Paul Lam Ting-kwok (; born 1968) is a Hong Kong Senior Counsel who is the current Secretary for Justice.
Education
Lam was educated at Wah Yan College, Hong Kong. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws (with Second Class Honour Division One) in 1990 and a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws in 1991 from the University of Hong Kong. Thereafter, he obtained a Master of Laws in International Law (with distinction) from the University of Nottingham in 1992.
Legal career
Lam was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1992. Lam's private practice as a barrister at Parkside Chambers was in general civil proceedings, including commercial law, land law, property and trust law, probate and estate administration, personal injury, medical negligence and defamation cases.
On 26 March 2013, Lam was appointed Senior Counsel by the Chief Justice, Geoffrey Ma. Lam took silk on 11 May 2013.
Lam served as Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association from 2014 to 2016 and as Chairman in 2017. He was also a member of the Special Committee on Discipline and the Special Committee on Pupillage and Limited Practice of the Hong Kong Bar Association.
Lam was elected as the Head of Parkside Chambers, succeeding Clive Grossman SC with effect from 1 September 2018.
In 2019, Lam was appointed as an arbitrator of the Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration for a period of 3 years from 21 February 2019 to 20 February 2022. Lam has also been appointed as an arbitrator of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission from 1 May 2021 to 30 April 2026.
In 2019, Lam was appointed as Professor at the China University of Political Science and Law.
In 2021, Lam passed the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Legal Professional Examination.
Public service
Tribunals and statutory bodies
Lam served as a member of the Board of Review (Inland Revenue Ordinance) between 2006 and 2014.
Lam was a member of the Appeal Board Panel (Town Planning) from 19 December 2007 to 19 December 2013 and Deputy Chairman from 19 December 2015 to 19 December 2021.
Lam was an adjudicator of the Registration of Persons Tribunal between 1 December 2008 and 1 December 2014.
Lam was a member of the Amusement Game Centres Appeal Board from 30 May 2010 to 29 May 2016 and Chairman from 30 May 2016 to 29 May 2020.
On 16 May 2014, Lam was appointed by the Chief Executive, Leung Chun-ying, as Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Apeals Board for a term of 3 years with effect from 1 June 2014. He was later appointed as Chairman of the Administrative Apeals Board for a term of 3 years with effect from 11 June 2016, and subsequently re-appointed by the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, for a term of 3 years with effect from 11 June 2019.
Lam was appointed to the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards for a term of 2 years from 19 June 2014 to 18 June 2016. He was subsequently re-appointed and his term was extended to 18 June 2020.
Lam was appointed as a member of the Air Transport Licensing Authority for a term from 1 August 2016 to 31 July 2022.
Lam was appointed as a member of the Trade and Industry Advisory Board from 1 September 2017 to 31 December 2021.
On 7 December 2018, Lam was appointed as Chairman of the Consumer Council for a term of 2 years from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020. On 11 December 2020, Lam was re-appointed for a further term of 2 years from 1 January 2021.
Law enforcement-related posts
Lam served as a member of the Complaints Committee of the Independent Commission Against Corruption between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018.
Since 1 January 2019, Lam has served as a member of the Operations Review Committee of the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Lam was a member of the Panel of Witness Protection Review Board from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020.
Lam was appointed as a member of the Independent Police Complaints Council from 4 September 2019 to 3 September 2021.
Judicial post
Lam sat part-time as a Deputy High Court Judge in the Court of First Instance in March–April 2015, February–March 2016, March–April 2017, April–May 2018, February–March and November–December 2019, June–July and December 2020, February–March 2021 and April–May 2022.