The CUHK LAW 6^th Female Legal Leader Seminar took place on 14^th March 2024. The seminar was delivered by three eminent female leaders of the Hong Kong legal community: Ms. Marcia Ellis, Global Co-Chair Private Equity, Morrison Foerster and Co-Chair, AmCham Hong Kong’s Women of Influence Committee, Ms. Connie Heng, Asia Pacific Regional Managing Partner, Clifford Chance and Ms. Teresa Ko, Senior Partner, Hong Kong and China Chairman, founding partner of capital market practice in Asia, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Vice Chair, IFRS Foundation. The session was organized and moderated by Professor Queenie Lai, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning).

The three distinguished speakers shared their unique career trajectories in the legal industry and agreed that it is important for lawyers to continually learn new skills and knowledge, be ready to pivot and evolve with the market environment. Knowledge acquisition has to be intentional. 

The speakers also discussed Hong Kong’s progress in terms of gender parity and inclusivity, such as the recent change in listing rules that Hong Kong Stock Exchange no longer consider a single gender board to have achieved diversity. Female representation brings in variety of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences to the board for better decision making and avoid blind spots. The ripple effect of visible female role models impacts not just society’s beliefs about women’s ability to hold senior management positions, but what society project for women in the future. 

CUHK LAW is grateful to the three eminent leaders, icons of the industry, for sharing their wisdom and inspiring the next generation of lawyers.