Situating social problems in the context of law: fostering public interest lawyers in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is often perceived as a global financial centre; an international, cosmopolitan city. Though Hong Kong has prospered economically, a myriad of social problems persist which undermine equity and social justice in society and many interest groups lack political and legal representation. Consequentially, the development of public interest law provides a pedagogical opportunity to cultivate individuals with the capacity to critically engage with and respond to social problems in society. While clinical legal education programmes provide one avenue of fostering public interest lawyers, socio-legal courses also provide a valuable means of developing socially responsible lawyers. First examining the context of Hong Kong law, this article considers the development of public interest law in Hong Kong and the role of socio-legal courses in fostering the development of public interest lawyers. Specifically, the article examines The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law’s flagship course, ‘The Individual, the Community and the Law’ to explore how socio-legal courses can foster socially responsible lawyers.