香港大學法律學院學位頒授典禮
香港大學主辦
平等機會委員會主席林美秀女士致辭(只備英文版)
Executive Vice-President, Professor Tien
Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Fu
Distinguished Guests, Professors, Graduands, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It’s a great honour to be invited to address the Class of 2024 of the Faculty of Law. Seeing such an energetic and vibrant cohort of graduands here today with their proud families and loved ones gives me immense joy.
First of all, let me congratulate all the graduands on your achievement. After years of hard work, many sleepless nights, and countless assignments and tests, you have successfully reached this significant milestone. Over the past 55 years, the Faculty of Law has produced many of the sharpest legal minds, who have gone on to play definitive roles in shaping the development of our city. You are now a part of the team. As you stand on the cusp of new beginnings and look forward to the journeys ahead, remember that the education and experiences you have gained are not just accolades but also tools to shape your future and impact the world around you.
I also want to take this opportunity to give thanks to all the families and loved ones here today who have stood by the graduands and given them support every step of the way. You all deserve recognition on this momentous occasion. So, congratulations to you all!
Standing here today, I can’t help but think back on my own journey into the legal profession. Although I did not study law for my first degree, I developed a passion for the law after working for a few years following graduation. During that time, I saw that the law shapes all aspects of our society, and becoming a lawyer means having the tools to make a real impact on people’s lives, whether through participating in advocacy, creating policies, legislation, or ensuring equal access to justice for all.
Using the law to serve the public has become my mission. It led me to join the Department of Justice and work there for close to three decades after I was called to the English Bar and Hong Kong Bar in 1991. During my time in the Department of Justice, I had the privilege of working in different legal divisions and the opportunities to advise the Government on a wide range of issues in the areas of criminal, civil, and international law. Even after all these years, I am still driven by the same mission as I work with different stakeholders in the community to tackle various forms of discrimination as the Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
The legal profession is absolutely demanding but it is also infinitely rewarding. As you are all about to embark on a new journey, allow me to share with you a few key “ingredients” to help strengthen your personal mission and belief to meet the challenges ahead.
Upholding the Rule of Law in Challenging Times
I’m sure you all agree that the rule of law is the cornerstone of Hong Kong’s success and one of our greatest strengths. It protects the rights and freedoms of every individual in our community. It provides the foundation for institutions to function and operate with certainty. It allows us to trust in the independence, objectivity, and impartiality of the judiciary to resolve differences and disputes in a fair and just manner. In short, we owe our past, present, and future progress and achievements to the rule of law.
In his important speech marking the 25th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, President Xi Jinping affirmed the centrality of the common law system in the successful implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. As he said in the speech, “The Central Government fully supports Hong Kong in its effort to maintain its distinctive status and edges, to improve its presence as an international financial, shipping, and trading centre, to keep its business environment free, open, and regulated, and to maintain the common law, so as to expand and facilitate its exchanges with the world”.
It is indisputable that the rule of law remains robust in Hong Kong. Yet, with growing geopolitical division and tension, this fundamental truth about our society is being tested, giving rise to baseless claims about the erosion of the rule of law in our city.
Being a member of the legal profession is a privilege. At the same time, it’s incumbent upon you to remember that this privilege comes with responsibilities, the chief of which is to remain steadfast in promoting and upholding the rule of law.
Discharging this duty will require courage to speak the truth, resolve to correct misconceptions, and wisdom to navigate complexities. Your legal training has already equipped you with everything you need to fulfil this tall order. Whatever paths you take going forward, I hope you will embrace this calling and give your all to maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of our legal system. As the next generation of the legal profession, you will be the custodians of this precious foundation of our city’s stability and prosperity for decades to come.
Act with Integrity
Throughout my career, I have worked with many lawyers. Regardless of their speciality or years of practice, those who consistently achieve results and make a positive impact share three characteristics.
The first is that they act with integrity. Practising law is not just a technical endeavour. Knowing cases like the back of your hand or having the ability to spot potential loopholes in the fine print are, of course, essential skills to have. But more importantly, being able to build trusting relationships, whether it is with those you advise, your opponents or the community at large, will be key to determining your success. Just like planting seeds in fertile soil, when you act with integrity, trust will follow.
