Human resources

The people who work for the Department are its most valuable asset. An important aspect of the Division’s human resources function is to attract and retain talents. This objective is achieved through:

A key part of this function is the running of the Department’s Legal Trainee Scheme. The Scheme enables Postgraduate Certificate in Laws graduates from local universities or serving civil servants in the legal/judicial group of departments who hold recognised qualifications to complete in the Department the practical training required before qualifying as barristers or solicitors. Trainees of the Scheme have unique opportunities to work with other government bureaux/departments, law enforcement agencies and outside counsel. Ten law graduates joined the Scheme each in 2012 and 2013, and 12 in 2014. The number of applications on each occasion greatly exceeded the number of places.

In addition, the Department conducted open recruitment exercises annually to recruit Government Counsel on civil service terms to bring in fresh blood. A total of 28, 29 and 27 candidates were offered appointment in 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. The Department also recruits summer interns under a Post-Secondary Student Summer Internship Programme. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, 23, 24 and 38 summer interns were accepted respectively.