The Department is committed to ensure that no one who qualifies for legal aid is denied access to justice because of lack of means. Every year the Department organises or participates in various activities to enhance the public's awareness and knowledge of the legal aid services provided by the Department.

Promotion of Legal Aid Services to External Bodies/Organizations

In 2015, we met with a number of counterpart organisations from overseas and the Mainland to exchange views on issues of common interest in legal aid work and spoke on the latest development of legal aid in Hong Kong.

In February 2015, the Director of Legal Aid, Mr Thomas Kwong and the Acting Deputy Director of Legal Aid (Litigation), Ms Juliana OY Chan, met with Mrs Sotheavy Chan, Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, Cambodia to discuss the provision of legal aid services in Hong Kong.

Reaching out to the Community

In January 2015, Senior Legal Aid Counsel (Civil Litigation 2), Ms Ada Chau gave a talk on Hong Kong’s legal aid system to the staff and volunteers of Po Leung Kuk Tsui Lam Centre. In addition, Assistant Director of Legal Aid (Policy and Development), Ms Doris Lui introduced the Department’s legal aid services to the staff and users of Hong Kong Family Welfare Society’s Women and Family Enhancement Centre in Shau Kei Wan.

In April 2015, Senior Legal Aid Counsel (Application and Processing Division), Miss Doreen Chan briefed volunteers of the Hong Kong Children & Youth Services on the provision of legal aid in Hong Kong and matrimonial legal aid cases during their visit to the Department.

In August 2015, Legal Aid Counsel (Civil Litigation 2), Mr Paul Yau gave a talk on legal aid services, custody matters and maintenance for children to social workers of Mother’s Choice at its Kwun Tong centre.

In September 2015, Assistant Official Solicitor (Official Solicitor’s Office), Ms Juliana MK Chan delivered a talk to Form 6 students of Delia Memorial School (Hop Wo) to promote the awareness of legal aid services among the ethnic minorities community in Hong Kong.

Updating of Departmental Leaflets

To inform the public of new payment methods for making payments for contributions through Automatic Teller Machines or internet banking, “Important Notice for Legally Aided Persons” series - Application and Processing Division, Personal Injuries Litigation, Family Litigation, Insolvency Litigation and Crime Section, were revised to include these new payment methods.

“How to Apply Legal Services” leaflet and “Guide to Legal Aid Services in Hong Kong” booklet were updated to inform members of the public the change of the new name of Home Affairs Bureau’s “Pilot Scheme to Provide Legal Advice for Litigants in Person” to “Legal Advice Scheme for Unrepresented Litigants on Civil Procedures (Procedural Advice Scheme)”.

Other publications such as the Financial Information Sheet, which contained comprehensive information on financial eligibility, deductible personal allowances, contributions payable by an aided person towards the costs of litigation and the Director's First Charge were also revised to reflect changes implemented in 2015.

A list of publications of the Department is at Appendix 5.

Further Measures to Combat Improper Touting Activities

As a measure to further combat improper touting activities of claims recovery agents among injured workers and accident victims, the Department has arranged the TV API on anti-touting activities produced by the Department of Justice to be broadcasted in three waiting areas of the Department from 1 August 2015 to 31 July 2016, including Information & Application Services (IASU) of Application & Processing Division and Crime Section of Litigation Division on 25/F of Queensway Government Offices; and IASU of Kowloon Branch Office on G/F, Mongkok Government Offices. The same TV API was also broadcasted at 27 venues of the Home Affairs Department including its two Public Enquiry Service Centres in Central and Western District Office and Wan Chai District Office and 25 Community Halls/Community Centres in six Districts for the same period.

In June 2015, the Director of Legal Aid, Mr Thomas Kwong, together with other directorate staff met with a NGO to discuss combating improper touting activities at the policy level.

Website

The Department regularly updates the contents of its website to provide comprehensive and timely information to the public and legal aid practitioners. In 2015, the Department continued enhancing the homepage to meet with the latest requirements of the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.