Eric Au Memorial Lecture

Legal Bilingualism in Medieval Europe and Hong Kong

Date & Time: June 6, 2024 (Thursday) 18:00 – 19:00 (HKT)

Venue: Academic Conference Room, 11/F, Cheng Yu Tung Tower, The University of Hong Kong

Language: English

(In-person only)

About the lecture:
Can a parallel be drawn between the adoption of Roman law in medieval and early modern Europe and the adoption of English common law in Hong Kong?  In both cases, the adoption of a legal system with a sophisticated commercial law has proved invaluable.  While bridging the gap between the language of the law and the vernacular language of ordinary people, thus making the law accessible and relevant to the people, is important for the legal system to take hold, internationalism and maintaining a spirit of openness are essential to the continuing growth and development of the law. This lecture will reflect upon how the medieval experience may inform the present in indicating potential ways forward for Hong Kong’s bilingual common law system.

Speaker:
The Honourable Madam Justice Carlye Chu is a vice president of the Hong Kong Court of Appeal.  She read law at The University of Hong Kong, obtaining her LLB and PCLL.  She received her LLM from the London School of Economics and MSocSc in Criminology from The University of Hong Kong.  She was a barrister in private practice before her appointment to the bench.