As many of you are about to start your legal career, you will quickly find that making difficult decisions is part and parcel of the job. How will you uphold the truth when it may conflict with your client’s expectations? Will you maintain your commitment to the law even when you are under intense pressure to compromise? Would you put legal victory or short-term gains before the ethical implications of your actions? These questions will come to the fore time and again throughout your career, and sometimes, it will be tempting to take the easy way out. But when you put integrity as your guiding principle, you will find the strength and determination to take the right path, even when it is more challenging.
Embrace Diversity
The second key characteristic is the openness to diversity in thought and perspectives. We are living in a world that is increasingly defined by tribalism. The echo chambers of social media and the fragmentation of the media landscape are also making people more entrenched in their positions. Certainty and moral absolutism, rather than nuance and complexity, dominate public discourse.
In this climate, it is more pertinent than ever that you practise the art of listening and seek out opportunities to engage in dialogue with those who are different from you. Legal training teaches us to be objective when analysing facts and propositions. But the reality is that we all have individual biases and blind spots that are informed by our own upbringing and experiences. Staying in our comfort zone and surrounding ourselves only with those who agree with us will only desensitise us to these dispositions and reinforce such inclinations.
So, don’t be afraid to have your perspectives challenged. Instead, embrace it. Because every time it happens, it gives you an opportunity to refine your thinking, broaden your horizons, and gain new analytical tools. When you meet someone who holds views that are diametrically opposed to yours, engage with them with humility and kindness. You’d be surprised to find that you will learn far more than simply keeping them at arm’s length and treating them as mere adversaries.
Serve with a Greater Purpose
The third key characteristic is to serve with a greater purpose. Renowned psychiatrist and holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl once wrote that “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose”. In other words, no amount of personal success or achievements can bring you satisfaction or happiness in the long-run unless your actions are underpinned by a greater purpose or meaning. I find from my personal experience that this axiom holds true when it comes to building a career.
With your legal training, you will have many opportunities to advance your career in the years ahead. Your professional worth will grow, and you may even receive personal accolades and recognition on your journey. There is nothing inherently wrong with these rewards, but it would serve you well not to make them the only goals you are chasing after. Instead, always bear in mind that your legal education can serve a greater purpose in society.
As law graduates, you will be in a unique position to shape social norms, influence policy, and effect change both at the micro and macro levels. The community will look to you for guidance on matters related to ethics, morality, and legality, relying on your expertise and judgement to navigate complex issues that affect individual lives and social structures. This is not only true for those who choose a career path in the public sector or those who decide to focus on areas such as administrative law, human rights, or environmental law. Other lawyers, such as commercial lawyers can also practise law with purpose by advocating fairness, encouraging ethical conduct, and contributing to a legal environment where businesses and enterprises can thrive on a level-playing field.
Cultivating a sense of purpose starts with understanding how your work affects not just your client or your immediate community but also individuals you may not even have direct contact with. This will come naturally when you attune yourselves to the pressing challenges our society and different communities face, and think deeply how your skills and field of expertise can contribute to potential solutions. In turn, this process will imbue your daily work, no matter how ordinary or mundane, with greater significance.
I still feel motivated every day, as I continue to work towards my mission to make positive impact on people’s lives. All of this is to say that when you work to build a career with a purpose, you won’t just become more successful. You will also become more fulfilled and satisfied.
Conclusion
Today is a day to celebrate your achievements. It is also a day to reflect on the values and mission that will guide you in the next chapter of your lives. I am truly grateful and honoured to have the opportunity to share my thoughts and experience with you at this critical juncture.
Before I conclude, I have one final piece of advice for you. Finding your personal mission takes time, and it is an ongoing process. Every experience you have, no matter good or bad, will be invaluable in guiding you to walk your own path. So, don’t be afraid of failure. Instead, work to build your resilience. And always stay humble, for growth cannot happen without humility.
Allow me to once again extend my heartfelt congratulations to each of you and your families. You all have an exciting journey ahead, and I wish you great success in your future endeavours.
Thank you very much.