Topical Talk VIII

"Why do we need the Hong Kong Basic Law?"

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Dr. Thomas So delivered a talk entitled “Why do we need the Hong Kong Basic Law?” on 6 February 2024.

Dr. Thomas So is a Partner at Grandall Zimmern Law Firm with experience in advising on shareholders and equity-related disputes, property-related, libel, and media-related litigation work, as well as litigation and arbitration in the PRC. Dr. So is currently a Council Member of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Dr. So was a Founding Member and Chairman of eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre (eBRAM) and has been appointed Chairman since 2020. Dr. So is the Past President of The Law Society of Hong Kong and a Member of multiple arbitration and mediation committees in Asia, committed to promoting and improving the standard of legal and dispute resolution services in Hong Kong. In January 2018, Dr. So was appointed as a Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Member. He was commissioned as a Mediator of the Guangdong Court’s Cross-border Commercial Dispute Resolution in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area by The High People’s Court of Guangdong Province for 3 years. He obtained his Doctor of Laws from Tsinghua University and has been frequently invited by lecturers at various universities in Mainland China.

In this talk, Dr. Thomas So provided an in-depth analysis of the Basic Law, the founding document that protects the liberties, rights, and distinctive forms of the Hong Kong Government. It explores the vital function it plays in Hong Kong’s legal system as well as the historical background of its formation. Dr. Thomas So, JP, will explain the fundamental ideas and clauses of the Basic Law, emphasizing its importance for maintaining judicial independence, safeguarding human rights, and defending the rule of law. The talk will explore the dynamic relationship between the Central Government and the Hong Kong SAR, providing a deep understanding of how the Basic Law shapes governance in Hong Kong.