TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1990
LAW DRAFTSMAN DIES
THE LAW DRAFTSMAN, MR JAMES O'GRADY, QC, OBE, PASSED AWAY IN QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. HE WAS AGED 55.
MR O'GRADY WAS BORN IN IRELAND IN 1935. HE GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF DUBLIN IN 1955 AND WAS CALLED ΤΟ THE BAR AT KING'S INN, DUBLIN IN 1957.
AFTER PRACTISING FOR THREE YEARS AT THE IRISH BAR, MR O'GRADY WENT TO WORK IN NORTHERN RHODESIA IN 1960 WHERE HE EVENTUALLY BECAME PARLIAMENTARY DRAFTSMAN. HE WAS ALSO THE PARLIAMENTARY DRAFTSMAN IN THE SEYCHELLES FROM 1973 TO 1975.
HE CAME TO HONG KONG AND JOINED THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AS A CROWN COUNSEL IN 1976, AND WAS APPOINTED LAW DRAFTSMAN IN 1985. HE SPENT ALL OF HIS TIME IN THE LAW DRAFTING DIVISION.
AS THE LAW DRAFTSMAN, MR O'GRADY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE DRAFTING OF ALL LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG.
HIS STANDING IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY WAS SUCH THAT IN 1988 HE WAS APPOINTED ONE OF HER MAJESTY'S COUNSEL IN HONG KONG, AND HE WAS AWARDED THE OBE IN THE SAME YEAR.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR JEREMY MATHEWS, AND STAFF OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT ARE DEEPLY GRIEVED BY THE LOSS OF A CLOSE COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND.
MR MATHEWS PAID PARTICULAR TRIBUTE то MR O'GRADY'S IMMENSE CONTRIBUTION TO HONG KONG. HE POINTED OUT THAT MR O'GRADY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILINGUAL LAW DRAFTING PROGRAMME, AS WELL AS THE DRAFTING OF SEVERAL MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION INCLUDING THE COMPANY LAW REFORMS OF 1984.
"HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR THE EXCELLENCE OF HIS ADVICE AND FOR HIS STEADY LEADERSHIP OF THE DRAFTING DIVISION, MR MATHEWS SAID.
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"THOSE WHO KNEW HIM WILL REMEMBER HIM ALWAYS AS A GENTLE MAN, DEEPLY DEVOTED TO HIS FAMILY. HE WAS KIND AND SOFT-SPOKEN, AND HAD THE INTERESTS OF HIS COLLEAGUES TO THE FOREFRONT OF HIS MIND," SAID.
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MR O'GRADY'S WIFE, MAIREAD, DIED LAST YEAR, AND HE IS SURVIVED BY TWO DAUGHTERS AND TWO SONS.
FUNERAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT ST JOSEPH'S CHURCH, GARDEN ROAD, ON SATURDAY (NOVEMBER 24), BEGINNING AT 11.30 AM.
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