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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary :

The Judiciary announced today (January 17) the appointment of Mr Stephen John GEISER and Mr David LOK as Judges of the District Court. The appointment will take effect from January 22, 2001.

Mr GEISER and Mr LOK are Magistrates of the Judiciary.

The Honourable Chief Justice Mr Andrew Kwok-nang Li welcomes these appointments. "The appointees are very competent judicial officers who will contribute to the Judiciary in continuing to uphold the rule of law and to ensure the fair and efficient administration of justice," he said.

Biographical notes of the appointed Judges are as follows :

Mr Stephen John GEISER

Mr GEISER was born in the United Kingdom in 1948. He graduated from College of Law, Guildford, United Kingdom. He was admitted as solicitor in England and Wales in 1976, as Solicitor in Hong Kong in 1977, and as Barrister and Solicitor in the State of Victoria, Australia in 1984. He was in private practice between 1974 and 1981. Mr GEISER joined the Hong Kong Legal Aid Department as Legal Aid Counsel in 1981 and was promoted to Senior Legal Aid Counsel in 1984. He was appointed Magistrate by the Hong Kong Judiciary in 1989.

Mr David LOK

Mr LOK was born in Hong Kong in 1965. He received a Bachelor of Laws degree and Post-graduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong in 1987 and 1988; and Master of Laws from the University of London in 1989. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1988. Mr LOK was in private practice between 1990 and 1995 and was appointed Magistrate by the Hong Kong Judiciary in 1995.

End/Wednesday, January 17, 2001

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