Dennis Kwok

Dennis Kwok Wing-hang (Chinese: 郭榮鏗; born 15 April 1978 in Edmonton) is a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council representing the Legal functional constituency from 2012 to 2016 and a founding member of Civic Party. He is also the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee and the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services under the Hong Kong Legislative Council.

The Honourable

Dennis Kwok Wing-hang
郭榮鏗
Member of the Legislative Council
Assumed office
1 October 2012
Preceded byMargaret Ng
ConstituencyLegal
Personal details
Born (1978-04-15) 15 April 1978
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political partyCivic Party
Professional Commons
Alma materLa Salle Primary School
Rugby School
King's College London (LL.B)
University of Hong Kong (PCLL)
OccupationBarrister
Dennis Kwok Wing-hang
Traditional Chinese郭榮鏗

Early career

He was educated at King's College London (LLB, 1999) and the University of Hong Kong (PCLL). He was admitted as a solicitor in the High Court of Hong Kong in 2002 and to the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales in 2003.

He subsequently left his practice as a solicitor to join the Bar in 2006 with a focus in civil and public administrative law. In 2008, he served on the Bar Council.

Political career

In 2006, Dennis was elected as an Election Committee Member for the Legal Functional Constituency, and was re-elected in 2011.

In 2007, he co-founded The Professional Commons, a public policy think-tank, and in 2008, he joined the Citizens Commission for Constitutional Development headed by the former Chief Secretary, Mrs. Anson Chan.

He took part in the 2011 District Council Election (South Horizons East constituency) but he was defeated.[1]

In 2012, he succeeded Margaret Ng and won the seat of Legal functional constituency in Legislative Council.

Filibustering

When he assumed office, as the new legal-sector lawmaker, he said he would challenge any effort by the pro-government camp to prevent filibustering tactics, arguing that "the existing rules of procedure already make it sufficiently difficult for members to continue to filibuster without limitation".[2]

Since October 2019, Dennis Kwok has been accused of misconduct by paralysing Legco with filibustering tactics by Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.[3] In April 2020, pro-establishment lawmakers have argued that Dennis Kwok was "no longer fit" to preside over sessions as his continued filibustering tactics had left multiple pieces of legislation in limbo.[4] The move eventually descended into a shouting match, where eleven opposition lawmakers were thrown out by a pro-establishment leader who took control of a key committee to begin clearing a backlog of bills for review.[5][6]

References
  2. "Lawmaker Dennis Kwok to oppose proposed curbs on filibusters". South China Morning Post. 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  3. "More arguments as Legco's gridlocked House Committee meets". South China Morning Post. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  4. "Hong Kong lawmakers debate but fail to break committee deadlock". South China Morning Post. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  5. "Wall-climbing, shouts, scuffles: Hong Kong Legco committee talks turn ugly". South China Morning Post. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  6. "Hong Kong lawmakers debate but fail to break committee deadlock". South China Morning Post. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Preceded by
Margaret Ng		 Member of Legislative Council
Representative for Legal
2012–present		 Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded by
Kwok Wai-keung
Member of the Legislative Council		 Hong Kong order of precedence
Member of the Legislative Council		 Succeeded by
Christopher Cheung
Member of the Legislative Council
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