CNews Issue 3, 2009

When the law school began its life 40 years ago, it had barely three teaching staff members and about 40 students. Forty years down the road, we have almost 80 teaching staff members and about 1,400 students. We started off as a local law school with a single mission to nurture local lawyers. Now we can proudly say that we are among the best law schools in the world with a strong global reputation and a mission that transcends the vocational training of legal professionals. This special occasion of our 40 th anniversary is not just a time to look back at and celebrate what we have achieved. More importantly, it should be a time for reflection and forward planning – an intermission to ponder where we are going from here. Forty years ago, China was at the height of the Cultural Revolution. In contrast, Hong Kong’s economy was ready to take off, particularly its light industry. In anticipation of a greater demand for legal services, the University took the courageous step to establish the law school. In the following 40 years, we have produced not just eminent lawyers and judges, but also leaders in many different fields. A Sense of Forty years ago, we planted the seeds that have proved to be crucial to upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong. Today, we hope to plant another seed that would lead to the blossoming of a service culture among law students and the next generation of lawyers. Department of Law in 1969: 3 academic staff members (Mr Bernard Downey, Professor Daffydd Evans, Mr John Rear) and 40 students. Cover Story 6