XN000022-1985-05-11 — Page 5

SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1985

FOUR NEW SILKS CALLED TO THE BAR

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THERE HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION DURING THE PAST 15 YEARS, IN THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF WORK AT THE SUPREME COURT LEVEL, THE CHIEF JUSTICE, SIR DENYS ROBERTS SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SIR DENYS WAS OFFICIATING AT A CEREMONY IN THE SUPREME COURT TO CALL WITHIN THE BAR FOUR NEW QUEEN'S COUNSEL MR FRANCIS ARTHUR LANCELOT EDDIS, MR ANTHONY WILLIAM SEDGWICK, MR EDWARD CHRISTOPHER MUMFORD AND MR FRANK STOCK.

+IN THE LATE 1960'S, MOST OF THE TIME OF THE HIGH COURT WAS ABSORBED IN CRIMINAL WORK, USUALLY OF FAIRLY SHORT DURATION, AND IT WAS POSSIBLE, WITHOUT GREAT DIFFICULTY, TO FORM AN APPELLATE BENCH FROM THE SIX HIGH COURT JUDGES WHO WERE AVAILABLE,+ SIR DENYS SAID.

+CI VIL WORK WAS SPARSE, FOR THIS WAS A COMMUNITY IN WHICH THERE WAS A LONG TRADITION OF SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES OUTSIDE THE COURTS. LEGAL AID HAD ONLY JUST BEEN INTRODUCED TO REPLACE THE IN FORMA PAUPERIS SYSTEM UNDER WHICH THE REPRESENTATION OF POOR LITIGANTS DEPENDED UPON THE GENEROSITY OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION.

+THIS PICTURE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. HONG KONG HAS DEVELOPED INTO A FINANCIAL, COMMERCIAL AND TRADING CENTRE OF WORLD STATURE, IN WHICH THERE IS A DEMAND FOR LEGAL SERVICES OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.

+ THE GROWTH OF LEGAL AID HAS MADE IT FINANCIALLY POSSIBLE FOR MANY MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR DISPUTES TO THE COURTS, THOUGH THERE ARE STILL GAPS IN THE SCHEME WHICH CAUSE HARDSHIP.

+AS CUSTOMARY METHODS AND VALUES HAVE BROKEN DOWN, UNDER THE IMPACT OF AN URBAN SOCIETY WHICH IS DISRUPTIVE OF TRADITION, A GREATER WILLINGNESS TO RELY ON THE JUDI CI AL PROCESS HAS DEVELOPED.

+HIGHER STANDARDS OF EDUCATION HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM A KEENER APPRECIATION OF A MAN'S LEGAL RIGHTS AND OF HOW HE SHOULD SEEK TO ENFORCE THEM, SIR DENYS SAID.

THE CHIEF JUSTICE SAID IT WAS NOT ONLY THE QUANTITY OF THE WORK WHICH HAD INCREASED, SO HAD ITS QUALITY AND COMPLEXITY.

+THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE NATURALLY HEIGHTENED THE DEMAND FOR THE SERVICES OF COUNSEL AT ALL LEVELS OF COMPETENCE AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO POSSESS THE HIGH STANDARDS OF LEARNING, JUDGMENT AND INTELLECT REQUIRED OF LEADING COUNSEL.

/+AGAINST THIS