Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang, who will leave his post at the end of the month to take early retirement, has been appointed an honorary professor of law at Chinese University.
The university made the announcement yesterday as Li, who has been credited with maintaining public confidence in the judiciary since the handover, prepares to leave his post after having announced unexpectedly last year that he would leave at 61, short of the retirement age of 65.
Chinese University's law faculty, established in 2005, is young compared with the law departments of the University of Hong Kong and City University, which were started in 1969 and 1987, respectively.
Barrister and lawmaker Ronny Tong Ka-wah SC said that in joining the youngest law programme, Li would have more scope to affect its development.
Professor Mike McConville, dean of the faculty of law at the Chinese University, said the appointment was a major milestone for the faculty.
'Chief Justice Li has been emblematic of all that is best in the common law: dispassionate in his judgments, measured, objective, independent, dignified and courteous. He has gained the respect of all who have appeared before the CFA and it is a selfless act on his part that he is willing to share his unrivalled knowledge with students who are just embarking upon a legal career,' he said.