【Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal Panel

 

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal Panel (“Panel”) is established under section 9 of the Legal Practitioners Ordinance. The Panel consists of not more than 120 practising solicitors of at least 10 years’ standing, not more than 10 foreign lawyers and not more than 60 lay members. All the members of the Panel and its Convenor are appointed by the Chief Justice. A solicitor who is appointed to the Panel may be appointed by the Tribunal Convenor to constitute a Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal to adjudicate whether a solicitor or a foreign lawyer is fit to practise or whether a complaint about the conduct of a solicitor, a foreign lawyer, a trainee solicitor or an employee of a solicitor or a foreign lawyer is substantiated. A Tribunal’s authority is defined by section 10 of the Legal Practitioners Ordinance which grants it power to make such order as it thinks fit including striking off, suspension from practice and payment of a penalty.

 

The Judiciary is now inviting applications from practising solicitors who wish to be considered for appointment by the Chief Justice to the Panel. To be eligible for appointment, an applicant has to be a practising solicitor of at least 10 years’ standing holding a valid practising certificate. The details of the criteria and the application procedure are set out in the Circulars.

 

The legal profession is self-regulatory. Your support by contributing your time and professional knowledge in the disciplinary process is thus crucial. I strongly encourage you to consider submitting an application to serve on the Panel.

 

Melissa K. Pang

President

(Information from The Law Society of Hong Kong)