The Law Society of Hong Kong wants suitable solicitors to be eligible for appointment as senior counsel, saying a wider pool could help address the shortage of people who may progress to senior judicial roles.
The society’s president said senior-counsel status is not a formal requirement for High Court judges, but is often an important consideration in selection.
The proposal would create a route for suitable candidates; it would not automatically confer senior-counsel status on solicitors. The president pointed to the 14,000 lawyers in the profession, saying some could be suited to higher-level roles.
He also cited increasingly complex legal work, including intellectual property, shipping law and emerging space law, as areas where specialist expertise could be relevant to judicial roles.
The Law Society has submitted written views proposing the rule change to the Legislative Council.