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The Department of Justice announced today (March 25) that Mr Kevin Paul Zervos, SC, has assumed the post of Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Director of Public Prosecutions is the head of the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice and is responsible for public prosecutions, the development of prosecutions policy and advising the Secretary for Justice on all criminal matters.
Commenting on Mr Zervos' appointment, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Wong Yan Lung, SC, said, "Mr Zervos has indepth legal knowledge, impressive professional competence and experience. I have every confidence that he will ably lead the Prosecutions 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."
The last Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Ian Charles McWalters, SC, left the Department and joined the Judiciary in February 2011.
A brief biographical note on Mr Zervos is set out below -
Mr Kevin Paul Zervos, SC
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Mr Zervos, aged 57, graduated in Science and Law from Monash University, Australia. He was admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in Victoria, Australia, in 1978. He was registered as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of Australia in 1983, and was admitted as a solicitor and barrister in New South Wales, Australia, in 1987 and in 1991. Mr Zervos is a specialist in human rights and in the prosecution of white-collar crime. In 1984, he worked in Australia with the Special Prosecutor's Office responsible for the investigation and prosecution of large-scale revenue frauds. From 1985, he was Senior Assistant Director of the office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions at the Melbourne and Sydney Offices where he was in charge of the Major Fraud Section. From 1989 to 1992, he was General Counsel to the Independent Commission Against Corruption in New South Wales.
From 1992 to date, he has worked as counsel with the Hong Kong Department of Justice, initially attached to the Commercial Crime Unit where he mainly prosecuted white-collar crime cases, then as Head of Appeals specialising in human rights and later as Chief of Staff. In May 2003, Mr Zervos was appointed Senior Counsel in Hong Kong. In 2009, he completed a Master of Laws (Human Rights) at the University of Hong Kong. Mr Zervos has conducted the full ambit of trials and appeals in all fields of law.
Ends/Friday, March 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:00
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