Programme Introduction
Pursue a career in Law
As the first local university qualification recognised for admission to legal practice in Hong Kong, our 4-year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) curriculum has a range of distinctive features to ensure the competitiveness of our graduates, including:
- A solid foundation in legal knowledge, transferable critical and analytical skills, and broadening of intellectual horizons;
- Systematic honing of professional skills such as critical thinking, analytical and problem solving skills, research and writing skills, and bilingual language proficiency; and
- Integrated experiential learning and capstone experience through an integrated sequence of legal research and writing, mooting, internship and clinical legal education.
The LLB programme includes a professional core that equips students with a solid foundation in legal knowledge. It also offers the possibility of specialising in a particular area of law such as commercial law, Chinese law, or international trade and economic law, so that our graduates would have an edge over law graduates elsewhere with general legal training. Students have the option to pursue a minor in a non-law discipline offered by the University.
In addition to the LLB programme, students may consider our enriching double degree programmes offered in partnership with the Faculty of Arts, the HKU Business School, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science. Students will earn two degrees from two faculties over five years of study.
Alternatively, students may also consider our exclusive dual degree programmes with the University College London (UCL) in the UK or Peking University (PKU) in Mainland China. Students will obtain two LLB degrees from two top-ranking law schools and put themselves on track to earn legal qualifications in both jurisdictions.
Students benefit from extensive opportunities for exchange and international experience. They may also opt for a second degree through the pathway programmes, which may enable them to practice law in both countries after the completion of the two degrees.
To practise law in Hong Kong, LLB graduates must pass the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL). The Faculty of Law at HKU offers a one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme. Upon completion, prospective solicitors must spend two years training as a trainee solicitor at a law firm or in the Department of Justice, and prospective barristers need to complete 12 months of pupillage. Admission to the PCLL offered by the Faculty of Law is open to law graduates from HKU and other approved universities and institutions in Hong Kong. Holders of other approved law qualifications who can demonstrate competence in the required core subjects are also eligible to apply. Admission is competitive and primarily based on the origin of the applicant's first law degree.
Our LLB degree is recognised by professional bodies and universities overseas. The Law Society of England grants exemptions from part 1 of the Common Professional Examination (CPE) and certain papers in part 1 of the Bar Professional Training Course for LLB graduates.;
Many graduates have pursued higher degrees at leading universities overseas, such as Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, University College London, and Yale continuing their legal journey at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions.
Hong Kong offers a dynamic and globally connected environment for the study and practice of law, anchored by its role as an international centre of trade and finance. The Common Law system continues to be practised as constitutionally guaranteed. Legal professionals in Hong Kong contribute meaningfully to cross-border legal development, including the modernisation of China and evolving constitutional frameworks. With growing relevance in areas such as Chinese law, international trade, and humanitarian law, Hong Kong remains a strategic hub for legal education and practice.
Graduates of the Faculty of Law have made significant contributions to the legal landscape of Hong Kong, serving as solicitors, barristers, magistrates, judges, corporate counsel, and government lawyers. Many have gone on to teach in Hong Kong's three law schools, shaping the next generation of legal professionals. Our alumni have held distinguished roles, including Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, Permanent Judge of the Court of Appeal, and Judges of the High Court. A considerable number have also been appointed as Senior Counsel or served on key governing bodies, the Bar Council of the Hong Kong Bar Association, and the Council of the Law Society of Hong Kong.
Our graduates can be found pursuing diverse career paths that extend beyond the traditional legal profession. Some of our graduates have become senior figures in the business sector, taken on key roles in politics, chaired statutory bodies, served as senior civil servants, or become journalists. Their legal training at HKU provides a strong foundation for critical thinking, communication, and ethical decision-making—skills that are highly valued across industries.
