Former director of public prosecutions Peter Nguyen, SC, was made a High Court judge yesterday as the Judiciary entered a new era with 33 fresh appointments.
The Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance each gained three judges, the District Court gained six, and 12 new magistrates were named.
Two highly respected Law Lords from England were made non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal.
The High Court now has a new deputy registrar and six new part-time recorders.
Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang said the appointments, in which native Chinese speakers outnumber expatriates by more than two to one, would help provide enough judges for cases heard in Cantonese.
The long-awaited appointments, the first below Court of Final Appeal level since the handover, were welcomed by the legal profession.
They ease concerns about the number of temporary judges being used in the courts.
