The Law Draftsman is the head of the Law Drafting Division of the Department of Justice and is responsible to the Secretary for Justice for the following - (a) overseeing the Law Drafting Division in its drafting of all Government legislation of the HKSAR and vetting of all proposed legislation initiated by persons or bodies other than the Government; (b) perusing drafts of legislation and attending before the committees and panels of the Executive and Legislative Councils to steer the draft legislation through the legislative process; (c) advising on a wide range of complex and sensitive legal issues identified in the course of developing the draft legislation; and (d) administering and managing the Law Drafting Division and assisting in the management of the Department of Justice as a whole; and developing the drafting skills of counsel in the Division to achieve a high standard of legislative drafting in the HKSAR. The successful candidate will be appointed as Law Officer, initially to fill the post of Law Draftsman but may be subject to transfer to other Law Officer posts in the Department of Justice.

Candidates should - (a) be qualified either as barristers or solicitors in a recognised jurisdiction* as stipulated under Section 2A and Schedule 2 of the Legal Officers Ordinance; (b) possess substantial knowledge and experience in legislative drafting work in Hong Kong or any one of the above-mentioned jurisdictions at a senior level; (c) possess an ability to produce constructive ideas in formulation of policy; (d) possess excellent qualities of judgement and leadership. Management experience will be a considerable advantage; (e) have good communication and inter-personal skills; and (f) have strong command of written and spoken English. An ability to speak, read and write Chinese would be an advantage. Persons who are not permanent residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may also apply but will be appointed only when no suitable and qualified candidates who are permanent residents are available. * The recognised jurisdictions are Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the States and Territories of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Territories and Provinces of Canada (except Quebec), New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, Zimbabwe and Singapore.