“I needed to visit many different departments, and I also had to pay court fees, so I didn’t even dare to eat. Every night I was so hungry I could not sleep.”
Working on a construction site in Hong Kong, “Mr. J” slipped off a building. The fall left him disabled, and before long, facing a myriad of legal issues. The eviction notice came first. He needed time, money, and advice to stave off homelessness, none of which was readily available. Ultimately, Mr. J kept his home but fell further down the security ladder, pushing him into a more marginal existence than before the accident.
A Report by PILnet and DLA Piper
Prompted by the needs of those like Mr. J, PILnet and DLA Piper examined the status of access to justice in Hong Kong in a new report, THIS WAY – Finding Community Legal Assistance in Hong Kong. The report considers the legal needs of low income and vulnerable communities in Hong Kong, the free legal services that are available, and the gaps that exist in between. The report suggests that early legal assistance is the key to access to justice in Hong Kong.
