Michael David Thomas, CMG, KC, SC (born on 8 September 1933; ) is a retired

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

, who served as the penultimate

Attorney General of Hong Kong The Secretary for Justice () is the head of the Department of Justice (Hong Kong), Hong Kong Department of Justice, the chief legal advisor to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and the chief law enforcement officer of the Government of Hong Ko ...

before the

transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong Transfer may refer to: Arts and media * ''Transfer'' (2010 film), a German science-fiction movie directed by Damir Lukacevic and starring Zana Marjanović * ''Transfer'' (1966 film), a short film * ''Transfer'' (journal), in management studies ...

in 1997. He served in the post from 1983 to 1988, under the governorships of

Edward Youde Sir Edward Youde (; Cantonese: ''Yau Tak''; 19 June 1924 – 5 December 1986) was a British administrator, diplomat and Sinologist. He served as Governor of Hong Kong between 20 May 1982 and his death on 5 December 1986. Early years Youde ...

and David Wilson.

Early life

Thomas was born to parents Cardigan and Kathleen Thomas in southeast England. He attended

Chigwell School Chigwell School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school in the English Public School (United Kingdom), public school tradition located in Chigwell, in the Epping Forest (district), Epping Forest district of Essex. It consists of ...

Education

Thomas attended the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

. He received a Middle Temple Blackstone Entrance Scholarship in 1952. He was called to the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...

and became a

in 1955.

Career

Practice in England

Until 1983, Thomas specialised in commercial and maritime law in England. He was Treasury Counsel for the Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy as a junior and advised on the '

Torrey Canyon SS ''Torrey Canyon'' was an LR2 Suezmax class oil tanker with a cargo capacity of of crude oil. She ran aground off the western coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom, on 18 March 1967, causing an environmental disaster. At that time she was the l ...

' casualty. He acted for the Tribunal at several maritime inquiries and an inquiry into an aircraft crash near Heathrow.Michael Thomas' CV on Temple Chambers website (2013) Thomas was made a

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of ...

in 1973. He was appointed a

bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can ...

of Middle Temple in 1981. In silk, Thomas appeared as counsel before tribunals in England (including the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

and

Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

), Singapore, Hong Kong, New York and Lisbon. He sat as Chairman of Boards of Investigation appointed by the UK government and by the Liberian government into shipping casualties.

Attorney General of Hong Kong

In 1983, Thomas was invited to become

and served in that position until 1988. In his capacity as Attorney General, he was a member of the

Executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...

and

Legislative A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known as p ...

Councils and was Joint Chairman of the

Law Reform Commission A law commission, law reform commission, or law revision commission is an independent body set up by a government to conduct law reform; that is, to consider the state of laws in a jurisdiction and make recommendations or proposals for legal chang ...

. In 1984, he played a part in the ultimate settlement of the

Sino-British Joint Declaration The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a treaty between the governments of the United Kingdom and China signed in 1984 setting the conditions in which Hong Kong was transferred to Chinese control and for the governance of the territory after ...

. For this, he was made a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

(CMG).

Practice in Hong Kong and England

After finishing his term as Attorney General, Thomas recommenced private practice at the bar in England and Hong Kong, and established himself as a leading advocate. He was a member of Temple Chambers, Hong Kong. Before his retirement he specialised in appellate advocacy before the Court of Final Appeal or Court of Appeal and cases of

judicial review Judicial review is a process under which executive, legislative and administrative actions are subject to review by the judiciary. A court with authority for judicial review may invalidate laws, acts and governmental actions that are incompat ...

, but stopped undertaking trial work at first instance, either civil or criminal. He argued in cases on the government's behalf in 2005 and 2009.

Retirement

Thomas retired from practice at the end of 2013. His last court hearing was in the Hong Kong Court of Appeal in the case o
Re Mably
The Court of Appeal in their judgment thanked Thomas for his service to Hong Kong as follows:

Personal life

Thomas has been married three times. By his first wife, Jane Lena Mary, he has four children; David Francis Cardigan born on 16 April 1960; Sian Katharine Mary born on 22 January 1962, Daniel Michael Winston born on 30 January 1965, and Rachel Fiona born on 31 July 1969. His current wife is

Lydia Dunn, Baroness Dunn Lydia Selina Dunn, Baroness Dunn, (; born 29 February 1940) is a Hong Kong-born retired British businesswoman and politician. She became the second person of Hong Kong origin (the first was Lawrence Kadoorie, Baron Kadoorie) and the first femal ...

, who was the Senior Unofficial Member of the

Legislative Council of Hong Kong The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LegCo) is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong. It sits under China's " one country, two systems" constitutional arrangement, and is the power centre of Hong Kong ...

1985-8 and of the

Executive Council of Hong Kong The Executive Council of Hong Kong (ExCo) is the cabinet of the Government of Hong Kong, acting as a formal body of advisers to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong that serves as a core policy-making organ assisting the Chief Executive. It is ...

in 1988–92.Lydia Dunn gives up seat in House of Lords
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Michael David 1933 births Living people English barristers Attorneys General of Hong Kong Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Hong Kong Senior Counsel People educated at Chigwell School Alumni of the London School of Economics Spouses of life peers HK LegCo Members 1985–1988 English King's Counsel