Ms Anna Wu Hung-yuk GBS, JP
胡紅玉女士
Anna was admitted as a solicitor of HK in 1977 and was admitted to the Roll of Honour
of the Law Society of Hong Kong in 2017. She was a Council member of the Law
Society 1987-1993. Her practice mainly involved intellectual property and
commercial transactions.
Her public service spanned four Governors and four Chief Executives of Hong Kong.
She was a member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong ( 2009-2017 ) and was
appointed by successive administrations to chair multiple public and statutory
bodies.
She became a member of the Legislative Council in 1993 and initiated the Equal
Opportunities Bill during her tenure. This was the first private member’s bill covering
an entire area of policy. The government at the time refused to support her bill, but so much public pressure was created that the administration responded by proposing its own anti- discrimination bills. This resulted in the anti-discrimination laws that we have today.
She devoted her entire tenure in the Legislative Council to the promotion of equality laws in Hong Kong.
She chaired the ICAC Operations Review Committee as the first post-1997 lay chair.
She chaired the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Mandatory Provident Fund
Schemes Authority, the Consumer Council and was the founder chair of the
Competition Commission. All these bodies were involved in developing various areas of law.
She was appointed to numerous public bodies, including the Hospital Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission, and was involved with different professional associations in arbitration, mediation and intellectual property.
She is a Justice of Peace, and was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star ( 2000 ) and
the Gold Bauhinia Star ( 2011 ). She was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the University of Hong Kong in 2011 and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, by Lingnan University in 2022.
"Enjoy what you do, do not ever feel enslaved by it!"
I would encourage students who seek summer internships to try to secure experience with wider societal perspectives including pro bono legal work. It is tempting to confine oneself to regular law firms because of the practicalities. The less conventional internships can be very engaging and productive and summer breaks provide the ideal chance to do it. Early in my practice, I helped a hawker to renew her licence, which had been suspended by the authorities. That enabled her to earn her living and to take care of her family. Her gratitude was overwhelming. She arrived at my office one morning laden with her most valuable possessions—her trading stock of two baskets of live chickens, twelve dozen eggs, and trays of samosas. Her generosity so humbled me. I accepted one box of eggs and the samosas and returned the rest. The law is about people. There is power in our actions, however small, and they can help people immeasurably. My last words of advice—enjoy what you do, do not ever feel enslaved by it!
Glossary
Key terms to aid your reading experience.
HKU Experience
LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
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An undergraduate law degree in common law jurisdictions, currently offered in Hong Kong by the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and City University of Hong Kong.
JD (Juris Doctor)
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A graduate-entry professional degree preparing individuals for law practice. In the U.S. and Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree.
PCLL (Postgraduate Certificate in Laws)
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A mandatory professional qualification program in Hong Kong that prepares law graduates to become solicitors or barristers.
Hall of residence
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Living in a residential hall is an HKU tradition, fostering independence and close interaction among students from diverse backgrounds.
HKU Law Campuses
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Caine Road Campus (1969 - 1973)
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Knowles Building (1973 - 1989)
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K.K. Leung Building (1989 - 2012)
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Cheng Yu Tung Tower (2012 - present)
UK Postgraduate Education
United Kingdom Bar Exams (“London Bar Final”) (formerly in place)
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A now-obsolete two-part qualification exam for aspiring barristers wishing to practice in the UK or Hong Kong, held three times a year at three-month intervals. Graduates could take multiple exams simultaneously, often sitting them early after graduation or the next summer.
Training
Traineeship
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Aspiring solicitors who completed the PCLL must be employed under a two-year training contract with a law firm to qualify as solicitors. This period is also referred to as an “articleship” in some interviews.
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Non-law graduates were previously able to serve five years as a solicitor’s clerk to qualify as solicitors. The significance of this system subsequently waned due to the popularisation of legal education.
Pupillage
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Aspiring barristers who completed the PCLL must complete a one-year pupillage, assisting barristers with case research, drafting, court attendance, and other tasks to qualify as barristers.