Simon Li Fook-sean (; 19 April 1922 – 26 February 2013) was a Hong Kong senior judge and politician.
Education and judiciary career
Li was educated at the
King's College between 1937 and 1941 and then the
University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU was also the fi ...
. He also spent time studying on the Mainland China. He studied law at the
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
from 1947 to 1950 and was called to
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...
Bar in London in 1951.
He also received the
honoris causa
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
degree of
Doctor of Laws
A Doctor of Law is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Legum Doctor (LL. ...
from the
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a public research university in Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, formally established in 1963 by a charter granted by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is the territory's second-oldest university an ...
conferred on him in 1986.
He returned to Hong Kong and became a crown counsel in Hong Kong's
Legal Department
The Legal Department, headed by the Attorney General, was the department responsible for the laws of Hong Kong until 1997, when Hong Kong ceased to be a British crown colony.
The department was responsible for dealing with criminal cases an ...
in 1953. He became the judge of the
District Court in 1963.
Li was the first Chinese judge to be appointed to the
High Court in 1971 and was elevated to
Justice of Appeal in 1980. He was the first Chinese to be appointed to the Vice-President of the Court of Appeal in 1984.
In 1986 he became the first Hong Kong Chinese to act as
Chief Justice for the then Chief Justice
Denys Roberts
Sir Denys Tudor Emil Roberts (Traditional Chinese: 羅弼時爵士; 19 January 1923 – 20 May 2013) was a British colonial official and judge. Joining the colonial civil service as a Crown Counsel in Nyasaland (now Malawi) in 1953, he became ...
. He retired in 1987 at the age of 64 as the colony's most senior Chinese judge.
Politics
After 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 ...
was signed in 1984 which determined that Hong Kong's sovereignty to People's Republic of China in 1997, Li was appointed to the Independent Monitoring Team on the Assessment Office to monitor the acceptability of the Sino-British Draft Agreement.
He subsequently was appointed by the Beijing government to many positions during the transition period. He was a member of the
Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Drafting Committee (BLDC) was formed in June 1985 for the drafts of the Hong Kong Basic Law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) after 1997. It was formed as a working group ...
, a
Hong Kong Affairs Adviser
Hong Kong Affairs Advisers () were appointed by the Chinese government after the last Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten carried out his electoral reform in the British Hong Kong, in the eve of the handover of the sovereignty of the city-state fr ...
, and deputy director of the preliminary working committee of the
.
In the
1996 First Hong Kong Chief Executive election, Li campaigned against
Yang Ti-liang
Sir Ti-liang Yang, (; born 30 June 1929) is a retired senior Hong Kong judge. He was the Chief Justice of Hong Kong from 1988–1996, the only ethnic Chinese person to hold this office during British colonial rule.
He was a candidate in the ...
, who succeeded Denys Robert as Chief Justice;
Peter Woo
Peter Woo Kwong-ching, GBM, GBS, JP (; born September 5, 1946) is a Hong Kong billionaire businessman. He was the chairman of Wheelock and Company Limited ()and The Wharf Holdings Limited () until 19 May 2015. As of April 2021, his net wort ...
, tycoon and son-in-law of
Y. K. Pao, and the eventual winner
Tung Chee-hwa
Tung Chee-hwa (; born 7 July 1937) is a Hong Kong businessman and politician who served as the first Chief Executive of Hong Kong between 1997 and 2005, upon the transfer of sovereignty on 1 July. He is currently a vice-chairman of the Chin ...
.
Li initially supported
Lo Tak-shing
Lo may refer to any of the following:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Lo!'', the third published nonfiction work of the author Charles Fort
* L.O., a fictional character in the Playhouse Disney show Happy Monster Band
* ''Lo'' (film), a 2009 indep ...
for the Chief Executive race. After Lo withdrew, Li announced his own candidacy and became the last of the four to join the race. Li failed to get enough nominations, receiving just 43 votes, and was eliminated in the election. Tung won a landslide victory in the election by the 400-member
Selection Committee orchestrated by the Beijing government. In 1997, Li received Hong Kong's highest honour, the
Grand Bauhinia Medal
The Grand Bauhinia Medal () is the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system; it is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the ...
.
Public services
Li also held numerous positions including the vice-chairperson of Fu Hong Society, honorary steward of the
Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...
