Wilson Lui has been appointed as Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong (2022–23) and is a Chartered Linguist. He holds an LLM from the University of Cambridge and will be graduating with an MPhil in Linguistics from the University of Oxford. He completed his BA and LLB degrees from the University of Hong Kong, both with first class honours. His recent publications include an edited book Direct Jurisdiction: Asian Perspectives (Hart Publishing, 2021) as well as various book chapters (Cambridge University Press, Hart Publishing) and journal articles (Asian Dispute Review). He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an Editorial Advisory Board member of The Gavel (University of Sydney CLSS, 2021–present), former Chief Editor of the Hong Kong Journal of Legal Studies (University of Hong Kong, 2018–19). His research interests span across areas of law, linguistics, higher education, and their connections and interactions.
Highlighting the Importance of Language in Legal Education
Abstract:
Language is the essential medium of law and plays a crucial role in legal processes. Yet, the current legal education curricula and pedagogies have often failed to emphasise the importance of language and its relationships and interactions with law. This paper focuses on two major aspects in which the study of language and linguistics can inform directions in legal education and can be incorporated as an integral part of legal education. First, new courses that consider and provide training on the use of language in legal practice should be launched. These courses can provide a general overview of linguistics concepts to law students and explore specific topics pertaining to particular jurisdictions, for example, Hong Kong, a bilingual common law jurisdiction with Chinese and English as official languages. This paper reports on the speaker’s first-hand experience in designing the new course LLAW3275 ‘Legal Language in Hong Kong: Issues and Directions’ to be offered in the University of Hong Kong. Second, there should be a better awareness of language accuracy and fluency in legal writing. Law students should be encouraged to sharpen their ‘sense of language’ through writing and editing legal materials, not only by way of carefully designed course assessments and marking rubrics, but also by engaging in extra-curricular opportunities in (student-oriented) law journals and research assistantships. To conclude, once students, educators, and practitioners are fully appreciative of the significance of language in law and legal education, it will bring substantial benefits for the legal sector and the society in general.