Dr the Honourable Elsie Leung Oi Sie was the first Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong. She was educated in Hong Kong, passed her Law Society Qualifying Examination in 1967 and graduated with a LLM degree from HKU in 1988, the first time the degree was awarded by the University.
As Secretary for Justice, she headed the Department of Justice from 1997 to 2005. She was, during the same period, a member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong. Since 2006, she became and is currently a Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the PRC. Dr Leung is a Consultant Solicitor of the firm of Iu, Lai & Li, a Notary Public, and a China Appointed Attesting Officer.
Dr Leung has been active in the legal profession and the community at large. She has served as President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, and on various government boards and committees, including the Independent Police Complaints Council, Social Welfare Advisory Committee and Inland Revenue Board of Review. She was also honorary legal adviser to many non-governmental organisations. Currently, she continues to lend her leadership and counsel to several NGOs.
She was appointed a Delegate of the People's Congress of Guangdong Province in 1989. In 1993, she was appointed as a Delegate of the 8th National People's Congress as well as a Hong Kong Affairs Adviser.
She holds honorary degrees from the China University of Political Science & Law, Warwick University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University and the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. Dr Leung was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2002.
In recognition of her contributions to the law and society, the University has resolved to confer upon her the degree of Doctor of Social Sciences honoris causa.
