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The Department of Justice announced today (July 7) the appointment of Mr Frank Poon Ying-kwong, Deputy Solicitor General (General), to succeed Mr Ian Wingfield as Solicitor General with effect from August 2. Mr Wingfield will proceed on final leave on the same day after 28 years of service with the Government.
The Solicitor General is the head of the Legal Policy Division of the Department of Justice and is responsible for 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.
Commenting on Mr Poon's appointment, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, SC, said, "Mr Poon has indepth legal knowledge, impressive professional competence as well as leadership skills. I have every confidence that he will ably lead the Legal Policy Division of the Department of Justice to meet the challenges ahead and continue to deliver professional and quality service to the people of Hong Kong."
On the retirement of Mr Wingfield, Mr Wong said, "Mr Wingfield has rendered 28 years of exemplary service to the Department of Justice and has commanded high respect from those who have worked with him both within the civil service and among members of the legal profession. In his 19 years in the rank of Law Officer, he held the positions of Law Officer (Civil Law), Law Officer (International Law) and Solicitor General and made significant contributions to the development of law in Hong Kong. We warmly wish him a happy retirement and every success in his future endeavours."
Brief biographical notes on the two officers are set out below:
Mr Ian Wingfield
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Mr Wingfield, aged 61, was called to the English Bar in 1974 and to the Hong Kong Bar in 1994. He joined the Government as Government Counsel in January 1982. He was promoted to Senior Government Counsel in October 1982, to Deputy Principal Government Counsel in March 1985, and to Principal Government Counsel in March 1988. He was further promoted to Law Officer in November 1991 and since then has held the positions of Law Officer (Civil Law), Law Officer (International Law) and Solicitor General. He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 1999 for his public service in the Department.
Mr Frank Poon Ying-kwong
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Mr Poon, aged 54, was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in 1991 and in Hong Kong in 1992. He joined the Government as Government Counsel in September 1991. He was promoted to Senior Government Counsel in December 1993, to Deputy Principal Government Counsel in June 1998, and to Principal Government Counsel in July 2008.
Ends/Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:30
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