Lawrence Lau (barrister) explained

Lawrence Lau
Native Name Lang:zh-hk
Office:Sham Shui Po District Councillor
Predecessor:Dominic Lee
Constituency:Yau Yat Tsuen
Birth Date:4 January 1968
Birth Place:Hong Kong
Alma Mater:University of Hong Kong (LLB)
Occupation:Barrister
Known For:Hong Kong 47
Website:

Lawrence Lau Wai-chung (; born 4 January 1968) is a Hong Kong barrister. Having served as police, deputy magistrate, and Sham Shui Po District Councillor, Lau was arrested in 2020 for joining pro-democracy primaries as one of the Hong Kong 47.

Early life

Lau was born into a grassroots family and read Bachelor of Laws at the University of Hong Kong while leading the university's debate team. After graduation in 1993, Lau failed to join the Civil Service despite receiving a conditional offer of Administrative Officer. Having joined the Royal Hong Kong Police Force,[1] he then worked for Allen Lee, founding chairman of Liberal Party, of writing speeches until the late 1990s. Lau was called to the Bar in 1995.[2]

In 2000 Lau went to London School of Economics to study political philosophy but unable to receive a doctorate after disputes with his doctoral advisor, subsequently returning to Hong Kong in 2005. Five years later he was appointed Deputy Special Magistrate and Deputy Magistrate at the District Court.[3] After serving in court, Lau took up multiple notable cases, including in defence for a woman assaulting a police officer with her breast,[4] and for Mong Kok unrest protestors,[5] including Lo Kin-man who received the harshest sentencing.[6]

Political career

With limited participation in street protests,[2] Lau ran in 2019 local elections at his home constituency Yau Yat Tsuen amidst the large scale protest, defeating pro-business incumbent Dominic Lee with a margin of 2%. Believing not much can do in the District Council and wishing to work in the parliament to amend legislation suppressing human rights,[7] Lau announced his intention to run in the legislative election in 2020 for Kowloon West constituency. He joined the pro-democracy primaries in the same year but was defeated.

In January 2021, Lau was arrested by national security police for subversion over his participation in the primaries. He was charged in late February along with others known as Hong Kong 47. After remanded for around two weeks, he was released on court bail. Lau pleaded not guilty to the charge, and defended himself in court.

While tried for subversion, Lau continued representing Tong Ying-kit in Hong Kong's first national security trial in 2021.[8] [9] Lau was later removed from Tong's lawyer team responsible for his appeal,[10] after criticism from pro-Beijing media.

In September 2021, Lau was unseated from the Sham Shui Po District Council after his oath of loyalty pledging allegiance to the Hong Kong Government was ruled invalid by the authorities.[11]

