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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

The Judiciary today (May 3) announced the appointment of the Hon. Mr Justice Wally YEUNG Chun-Kuen and the Hon. Madam Justice Maria Candace YUEN Ka-ning as Justices of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court. The appointment shall take effect from May 6, 2002.

The Hon. Mr Justice Wally YEUNG Chun-Kuen and the Hon. Madam Justice Maria Candace YUEN Ka-ning are both currently Judges of the Court of First Instance of the High Court.

The Honourable Chief Justice Andrew Kwok-nang LI said, "The appointees are very competent judges. I am confident that they will continue to contribute to the Judiciary in its commitment to uphold the rule of law and to maintain an independent judicial system."

Separately, the Hon. Madam Justice Susan KWAN Shuk-hing is appointed to be in charge of the Companies and Bankruptcy List of the High Court in place of the Hon. Madam Justice Maria Candace YUEN Ka-ning with effect from May 6, 2002.

The biographical notes of the newly-appointed Judges are as follow:

The Hon. Mr Justice Wally YEUNG Chun-kuen

The Hon. Mr Justice YEUNG was born in Hong Kong in 1950. After graduating with LL.B and P.C.LL from the University of Hong Kong in 1975, he was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1976. He was appointed by the Hong Kong Judiciary as Magistrate in 1985, District Judge in 1987 and was promoted in 1995 as Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court.

The Hon. Madam Justice Maria Candace YUEN Ka-ning

The Hon. Madam Justice YUEN was born in Hong Kong in 1953. She obtained LL.B. from the University of Hong Kong in 1975, LL.M from the University of London in 1976. In 1977, she graduated from the College of Law in London. She was called to the Inner Temple Bar and the Hong Kong Bar in 1977. She was admitted as barrister in Victoria of Australia in 1982, and as barrister and solicitor in Singapore in 1990. She was appointed by the Hong Kong Judiciary as Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 1997.

End/Friday, May 3, 2002

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