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The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:

The Judiciary today (December 1) announced the appointments of two Recorders and re-appointments of four incumbent Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court.

Mr Benjamin YU, SC and Mr Joseph P. FOK, SC are newly appointed Recorders of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. Their appointments are effective from today for a term of three years.

The re-appointments of Miss Jacqueline Pamela LEONG, SC; Mr Kenneth KWOK Hing-wai, SC; Mr Lawrence LOK, SC; and Mr Ching Y. WONG, SC are also effective from today for a term of three years upon expiry of their current terms.

The appointments and re-appointments are made by the Chief Executive in accordance with the recommendations of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission.

The biographical notes of these appointees are as follows:

Mr Benjamin YU, SC

Mr Benjamin Yu, SC was born in 1957. He obtained LL.B and P.C.LL. from the University of Hong Kong in 1978 and 1979 respectively and got his LL.M from the University of London in 1980. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1979. He was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1995 and as Deputy Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court for a period in 2002. He has been in private practice since 1979.

Mr Joseph P. FOK, SC

Mr Joseph P. FOK, SC was born in 1962. After graduating from the University of London in 1984, he was called to the Bar of England and Wales (Middle Temple) in 1985 and the Hong Kong Bar in 1986. In 1991, he was admitted as Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore and became Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in 1997. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 1999. He has been in private practice since 1987.

Miss Jacqueline Pamela LEONG, SC

Miss Jacqueline Pamela LEONG, SC was born in 1947. She was called to the English Bar and the Hong Kong Bar in 1970 and 1971 respectively. She was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1990 and as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 1997. She is currently in private practice.

Mr Kenneth KWOK Hing-wai, SC

Mr Kenneth KWOK Hing-wai, SC was born in 1949. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong in 1972. He was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1974. He was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1993 and as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 1997. He is currently in private practice.

Mr Lawrence LOK, SC

Mr Lawrence LOK, SC was born in 1955. After graduating from the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong in 1977, he was called to the English Bar and the Hong Kong Bar in 1978 and 1979 respectively. He was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1994 and as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 1997. He is currently in private practice.

Mr Ching Y. WONG, SC

Mr Ching Y. WONG, SC was born in 1948. He was called to the English Bar and the Hong Kong Bar in 1972 and 1975 respectively. He was appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1997 and as Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court since 1997. He is currently in private practice.

Ends/Monday, December 1, 2003

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