Personal life

Lau kept two cats named Chen Yinke and Dworkin, after the historian and the legal philosopher.[12] [13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 逆權大狀劉偉聰 從歷史傷口看司法. Our Voice. 2019-11-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20210611023031/https://jmc.hksyu.edu/ourvoice/?p=10674. 2021-06-11. live. 2020-06-05.
  2. Web site: 代表暴動罪被告 大狀劉偉聰:我能做的,是打好官司 . 2020-05-12 . 2020-01-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200101170603/https://www.hkcnews.com/article/13480/%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E8%81%B0-%E6%9A%B4%E5%8B%95%E7%BD%AA-%E6%97%BA%E8%A7%92%E8%A1%9D%E7%AA%81-14669/%E4%BB%A3%E8%A1%A8%E6%9A%B4%E5%8B%95%E7%BD%AA%E8%A2%AB%E5%91%8A-%E5%A4%A7%E7%8B%80%E5%8A%89%E5%81%89%E8%81%B0%EF%BC%9A%E6%88%91%E8%83%BD%E5%81%9A%E7%9A%84%EF%BC%8C%E6%98%AF%E6%89%93%E5%A5%BD%E5%AE%98%E5%8F%B8 . Citizen News. dead. 2018-08-30.
  3. Web site: 【蘋人誌】法律不等如公義 逆權大狀劉偉聰. 2020-06-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605051605/https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/20191004/2P2ECJSECHIIYSTHASTADL663E/. Apple Daily. 2019-10-04. dead.
  4. Web site: 2015-07-30 . Woman convicted of 'assaulting cop with her breast' maintains she's innocent . 2023-03-21 . South China Morning Post . en.
  5. Web site: Cheung . Karen . 2018-05-23 . Court asked to consider training centre order for 19-year-old in Mong Kok unrest mitigation . 2023-03-21 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.
  6. Web site: 代表盧建民大狀求情:犯案源於對警察憤怒 昔日偏見已改 明白警非罪魁禍首. https://web.archive.org/web/20210630012908/https://www.hkcnews.com/article/12290/%E7%9B%A7%E5%BB%BA%E6%B0%91-%E6%9A%B4%E5%8B%95%E7%BD%AA-%E6%9C%AC%E5%9C%9F%E6%B0%91%E4%B8%BB%E5%89%8D%E7%B7%9A-12290/%E4%BB%A3%E8%A1%A8%E7%9B%A7%E5%BB%BA%E6%B0%91%E5%A4%A7%E7%8B%80%E6%B1%82%E6%83%85%EF%BC%9A%E7%8A%AF%E6%A1%88%E6%BA%90%E6%96%BC%E5%B0%8D%E8%AD%A6%E5%AF%9F%E6%86%A4%E6%80%92-%E6%98%94%E6%97%A5%E5%81%8F%E8%A6%8B%E5%B7%B2%E6%94%B9-%E6%98%8E%E7%99%BD%E8%AD%A6%E9%9D%9E%E7%BD%AA%E9%AD%81%E7%A6%8D%E9%A6%96?page=2. 2021-06-30. 2021-05-18. 2023-03-21 . Citizen News. zh-hk.
  7. Web site: 大狀擬戰區選 冀光復又一村. Apple Daily. 2019-09-21. 2020-06-05 . 2020-06-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200605051528/https://hk.appledaily.com/local/20190920/WFADSH2NFFDGV63ZIXTRJG6XCI/ . dead.
  8. Web site: Ho . Kelly . Activist Tong Ying-kit found guilty in Hong Kong's first national security trial. 2023-03-21 . Hong Kong Free Press.
  9. Web site: Hong Kong man accused of ‘terrorism’ under new Chinese law . 2023-03-21 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
  10. Web site: Ho . Kelly . Hong Kong court to hear challenge to national security law conviction next March. 2023-03-21 . Hong Kong Free Press.
  11. Web site: Kwan . Rhoda . 2021-09-30 . Hong Kong disqualifies 10 more district councillors over 'invalid' oaths of loyalty, no explanation given . 2023-03-21 . Hong Kong Free Press.
  12. Web site: 「喵星人」成功當選 愛動物人士歡賀「殺狗」區議員落馬 . 2020-05-12 . 2021-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210621165149/https://hk.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20191125/LT2BDODHXXCCOLSUHIQUN44OXQ/. Apple Daily . dead.
  13. Web site: 兩貓奴候選人均獲勝 揭貓貓如何施計助選 . 2020-05-12 . 2020-01-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200106114315/https://www.hk01.com/%E5%AF%B5%E7%89%A9/402273/%E5%8D%80%E8%AD%B0%E6%9C%83%E9%81%B8%E8%88%892019-%E5%85%A9%E8%B2%93%E5%A5%B4%E5%80%99%E9%81%B8%E4%BA%BA%E5%9D%87%E7%8D%B2%E5%8B%9D-%E6%8F%AD%E8%B2%93%E8%B2%93%E5%A6%82%E4%BD%95%E6%96%BD%E8%A8%88%E5%8A%A9%E9%81%B8. HK01 . live.