The Solicitor General is the head of the Legal Policy Division of the Department of Justice and is responsible to the Secretary for Justice for the following -

• (a)the development of legal policy issues;
• (b)liaising with the legal profession and promoting the legal and dispute resolution services of Hong Kong;
• (c)overseeing the Department’s legislative programme and attending bills committees of the Legislative Council on bills introduced by the Secretary for Justice;
• (d)advising on a wide range of complex and sensitive legal issues and attending the Administration of Justice and Legal Services Panel of the Legislative Council, and appearing in court where necessary;
• (e)advising on major issues involving the Basic Law (including promotion of the Basic Law), human rights and constitutional development;
• (f)advising and overseeing work relating to Mainland legal issues and developing Hong Kong’s capacity to provide legal services in respect of such issues;
• (g)serving as Chairman of relevant Government boards and committees; and
• (h)managing the Legal Policy Division and assisting in the management of the Department as a whole. The successful candidate will be appointed as Law Officer, initially to fill the post of Solicitor General 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 (Cap. 87);
• (b)have considerable knowledge of and experience in legal practice in Hong Kong at a senior level;
• (c)be able to put forward constructive ideas in developing legal policy;
• (d)have excellent judgement, leadership and management skills;
• (e)be strong in communication and people skills; and
• (f)have outstanding 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.