Rules & Regulations

3. The Bar Association shall consist of Members and Associate Members.

(a) Any practising barrister or employed barrister shall be entitled, upon payment of the prescribed annual fee, to be a Member and so long as he pays the said annual fee shall remain a Member until he resigns his membership or ceases to be a practising barrister or an employed barrister.

(b) Any barrister admitted to practise in Hong Kong, not being a Member nor a member of the Judiciary, shall, and any barrister admitted to practise only in jurisdictions other than Hong Kong may with the approval of the Bar Council, upon payment of the prescribed annual fee be, and so long as he pays the said annual fee, remain, an Associate Member until he resigns his membership or ceases to be a barrister.

4. The Chairman shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The person so elected shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which he is elected until the vacation of his office under Regulation 14, or the conclusion of the corresponding meeting in the next year when he shall be eligible for re-election, provided that no person shall hold such office for more than three such consecutive terms. Only Members of 10 years’ standing or above at the Bar shall be eligible for election to the office of Chairman. Only practising barristers shall be eligible for election to the office of Chairman.

4A.     (1) There shall be at least one but not more than two Vice-Chairmen who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. If more than one candidate is proposed for the office of the Vice-Chairman, there shall be two Vice-Chairmen elected at the Annual General Meeting.

(2) Each person so elected shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which he is elected until the vacation of his office under Regulation 14 or 14A, or the conclusion of the corresponding meeting in the next year when he or they shall be eligible for re-election provided that no person shall hold such office for more than three such consecutive terms and subject to Regulation 6(2).

(3) Only Members of 10 years’ standing or above at the Bar shall be eligible for election to the office of Vice-Chairman. Only practising barristers shall be eligible for election to the office of Vice-Chairman.

(4) If and so long as the Chairman is incapacitated or disqualified from acting for reasons of health or otherwise or is absent from Hong Kong, the Vice-Chairman (if there is only one Vice-Chairman) or the Senior Vice-Chairman (if there is more than one Vice-Chairman) shall be the Acting Chairman of the Bar Association. In the latter case if the Senior Vice-Chairman is in turn incapacitated or disqualified or absent as aforesaid, the other Vice-Chairman shall be the Acting Chairman of the Bar Association.

(5) The Vice-Chairman or Vice-Chairmen shall also assist the Chairman in the discharge of such of his duties and functions, including duties and functions performed ex officio, as the Chairman may from time to time request.

5. There shall be an Honorary Secretary of the Bar Association who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Member so elected shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which he is elected until the vacation of his office under Regulation 14, or the conclusion of the corresponding meeting in the next year when he shall be eligible for re-election, subject to Regulation 6(2). The Honorary Secretary shall also fulfill the functions and duties of Treasurer.

5A. There shall be a Deputy Honorary Secretary of the Bar Association who shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Member so elected shall hold office from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which he is elected until the vacation of his office under Regulation 14 or 14C, or the conclusion of the corresponding meeting in the next year when he shall be eligible for re-election, subject to Regulation 6(2). The Deputy Honorary Secretary shall assist the Honorary Secretary in the discharge of such of his duties and functions, including duties and functions performed ex officio, as the Chairman, Vice-Chairmen and Honorary Secretary may from time to time request.