Hong Kong Ordinances

LEGAL AID ORDINANCE - SECT 4

Panels of counsel and solicitors

(1) The Director shall prepare and maintain separate panels of counsel and
solicitors enrolled on the rolls of barristers or solicitors maintained in
accordance with the provisions of the Legal Practitioners  Ordinance (
Cap 159) who are willing to investigate, report and give an opinion upon
applications for the grant of legal aid and to act for aided  persons.
(Amended 14 of 1982 s.3)

(2) The Director shall enter in the panel any limitation as to the number per
annum or as to the type of proceedings in which a counsel or solicitor is
prepared to act for aided persons and shall give effect to such limitation.
(Replaced 54 of 1984 s.3)

(3) Any counsel and solicitor shall be entitled to have his name included on
the panel unless the Director is satisfied that there is good reason for
excluding him by reason of his conduct when acting or assigned to act for
persons receiving legal aid or of his professional conduct generally.

(4) The Director shall not include the name of a counsel or solicitor on the
panel unless he is satisfied that such counsel or solicitor has a current
practising certificate and shall remove from the panels the name of any
counsel or solicitor who does not have a current practising certificate.

(5) Subject to the provisions of section 25(2), any counsel or solicitor may
at any time request the Director to remove his name from the panel and the
Director shall comply with such request. (Amended 54 of 1984 s.3)