, director of his family owned
Bank of East Asia
The Bank of East Asia Limited, often abbreviated to BEA, is a Hong Kong banking and financial services company, headquartered in Central, Hong Kong. It is currently the largest independent local Hong Kong bank, and one of two remaining family ...
, director of King's College Old Boys' Association School Board, director of Rev. Joseph Carra Education Fund, council member of the Society for Rehabilitation, honorary president of the
Scout Association of Hong Kong
The Scout Association of Hong Kong is the largest scouting organisation in Hong Kong. Scout training was first introduced in Hong Kong in 1909 and 1910 by the Protestant based Boys' Brigade, Chums Scout Patrols and British Boy Scouts. The Catho ...
, chairman of the Insurance Claims Complaints Board, and director and chairman of the Widow and Orphan Pension Board.
He also established the Mr Li Koon Chun Memorial Fund and the Dr Simon Li Fook Sean and Madam Yang Yen Ying Fund for supporting the finances of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Death and family
Li suffered from ill health and was sent to hospital with a chronic respiration problem in about 2012. He died of heart failure at the
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, or HKSH, is a private hospital established in 1922 in Happy Valley, Hong Kong.
The hospital has more than 500 beds and various room types and facilities. It also has a 24 hours outpatient consultation service.
...
surrounded by his family on 26 February 2013 at the age of 91.
His brother
Ronald Li Fook-shiu was the chairman of the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. As of the end of 2020, it has 2,538 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of HK$47 trillion. It is repor ...
and was jailed for corruption in 1991. His nephews include former Legislative Councillor
David Li Kwok-po
Sir David Li Kwok-po (; born 13 March 1939, London, England) is a Hong Kong banker and politician. He is the Executive Chairman of the Bank of East Asia and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong. He was a member of the Legislative ...
, the
Bank of East Asia
The Bank of East Asia Limited, often abbreviated to BEA, is a Hong Kong banking and financial services company, headquartered in Central, Hong Kong. It is currently the largest independent local Hong Kong bank, and one of two remaining family ...
chairman and
Arthur Li Kwok-cheung
Arthur Li Kwok-cheung, Grand Bauhinia Medal, GBM, Gold Bauhinia Star, GBS justice of the peace, JP (; born 27 June 1945) is a Hong Kong doctor and politician. He is currently member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, Executive Council of ...
, deputy chairman at the bank, former
Secretary for Education and former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the
Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a public research university in Ma Liu Shui, Hong Kong, formally established in 1963 by a charter granted by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It is the territory's second-oldest university an ...
.
Simon Li had four sons and one daughter. His second son Joseph Li died suddenly in Britain in 1995. His only daughter
Gladys Li
Gladys Veronica Li, QC, SC (; born 1948), is a Barrister in England, a Senior Counsel at the Hong Kong Bar with a constitutional law and human rights practice, and a founding member of the Hong Kong Civic Party.
Career
Li began to take an int ...
was the ex-chairwoman of the
Hong Kong Bar Association
The Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) is the professional regulatory body for barristers in Hong Kong. The Law Society of Hong Kong is the equivalent association for solicitors in Hong Kong.
Victor Dawes SC is the current chairman of the Cou ...
and member of the
Civic Party
The Civic Party (CP) is a pro-democracy liberal political party in Hong Kong. It is currently chaired by barrister Alan Leong.
The party was formed in 2006 on the basis of the Basic Law Article 45 Concern Group, which was derived from the B ...
. She also represented the domestic helpers in the ''
Vallejos v. Commissioner of Registration
''Vallejos and Domingo v. Commissioner of Registration'' was a court case against the government of Hong Kong by two foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) seeking permanent residence and the right of abode in Hong Kong. Because of its subject matter ...
''.
Li is of Waitun village,
Heshan,
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
ancestry.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Simon
1922 births
2013 deaths
British Hong Kong judges
Recipients of the Grand Bauhinia Medal
Alumni of the University of Hong Kong
Alumni of King's College, Hong Kong
Alumni of University College London
Members of Lincoln's Inn
Hong Kong philanthropists
Members of the Preparatory Committee for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee members
Hong Kong Affairs Advisors
Li family of Hong Kong
20th-century philanthropists