The second annual Law for Change Student Competition, sponsored by the WYNG Foundation, is currently in process in Hong Kong, inspiring another class of future public interest lawyers to use law to build strong, sustainable, and resilient families within their communities.
In October 2018, ten competition finalists were selected and matched with their legal mentors to develop full proposals around the chosen theme of this year’s competition, “Community” with a focus of “Family.” PILnet organized two workshops for the finalist teams on project design, planning, budgeting, and monitoring and evaluation. Special thanks to Linklaters for hosting the first workshop and the NGO practitioners who attended the second workshop to provide feedback to the teams.
The ten finalist teams submitted their full proposals by the end of November 2018. They will present their proposals to the judges, and the winner and two runner-up teams will be announced in January 2019.
The winners and two runner-up teams will be awarded a seed grant of HK$50,000 and HK$25,000, respectively, to implement their projects within the year.
PILnet extends its deepest appreciation to the WYNG Foundation, as it has made the Law for Change Student Competition possible through its generous support.
2018 Judging Panel
PILnet is excited to present the panel of judges for the 2018 Law for Change Student Competition and thanks them for the time they have dedicated to empower the next generation of lawyers. The panel of judges is comprised of experts on the rule of law and social justice issues in Hong Kong.
Kay McArdle
Kay McArdle joined PathFinders as its first CEO in October 2013. PathFinders is a Hong Kong charity that works for Hong Kong’s most vulnerable children and their migrant mothers. Kay is responsible for PathFinders’ strategic development with particular focus on government, consular, academic and inter-agency relations; and PathFinders’ law and policy work. A Hong Kong- and UK-qualified lawyer and mediator by background, Kay previously worked at Mayer Brown JSM, Goldman Sachs, and Masons. In 2016, Kay won the Macquarie David Clarke Social Innovation Fellowship for her access to justice work. She is a director of the Child Development Centre and was previously a governor and board chair at The Women’s Foundation.
Moses Mui
Moses Mui is a registered social worker who has spent over 20 years in the social welfare sector. He is currently the Chief Officer (Family and Community) of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, mainly responsible for the service development in family and community services. Moses has worked in various agencies involving different professional areas including suicide prevention, family counselling, and community development. Moses is also a Council Member of Consortium of Institutes on Family in the Asia Region (CIFA), member of Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) Sub-committee on Treatment and Rehabilitation, member of Hong Kong Advisory Council on AIDS (ACA), panel member of Human Organ Transplant Board, and SC.Net member of Community Investment & Inclusion Fund.
Francis Ngai
Francis Ngai is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Social Ventures Hong Kong (SVhk). He is also the Deputy Chairman of the Asia Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN); Founder of Playtao Education, BottLess, and Sonova Institute; and Co-Founder of Green Monday and RunOurCity among other ventures. Since its establishment in 2007, SVhk has invented and incubated more than 40 social innovation projects. Being an Impact Purpose Organization, it is dedicated to innovating social change through pioneering impact ventures, cultivating movement of good and orchestrating impact capital. Francis was selected as one of the 100 Asia Pioneers by The Purpose Economy in 2014, a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum in 2012, and one of Hong Kong’s Ten Outstanding Young Persons in 2011.
Michael Vidler
Michael Vidler is the principal of Vidler & Co. Solicitors, which has litigated some of the Hong Kong’s leading public interest cases concerning equality, access to justice and discrimination. Michael has represented a diverse clientele including Ms. W, QT, Umbrella Movement leader Joshua Wong Chi-fung, social worker Ken Tsang Kinchiu, the Sunday Times Newspaper, WWF, Banker Rurik Jutting and the widow of Dil Bahadur Limbu in Hong Kong’s longest inquest proceedings into his shooting by police. He has served on the boards of AIDS Concern, Amnesty International Hong Kong, ethnic minority NGO Hong Kong Unison, Hong Kong Refugee Advice Centre and Pink Alliance. Michael was re-elected by the legal profession to sit on the 2017 Chief Executive’s Election Committee. He teaches advocacy on the PCLL course at the University of Hong Kong. He is the chairperson of the Law Society’s Working Party on Interpretation Services and sits on the Law Society’s Criminal Law and Procedure Committee and Legal Aid Committee. He is the proud recipient of the 2015 HKLGFF Prism Award. Vidler & Co. organizes and sponsors the annual inter-universities Hong Kong Human Rights Moot.
2018 Student Projects
| Team | Project Title | Team Members |
| 1 | Breastfeeding – A Choice? A Right! | Lam Yin Sze, So Yee Ting, and Wong Lok Yiu from the City University of Hong Kong |
| 2 | Children Care All-In-One | Chan Nikita In Wai, Chung Tsam In, and Lui Kwan Ting Victor from the City University of Hong Kong |
| 3 | Hand in Hand Project – Against Child Abuse | Dao Ching Yi Tina, Liu Yuen Ting, Tse Wan Tseng Ellie, and Yue Pui Yiu Priscilla from the Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| 4 | Restorative Justice Family Clinic | Chui Shin Hang Clifford, Or Hoi Yan Denise from the Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Wai Lok Yan Venisa from the University of Hong Kong |
| 5 | Ethnic Minority Domestic Violence Prevention Campaign (EMpower) | Chong Yip Fung Vincent, Lo Ting Hei Christine, and Tsang Hiu Chun Selina from the Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| 6 | Society Engaging Ethnic Minorities without Difference (SEED) | Chung Cheuk Kwan Christine, Lau Jeremiah Tien Zhen, Lee Wing Yan Romina, Leung Yee Ching, and Tang Jeremy Arthur from the Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| 7 | EF-Lab | Chan Karen, Cheng Hui Kiu, Poon Suet Yi Zoe, So Holly, and Tsoi Chak Hung from the University of Hong Kong |
| 8 | DomeHome | Chan Ling Kwan, Cheung Wing Man Flora, Fong Yin Wai, Kwok Yuet Yi, and Wong Ka Yui from the University of Hong Kong |
| 9 | Legal Initiative (Pro-Bono) for Refugee Empowerment (LIBRE) | Kwan Pui Paul, Liu Jingru Vicky, and Tse Mei Ying Gabrielle from the University of Hong Kong |
| 10 | Make-A-Will Hong Kong | Kwok Vivian Yee Ting, Ng Mei Suet Michelle, Ng Yat Yi, and Wu Jenny from the University of Hong Kong |
2018 Legal Mentors
Law firms
Special thanks to Law for Change Student Competition legal mentors for their guidance and support to the ten finalist teams.
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| Barristers | Kay K.W. Chan |
| Individual Lawyers | Angela Li
Christine Wong |
