School of Law Virtual Graduation Ceremony for Classes of 2019 and 2020
In view of the rapidly evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the College/School graduation ceremony for the Classes of 2019 and 2020 at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has been changed to online. The School of Law (SLW) graduation ceremony was pre-recorded and live broadcasted on 3 February 2021 (Wednesday) at 11:30am.
Professor TAN Cheng-Han, SC (Singapore), Dean of SLW, the Honourable Mr Justice Robert TANG Kwok-ching, GBM, QC, SC, JP, Non-Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, and our graduate representatives Ms LEUNG Yen San and Mr LUI Kwan Ting Victor each gave an address for our graduates. Professor LIN Feng, Acting Dean of SLW, presided at the ceremony.
Professor TAN Cheng-Han, SC (Singapore), Dean of SLW, first gave an address to our graduates. He had three pieces of advice for sharing with our graduates. First, it is inevitable to expect disappointment and setbacks. Second, even as graduates push boundaries,stay within what is right, honest and ethical. Third, this is not the end of the learning journey; in many ways it simply marks a new beginning. At last, he added “as a famous Chinese saying goes, “studying is like sailing against the current; either you keep forging ahead, or you keep falling behind.” And so it is too with life. Graduates of 2019 and 2020, while you are graduating into an ocean of uncertainty, I trust that you will forge ahead to sail through these challenging tides and emerge stronger, more knowledgeable, and more experienced so as to leave your mark in society.”
The SLW was honoured to have the Honourable Mr Justice Robert TANG Kwok-ching, GBM, QC, SC, JP, Non-Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal to give an address. He gave very warm congratulations to the graduates: “Today we congratulate the graduates whose hard work have brought them here. Today, we also celebrate the help given by their families, friends and teachers which have made their success possible. All of you have every reason to be happy and proud.” He reminded the graduates that “Everyone must live within the law. They might not like or agree with all the law. Some, they might consider to be too lax, some too draconian. It does not matter. With exceptions which do not apply here, laws have to be obeyed and enforced. In doing so, one must have regard to the language as well as the spirit of the law. "
Ms LEUNG Yen San,the LLB graduate of 2019 graduating class, thanked her families: “As an international student, I wholeheartedly thank my family for letting me go far from home to pursue my passion in this beautiful foreign land.” She then thanked the SLW:“Thank you for preparing us for this journey. We were taught to think out of the box, to accept that there are no definite answers to legal questions as they always “depend on circumstances”. Indeed, even life is subject to changes and interpretations. We have learnt to explore different methods to find our way and that being different from others does not mean we are wrong.” Finally, she thanked her classmates and friends for backing one another."
Mr LUI Kwan Ting Victor,the LLB graduate of 2020 graduating class, shared what they learnt in the past four years, i.e.“Knowing what the law is, what it stands for, why it matters and where my interest lies in the law. We studied. We made mistakes, and today here we are. In our not so distant yet not so certain future, one thing is certain. That the things we acquire in the SLW be of assistance in the future. Be it logical thinking. Be it the continuous learning. Be it this certificate of graduation."
The graduation ceremony marks the beginning of a new journey for the graduates. The SLW is confident that the graduates have what it takes to succeed and wishes them the very best and look forward to hearing about the wonderful things that we know they will do.
The graduation booklet can be downloaded here.
鑒於COVID-19迅速變化的情況，香港城市大學（城大）為學系/學院2019及2020年畢業班的畢業典禮已改為網上舉行。法律學院畢業典禮預先錄製，並於2021年2月3日（星期三）上午11時30分於網上直播。
城大法律學院院長陳清漢教授、新加坡資深律師，香港終審法院非常任法官鄧國楨先生GBM, QC, SC, JP，及畢業生梁艷杉和雷鈞霆分別在典禮上致辭。城大法律學院署理院長林峰教授宣佈典禮開始。
法律學院院長陳清漢教授、新加坡資深律師首先致辭，並與畢業生分享三點建議。第一，無可避免要準備好面對挫折、失望。第二，即使畢業生立定心志超越自己，請他們持守正直、誠實及是非之心。第三，畢業不是終結，而是人生旅程的另一個新開始。致辭結尾陳教授對畢業生說：「中國古訓這樣說：「學如逆水行舟，不進則退。」人生何嘗不是如此？各位2019及2020年的畢業生，你們將要踏入不定的世途，深願你們在驚濤駭浪中能夠奮力前進，成為更堅強、更有學問、更有經驗的人才，在世界中留下屬於你的軌跡。」
法律學院很榮幸得到香港終審法院非常任法官鄧國楨先生GBM, QC, SC, JP，為畢業生致辭。
鄧法官熱烈的祝賀各位畢業生，並對畢業生說: 「今天，我們恭賀努力學習而完成學業的畢業生，同時表揚協助他們取得成功的家人、好友和老師。各位絕對有理由在今天感到高興和自豪。」他提醒畢業生「雖然未必每個人都喜歡或同意每一條法例，但所有人均須遵守法律。部分人或會認為有些法例太寬鬆，而有些法例則太嚴苛。不過，這沒關係。除了例外的情況（但該等例外情況在此並不適用），所有法例均需執行及遵守。因此，我們必須遵照法律的文本及精神生活。」
2019年畢業班法律學學士畢業生梁艷杉首先感謝她的家人: 「身為一名國際學生，我要衷心感謝我的家人，讓我離家在這片美麗的異國土地，追求自己的一片天。」然後她感謝各位法律學院老師: 「感謝您們幫助我們裝備自己，為未來作出充分準備。您們教導我們要跳出框架思考，要明白法律問題沒有標準答案，它們總要「視情況而定」。的確，即便人生也在不斷變化。我們因此學會探索不同的方法解決問題；也認識到與別人不同並不等於我們有錯。」最後她也感謝各位同窗、朋友，感謝有他們風雨同路。
2020年畢業班法律學學士畢業生雷鈞霆分享在法律學院四年的學習重點: 「這裡的教育令我知道所學何物、以及其重量，發掘自己屬意那個範疇，然後讓我有能力做適合自己甚至社會的決策。這裡允許我學習、允許我犯錯、允許我嘗試，無論將來我選擇任何道路，這種精神和學習模式都令我受用匪淺。我相信，法律學院最重要的未必是這張文憑，而是培養出擁有獨立思維，肯嘗試跟樂於持續學習的大家。」
畢業典禮過後意味著畢業生要展開新旅程。法律學院對畢業生們很有信心，知道他們有足夠的能力和潛質在社會上獲得成就。祝願畢業生們前程錦繡，並期待他們在職場上將會有出色的表現。
畢業典禮場刊可以在這裡下載。