Spring Issue, 2014

ON CAMPUS 10 De Lege Lata the law as it is It is said that a good law school should teach its students not only what the law is, but also what the law ought to be. But the Faculty of Law, which is ranked top in Asia and the 18th in the world in the 2014 QS World University Rankings by Subject, would stress on “the law as it is” in its permanent exhibition of the Hong Kong legal system and the legal profession, titled “ De Lege Lata ” (meaning “the law as it is” in Latin). This is considered appropriate when we are referring to fundamental values just as the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary. The Faculty is honoured to receive and display court dresses donated by Dr the Hon Andrew Li 李國能 , Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal (1997-2010). During the unveiling, the former Chief Justice thanks the Faculty for providing a “permanent home” for the judicial and professional uniform which he worn “day in and day out for 37 years: 13 years on the bench and 24 years at the Bar”. Also the uniform “reminds the judge and the advocate of their important professional duties”. Professor Johannes Chan, SC (Hon) 陳文敏 (LLB 1981; PCLL 1982), Dean of Law, believes that the exhibition would encourage public understanding of the rule of law and our legal system. The display of the court dresses would also “serve as a constant reminder to each generation of law students their important and yet honoured responsibility to uphold the rule of law and to safeguard vigilantly our freedoms and liberty”. While the exhibition, located on the 7th floor of Cheng Yu Tung Tower, is open to the public; reservations would be required to view the court dresses and details will be available on the Faculty's website shortly. March 13, 2014 Dr the Hon Andrew Li donated his court dresses to the Faculty of Law: “The rule of law with an independent Judiciary is of pivotal importance to Hong Kong under ‘One Country, Two Systems’ and vigilance must be exercised at all times by all of us to ensure that any attempt to undermine our freedoms, freedoms include the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press, is overcome and that our freedoms are fully protected.” www.hku.hk/law