My first 3 minutes in Hong Kong’s court
A barrister looks back on how his first hearing taught him about the importance of being knowledgeable and precise, even in brief proceedings
Preparing for my first ever court hearing did not feel like the beginning of a career milestone. It felt more like being handed an important responsibility before I fully understood what was required.
I was in the middle of limited practice, absorbing how work gets done in chambers – how documents are handled, how time pressures shape decisions. Then a chamber mate of my pupil master asked me to appear in court. The task was not complicated, it was for a routine time extension to file pleadings. But to a fledgling pupil barrister, this was a challenge.
In practical terms, I had a very short runway. I needed to be ready within a limited time, and I needed to prepare for all eventualities from the opposing side, even for a three-minute hearing.