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The Department of Justice (DoJ) announced today (August 11) that Principal Government Counsel Mr Wesley Wong Wai-chung, SC, will succeed Mr Frank Poon Ying-kwong as Solicitor General with effect from September 3.
Mr Poon will proceed on pre-retirement leave on the same day after 36 years of distinguished service with the Government, of which 24 years were with the DoJ.
Welcoming the appointment, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Rimsky Yuen, SC, said that with his in-depth legal knowledge, high professional competence and proven leadership skills, Mr Wong is well qualified to take forward the important work of the DoJ's Legal Policy Division.
"Mr Wong is a lawyer of outstanding abilities and integrity. I have every confidence that he will ably lead the Legal Policy Division to meet the challenges ahead and will act in the best interest of Hong Kong," Mr Yuen said.
Mr Yuen also expressed his utmost gratitude to Mr Poon for his dedication and outstanding services over the years.
"Mr Poon has rendered 24 years of exemplary service to the DoJ and has commanded great respect from both the legal fraternity and within the civil service. In his five years as Solicitor General, he has been an inspiring leader of the Legal Policy Division and has made valuable contributions to the development of law in Hong Kong. We wish him a happy retirement and all the best in his future endeavours."
The post of Solicitor General, which is ranked at Law Officer (DL6) level, is responsible for (amongst others) the development of legal policy, advising the Secretary for Justice on a wide range of complex and sensitive legal issues and overseeing the department's legislative programme.
Brief biographical notes on the two officers are set out below:
Mr Frank Poon Ying-kwong
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Mr Poon, aged 59, joined the Government in 1978 and has served in various departments. Admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong in 1992, he joined the then Legal Department (now Department of Justice) as a Crown Counsel in September 1991. He was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 1993, Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 1998 and Principal Government Counsel in 2008. He was appointed Law Officer in 2011 and has since held the position of Solicitor General. Mr Poon was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2015.
Mr Wesley Wong Wai-chung, SC
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Mr Wong, aged 44, was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1993 and served pupillage under the Legal Trainee Scheme at the then Legal Department. He was appointed Crown Counsel in 1994 and promoted to Senior Crown Counsel in 1995, Deputy Principal Government Counsel in 2004 and Principal Government Counsel in 2011. Mr Wong has served in different divisions of the department for 22 years and has been a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions since 2011. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2013.
Ends/Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:30
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