Andrew Li

Judge of the Court of First Instance 65 cases

Andrew Li has 65 reported Hong Kong decisions (2024–2026) in the HKCFI.

About Andrew Li

Andrew Li has 65 reported Hong Kong decisions (2024–2026). These were decided across HKCFI (53), HKDC (10) and HKCA (2). By subject matter, the largest shares are Rules of the High Court (2) and High Court Ordinance (1). Of these, 65 sitting on the coram.

Source: derived from 65 published Hong Kong judgments, most recent decision 29 May 2026. Published on HKLII.

On the judicial record

Andrew Li Kwok-nang (李國能), born December 1948, was the first Chief Justice to preside over the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal following its establishment on 1 July 1997, having been appointed to the role by then Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa; he was succeeded by Geoffrey Ma on 1 September 2010. He was educated at the University of Cambridge, earning an MA and LLM from Fitzwilliam College, was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1970 and to the Hong Kong Bar in 1973, and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1988. Earlier in his career he served as a Deputy Judge of the District Court from 1982 and as a Deputy High Court Judge from 1991.

The registry lists this profile with the designation Judge of the Court of First Instance. In the reported record covering 2024 to 2026, matters associated with this profile sit primarily in the Court of First Instance and concern personal injury, land and property, and loans and debt recovery, including Poosaala Ram Prasad v. The Hong Kong And Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd [2025] HKCA 789 and [2025] HKCA 74, Pan Haifei v. Tai Karen Kai Lun [2026] HKCFI 3064, Victory City International Holdings Ltd (In Liquidation) And Another v. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (A Firm) [2026] HKCFI 2947, and Mtr Corporation Ltd v. Ocean System Ltd And Another [2026] HKCFI 2244.

Biography

Andrew Li Kwok-nang (Chinese: 李國能; born December 1948) is a retired Hong Kong judge, and a former Chief Justice of Hong Kong, who was the first to preside over the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal, established on 1 July 1997. Li was succeeded by Geoffrey Ma on 1 September 2010. Li was born in Hong Kong and educated locally and in England. A graduate of the University of Cambridge, Li practised as a barrister in Hong Kong until his appointment as Chief Justice. During his 13 years as Chief Justice, Li handled a variety of important appellate cases and was known for his moderate jurisprudence and visionary leadership. He has remained active in public service since his retirement.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Career Highlights

• In 1988, he was appointed Queen's Counsel.
• He was appointed as Deputy Judge of the District Court of Hong Kong in 1982, later Deputy High Court Judge in 1991.
• In 1997, Li was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal by Tung Chee-Hwa, the first Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after the handover.
• He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1985.
• In 1992, he was appointed member at-large of the Executive Council of Chris Patten, the last British Governor of Hong Kong, and was appointed Commander of the Order of British Empire (CBE) the same year.
• He had also served as steward of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
• On the education front, Li had served as vice-chairman of the Council of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and chairman of the university and Polytechnics Grants Committee.
• He had also served as a trustee of the Friends of Tsinghua University Law School Charitable Trust and as the vice-chairman of the School Council of St.

Education

• received his early education at St
• earned an MA and LLM from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
• received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service and the Sing Tao Leader of the Year Award in 2010
• Bar in 1973
• Bar Association
• Bar Association and of the Law Society of Hong Kong
• University of Cambridge, Li practised as a barrister in Hong Kong until his appointment as Chief Justice
• College, and then at Repton School in Derbyshire, England
• Middle Temple in 1970, and the Hong Kong Bar in 1973
• University of Hong Kong Public Opinion Programme
• University of Science and Technology and chairman of the university and Polytechnics Grants Committee
• University Law School Charitable Trust and as the vice-chairman of the School Council of St
• College of Hong Kong
• Middle Temple in 1997, an Honorary Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge in 1999, and an Honorary Fellow of St Hugh's College, Oxford in 2016
• University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong and the City University of Hong Kong, as well as a visiting professor at Tsinghua University
• University of Hong Kong (Social Sciences, 1970)

Total cases

Delivered

Sat on (coram)

Courts

How many cases has Andrew Li decided?

Andrew Li has 65 reported Hong Kong decisions (2024–2026).

Which courts does Andrew Li sit in?

Andrew Li sits in HKCFI (53), HKDC (10) and HKCA (2).

What was Andrew Li's role in Hong Kong's judiciary?

Andrew Li Kwok-nang was the first Chief Justice to preside over the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal after its establishment on 1 July 1997, appointed by Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa, and was succeeded by Geoffrey Ma on 1 September 2010.

What matters appear in Andrew Li's reported case record?

The reported record for this profile, designated Judge of the Court of First Instance, covers 2024 to 2026 and concerns personal injury, land and property, and loans and debt recovery, including Pan Haifei v. Tai Karen Kai Lun [2026] HKCFI 3064.