Backing for a man of intelligence, character and sense of humour

Colleagues and friends describe the newly-elected Bar Association chairman, Edward Chan King-sang, as highly intelligent, a strong character and an able barrister.

Mr Chan, 52, who was in the first batch of graduates from the University of Hong Kong's then newly-established law department, has had several firsts in his career since graduation.

He was the first local graduate to become a Queen's Counsel (1989) and to be appointed a recorder or part-time judge (1995).

Married with twins, Mr Chan is said to have a great sense of humour - a gift he displayed with ease at a media briefing after his election.

He shares his barrister's chambers with legislators Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee and Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, also a former Bar chair, and both colleagues have praised him liberally for his competence.

He has chaired the Bar's committee on legal education and served two years as former Bar chief Alan Leong Kah-kit's vice-chairman. Mr Chan was also elected overwhelmingly to serve on the legal subsector of the Election Committee and is on several advisory bodies.