TNAG-0352-FCO40-388-Appointments-to-judiciary-of-Hong-Kong-1972 — Page 78

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference HKK 14/6

His

6. Mr. Jackson-Lipkin took up residence in Hong Hong only as

recently as September 1969 so he is a comparative newcomer.

subsequent establishment there as an able and successful practi-

tioner has excited a good deal of jealousy among some members of

the bar and indeed the word he himself used to me was that it had

excited "hatred". A symptom of this was that disciplinary

proceedings were instituted against him by the Bar Committee

because of a letter he wrote to Mr. Justice Mills-Owens about an

authority he discovered in a case that was being tried by the

latter Mr. Jackson Lipkin was I think at fault in not informing

counsel for the other party that he was doing this and Mr. Justice

Mills-Owens was in my personal view also at fault in not getting

this omission instantly rectified. However the disciplinary

proceedings failed and Mr. Jackson-Lipkin was cleared of any

professional misconduct.

7. Mr. Jackson-Lipkin is an intense, earnest and somewhat humourless

man, who takes himself very seriously and is something of a "know-

all". He bombards the Registrar of the Supreme Court with letters

making suggestions about procedure; reorganization of the courts, etc. (I got one too) which, although no doubt well-intentioned,

are often unrealistic. If he is appointed to the Bench, I think

he will tend to be rather pompous and officious and some members

of the Bar will certainly resent the appointment I have in mind

particularly Mr. de Basto and Mr. Litton. Mr. Wright described him

to me as an "odd-ball" and he certainly has some reservations about

him, though in Mr. Wright's case one can dismiss any thought of

professional jealousy or spite.

8. Having said all this, I nevertheless agree that Mr. Jackson-

Lipkin's ability and experience would be an asset to the Supreme

Court and I therefore should not think it right to dissent from the

Governor's and the Chief Justice's recommendation that he is a fit

and proper candidate for appointment and that an offer should be

made to him. Although the despatch contains no hint that the

appointment would not be popular among some sections of the Bar,

it can, I think, be assumed that this factor has been assessed by

the Governor and his advisers.

19.

DD 897152 154596 500M 2/72 GM 3643/2