Hong Kong Bar Association clears 38 barristers in payment probe tied to protest defence fund
- Barristers were accused of wrongly accepting payments from legal defence fund that supported protesters arrested during anti-government demonstrations
- But body sends ‘letter of advice’ to four barristers found to have breached Code of Conduct by failing to keep required documentation
An investigation by the Hong Kong Bar Association has cleared 38 barristers accused of wrongly accepting payments from a legal defence fund that supported protesters arrested during the anti-government demonstrations in 2019.
But association chairman and Senior Counsel Victor Dawes on Friday said the body had sent a “letter of advice” to four barristers who were found to have “technically” breached the bar’s Code of Conduct by failing to keep some required documentation.
“As to the four cases involving breaches of the code, these are technical, but nonetheless still breaches,” he said. “From the perspective of the legal profession, the code should always be strictly adhered to and is vigorously enforced by the Bar Council.
“The complaints and investigation on this occasion serve as a reminder to all members of the need to abide by the code strictly, so as to maintain the high standard of integrity of the bar, and to avoid doubts from the public.”
National security police lodged complaints with the association and the Law Society in May 2022 after the force’s investigation into the now-closed 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund uncovered “suspected misconduct by solicitors and barristers” in their provision of legal services.