This book provides an introduction to the legal system in Hong Kong. Understanding Hong Kong s legal system today requires both an understanding of the British origins of much of the laws and legal institutions as well as the uniquely Hong Kong developments in the application of the Basic Law under a concept of one country two systems . These features of the Hong Kong legal system are explored in this book, which takes into account developments in the first decade or so of the new legal framework in Hong Kong since the 1997 handover. This book covers the following topics: functions and concept of law, elements of a legal system, the rule of law, the separation of powers, sources of law, the courts and the doctrine of precedent, the process of legislation, statutory interpretation, alternative methods of resolving disputes, and legal research. In providing both an exposition of the legal institutions in Hong Kong and legal method under Hong Kong s legal system (including practical guidance and examples on case law, statutory interpretation and legal research), the book is ideal for first year law students, as well as students of other disciplines who study law.

Stefan H C Lo, BA/LLB (First Class Hons), LLM (Sydney), was formerly Assistant Professor in the School of Law, City University of Hong Kong, where he taught the LLB courses Legal System and Method, and Legal Theory, amongst other subjects. He is presently a government counsel at the Department of Justice, Hong Kong, where he has been advising the government on the Companies Ordinance Rewrite. He is also a research affiliate of Sydney Law School, University of Sydney, and has been conducting research in the corporate law field.

Wing Hong Chui, BSW (First Class Hons) (HKU), MPhil, PhD (Cambridge), is Associate Dean (Undergraduate Education) of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Associate Professor in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at The University of Hong Kong. He was formerly Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he taught the courses Hong Kong Legal System and Crime in the Sanctioning Process for both undergraduate (LLB) and postgraduate (JD) students. He has been conducting socio-legal research on the impact of litigant-in-person in civil proceedings, and young people s views on legal presentation in Hong Kong.