Professors from the Faculty of Law - Professor Zhao Yun, Head of the Department of Law and Dr. Eric Ip, GLaws Director (Law) - also attended the event as guest speakers. The GLaws community was especially honoured to have Dr. Eva Pils from King's College London School of Law, External Examiner of the GLaws Programme, to be present with us on this remarkable occasion to exchange views with fellow students. Once again, we congratulate all new members of the GLaws community. Once a GLawyer, Forever a GLawyer!


Photo Credit: Department of Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong



induction 2018



13 August 2018



The Directors of the GLaws Programme - Professor Joseph Chan and Dr. Eric Ip - officially welcomed all new BSocSc (Govt&Laws) & LLB freshers in an Induction Meeting organised in the Department of Politics and Public Administration conference room. Both Directors highlighted the mission of tertiary education as to educate virtuous persons and creative thinkers.


Photo credit: Department of Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong



hku government and laws touch day and admissions talk



20 June 2018



GLawyers know best about GLaws. Yesterday, the Government and Laws Committee (GLC), the only student community that exclusively belongs to students of the BSocSc (Govt & Laws) & LLB programme (GLaws) at The University of Hong Kong （HKU）, has successfully organised the first-ever HKU GLaws Touch Day for prospective GLawyers.


GLC Student Ambassadors proudly guided Touch Day participants around HKU's state-of-the-art Centennial Campus, home to GLaws, among many other HKU units. During the Campus tour, prospective GLawyers visited the Department of Politics and Public Administration and the Department of Law, both of which jointly, rather than separately, offered the academic setting in which generations of HKU GLawyers have developed life-long ties with each other and with professors. Participants learned considerably about the GLC's work and university lives of GLawyers in an interactive session organised prior to the Admissions Talk.


The GLC also actively participated in an informative JUPAS Admissions Talk delivered by Professor Joseph Chan and Dr Eric Ip, Directors of the Government and Laws Programme from the Department of Politics and Public Administration and the Faculty of Law, respectively. The GLC would like to give thanks to all secondary school participants, both professors, administrative staff of the Department of Politics and Public Administration, and all Touch Day Student Ambassadors for their enthusiastic support of the event.


The GLC earnestly looks forward to seeing Touch Day participants becoming part of HKU GLaws in the foreseeable future!



staff-student consultative conference 2018 I



2 may 2018



The Government and Laws Committee for the first time attended the Staff Student Consultative Conference with the Department of Politics and Public Administration held by PPAA. The Conference was joint by Professor Richard Hu, Head of Department of PPA, Professor Zhao Yun, Head of Department of Law, Professor Joseph Chan and Associate Professor Eric C. Ip, the Co-Directors of the Government and Laws Programme, Assistant Professor Helen K. Liu, the Undergraduate Programme Director and other staff members from the Department.


This is the first time for the Head of Department of Law to attend the SSCC and receive opinions with regards to the BSS(GL) & LLB programme. Professor Zhao Yun very kindly went to great lengths to respond to GLC’s questions on behalf of Government and Laws students on the degree-awarding arrangement, overseas exchange procedures as well as the release of students' performance evaluation data. We also discussed with the Co-Directors on issues pertaining to the design of the BSS(GL) & LLB curriculum.


We thank all professors for listening to our views and the GLC will undoubtedly continue their mission in reflecting the wide range of opinion from our fellow course-mates.



EXAMPREP 2018 i



26 april 2018



Government and Laws students gathered together in the first-ever GLC ExamPrep symposium to engage in a lively conversation about academic and extracurricular excellence. Alex Chan, Government and Laws Board of Studies Representative, has kindly delivered a course selection workshop to first year students with the assistance of GLC Executive Director Trevor Wan, explaining key ideas about comparative politics, international relations, political philosophy, and public administration. Nydia Yeung, GLC President and First Year Representative, outlined GLC's various exciting new initiatives. Dr. Eric Ip, Government and Laws Programme Director (Law) kindly visited the event and advised students on a range of academic and non-academic matters.


GLawyers: Together. We. Thrive.





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