PRESS RELEASES | JUN 26, 2023
Honouring the memory of Dr. the Hon. Sir Ti Liang Yang
The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law mourns the passing of Dr. the Hon. Sir Ti Liang Yang, GBM, former Chief Justice of Hong Kong and a longtime friend and patron of our law school. Justice Yang’s commitment to the Rule of Law and his ground breaking achievements have left an indelible mark on Hong Kong’s legal and judicial landscape. His unwavering support for our law school has won him the hearts of many of our alumni.
Born in Shanghai and educated at Soochow University Law School, Justice Yang continued his legal studies in the United Kingdom and was subsequently called to the Bar in England. He began his illustrious career in the Hong Kong judiciary as a magistrate in 1956, and served with distinction for four decades. In 1988, he made history as the first local Hong Kong Chinese Chief Justice, a position he held until 1996.
Throughout his judicial career, Justice Yang presided over the trials of many landmark cases in Hong Kong’s legal history, including the Godber case, and chaired important commissions of inquiry such as the MacLennan inquiry. Under Justice Yang’s leadership, the local and international standing of the Hong Kong judiciary rose significantly. He actively promoted the localisation of the Hong Kong judiciary and championed the increased use of the Chinese language in judicial proceedings.
Justice Yang’s contributions to the University of Hong Kong and our Faculty of Law were equally remarkable. He served as Council Chairman of HKU from 1985 to 2001, and as Pro-Chancellor of the University from 1994 to 2001. His close association with our law school saw him hold the position of Honorary Patron of our students’ Law Association for decades. Alumni from the 1970s and 1980s will fondly recall Justice and Mrs. Yang attending every Law Association annual ball and generously donating prized items for the raffle draws. Justice Yang also presided over moots at our law school and served as an honorary lecturer. His presence and guidance during Lord Denning’s visit to our law school in the 1970s further exemplify his dedication to our institution.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of Justice TL Yang, and convey our deepest condolences to his family and friends. Justice Yang was a true pioneer and inspiration in Hong Kong’s legal and judicial history. His legacy will continue to shape the future of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and his memory will be cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
緬懷楊鐵樑大法官
前首席大法官、大紫荊勛賢楊鐵樑爵士日前辭世，香港大學法律學院上下深切哀悼。他熱心支持法律學院，深受校友愛戴。楊官對法治的承擔、以及對整個法律界的貢獻，在香港法律史上寫下不朽的一章。
楊官生於上海，就讀於東吳大學法學院，後赴英國完成其法律課程，並取得大律師資格。1956年加入司法機構由裁判司做起，為官四十載，表現卓越；1988年成為香港首位土生土長的首席大法官，領導司法機構，直至1996年。
多年來楊官主審了許多重要案件如葛柏案，亦主持了包括調查麥樂倫案在內的多個重要調查委員會。他致力推動法律體系本地化，又將中文引入司法程序，在楊官的領導下，司法制度於本地和國際的地位顯著提高。
楊官對香港大學及其法律學院的貢獻同樣非凡：1985年至2001年出任香港大學校務委員會主席，1994年至2001年擔任香港大學副校監。楊官自70年代已心繫當時的法律系，出任名譽講師和多次主持模擬法庭辯論，並向當時來訪的英國大法官鄧寧勳爵介紹法律系。 此外他亦以榮譽贊助人身份，長期支持法律學會（即學生會）的活動，見証法學生的成長，他和夫人每年都參加法律學會的年度舞會，為抽獎活動捐贈珍貴獎品，至今仍為七八十年代的校友津津樂道。
學院對楊官的離世深感痛心，並向其親友致以誠摯的慰問。楊官為香港法律史和司法史上的偉人，胸懷遠見，不懈求進，為人處事的典範將長留師生心中。
Lord Denning, Master of the Rolls (right), and Ti Liang Yang, then a High Court judge presided over a moot in the Department of Law, April 1977.
英國大法官鄧寧勳爵(右)和時任高等法院法官的楊鐵樑(左) 於1977年4月主持港大法律系的模擬法庭辯論。
1994 marked the Silver Jubilee of the Faculty of Law. Justice Yang supported the Annual Ball of the Law Association (left) and presided the Law Congregation, handing personally to graduates a special certificate (right), as Chief Justice of Hong Kong and Pro-Chancellor of The University of Hong Kong.
1994年為法律學院的銀禧院慶，時任首席大法官及港大副校監的楊官除了支持法律學會的年度舞會(左)，更主持畢業典禮，親授紀念證書。