In 2009, under the auspices of the former Chief Justice, a pilot scheme for Judicial Assistants for Appellate Judges was launched. The objectives of the Judicial Assistants Scheme are:

• To provide assistance to appellate judges in the Court of Final Appeal in conducting research on law points and assisting in other work of the court; and
• To enable fresh and bright law graduates who are about to embark upon careers in the legal profession or otherwise in the legal field to acquire an insight into the appellate process and to benefit from working with appellate judges, which will be conducive to the development of the legal profession.

JDAs are generally employed on a contract basis for a period of about a year from the beginning of September each year to the end of August in the following year. Occasionally, short extensions are arranged for some JDAs to assist with the handover process to the next group of JDAs.

The primary duties of Judicial Assistants are to provide assistance to judges in the Court of Final Appeal in researching points of law, analysing and writing memoranda on appeals and leave applications, preparing memoranda on legal points, assisting with other work of the Court, including the preparation of press summaries and fact summaries of appeals, as well as the preparation of notes relating to judges’ external speaking engagements and participation in legal conferences. They may also be required to assist in preparing specimen directions, case bulletins and publications in relation to judicial education.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should possess a Law Degree with Second Class Honours in the upper division or above, or the equivalent, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (“PCLL”). Applicants who will have obtained a PCLL by the summer of the year of application may also apply^Note. They should also be about to embark on pupillage or traineeship, or be in the course of or have completed the same, but generally should not have more than two years' post-qualification experience. Proficiency in Chinese would be a clear asset. Applicants must be permanent residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

How to Apply

For information on how to apply to become a JDA, click here.

^Note   Applicants who will have obtained a PCLL by the summer of the year of application, if selected, will be appointed subject to their production of documentary proof of their certificate of PCLL.