# Law Chi-kwong > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Law_Chi-kwong > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Law_Chi-kwong.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_Chi-kwong > Source revision: 1347644672 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Hong Kong politician For the former Secretary for Civil Service, see [Joshua Law](/source/Joshua_Law). In this [Hong Kong name](/source/Hong_Kong_name), the [surname](/source/Surname) is *[Law](/source/Luo_(surname))*. Dr The Honorable Law Chi-kwong GBS, JP 羅致光 Secretary for Labour and Welfare In office 1 July 2017 – 30 June 2022 Chief Executive Carrie Lam Preceded by Stephen Sui Succeeded by Chris Sun Member of the Legislative Council In office 1 July 1998 – 30 September 2004 Preceded by New parliament Succeeded by Fernando Cheung Constituency Social Welfare In office 11 October 1995 – 30 June 1997 Preceded by Hui Yin-fat Succeeded by None (Replaced by Provisional Legislative Council) Constituency Social Welfare Personal details Born (1953-11-01) 1 November 1953 (age 72) British Hong Kong Party United Democrats (1990–1994) Democratic Party (1994–2017) Alma mater King's College, Hong Kong University of Hong Kong University of California, Los Angeles Occupation Associate Professor Dr **Law Chi-kwong**, [GBS](/source/Gold_Bauhinia_Star), [JP](/source/Justice_of_the_peace) ([traditional Chinese](/source/Traditional_Chinese_characters): 羅致光; [simplified Chinese](/source/Simplified_Chinese_characters): 罗致光; born 1 November 1953) is a [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) politician who served as [Secretary for Labour and Welfare](/source/Secretary_for_Labour_and_Welfare) between 2017 and 2022. He is an associate professor in social work at the [University of Hong Kong](/source/University_of_Hong_Kong).[1] He was a founding member of the [Democratic Party of Hong Kong](/source/Democratic_Party_of_Hong_Kong) and its honorary secretary and spokesperson for women's issues, until he left the party to serve in the government. He served in the [Legislative Council](/source/Legislative_Council_of_Hong_Kong), in the [Social Welfare](/source/Social_Welfare_(constituency)) [functional constituency](/source/Functional_constituency_(Hong_Kong)), between 1995 and 2004 except during the [Provisional Legislative Council](/source/Provisional_Legislative_Council), serving on the Social Welfare Advisory Committee as well as many governmental and non-governmental bodies.[1] In 2014, he was awarded the [Gold Bauhinia Star](/source/Gold_Bauhinia_Star) by the government. ## Education and academic career Law studied for his bachelor's degree in economics and statistics and a master's degree in social work at the University of Hong Kong. He went on to earn an [MBA](/source/Master_of_Business_Administration) at the [Chinese University of Hong Kong](/source/Chinese_University_of_Hong_Kong) and a doctorate in social welfare from the [University of California](/source/University_of_California), in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).[1] In 1981, he took up a teaching role in the Department of Social Work and Social Administration at the University of Hong Kong, and has remained on the staff since. From 1993 to 1997, he was head of department. His current position is associate professor.[1] Law has been chairman of the [Senior Citizen Home Safety Association](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Senior_Citizen_Home_Safety_Association&action=edit&redlink=1) and an executive member of the [Hong Kong Council of Social Service](/source/Hong_Kong_Council_of_Social_Service). He has also been a board member of the [Hong Kong Social Workers Association](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hong_Kong_Social_Workers_Association&action=edit&redlink=1).[1] ## Political career Law was elected to the [Legislative Council](/source/Legislative_Council_of_Hong_Kong) in the [Social Welfare constituency](/source/Social_Welfare_(constituency)), in 1995, 1998 and 2000, thus serving from 1995 to 2004, except for one year of the [Provisional Legislative Council](/source/Provisional_Legislative_Council). He has served on the [Commission on Strategic Development](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Commission_on_Strategic_Development&action=edit&redlink=1) since 2005, and the [Steering Committee on Child Development Fund](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Steering_Committee_on_Child_Development_Fund&action=edit&redlink=1) since 2008. He has been a member of the [Land and Development Advisory Committee](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Land_and_Development_Advisory_Committee&action=edit&redlink=1) since 2009, and a member of the Commission on Poverty since 2012.[2] In 2017, he was nominated by [Carrie Lam](/source/Carrie_Lam) to serve as [Secretary for Labour and Welfare](/source/Secretary_for_Labour_and_Welfare). He withdrew from the Democratic Party prior to his appointment, because the party bars its members from serving in a government chosen by the pro-Beijing camp. In the 1990s, Law was one the "best-known advocates for democracy and the rule of law," but later switched his position to be pro-Beijing, avoiding inquiries about his change of opinion.[3] In February 2022, Law claimed that fundraising to help domestic helpers who had been fined by the government for social gathering could be illegal.[4] ## Personal life Law is divorced and has a daughter and a son.[5] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-MLbio_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-MLbio_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-MLbio_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-MLbio_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-MLbio_1-4) [Bio at Martin Lee's site](http://www.martinlee.org.hk/BiosLawCK.html) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Bio at HKU](http://www.socialwork.hku.hk/people/staff/index.php?id=20070820170347#tp) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** McLaughlin, Timothy (20 October 2021). ["How Hong Kong's Elite Turned on Democracy"](https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2021/10/hong-kong-democracy/620425/). *The Atlantic*. Retrieved 21 October 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Standard, The. ["Labor chief calls on domestic helpers to stay home over mass gathering ultimatum"](https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/187337/Labor-chief-calls-on-domestic-helpers-to-stay-home-over-mass-gathering-ultimatum). *The Standard*. Retrieved 19 February 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Brief_5-0)** ["Brief Introduction, at own website"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210032/http://web.hku.hk/~hrnwlck/Brief.htm#Brief%20in%20English). Archived from [the original](http://web.hku.hk/~hrnwlck/Brief.htm#Brief%20in%20English) on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2013. - [Dr Law Chi-kwong, GBS, JP, Secretary for Labour and Welfare](https://www.gov.hk/en/about/govdirectory/po/slw.htm) - [Member of the Legislative Council – Hon Law Chi-kwong, JP](https://web.archive.org/web/20040804005441/http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr98-99/english/members/elck.htm) - [Dr. LAW Chi Kwong, The Department of Social Work and Social Administration – HKU](http://www.socialwork.hku.hk/profile/index.php?tid=ZGFXYVNhYVlhVmFhYWVhYWFhYWFwYWFhRGFhYXphYWE=) - [\[1\]](https://web.archive.org/web/20071215145443/http://sdsymposium.susdev.gov.hk/eng/speakers06.htm) Legislative Council of Hong Kong Preceded by Hui Yin-fat Member of Legislative Council Representative for Social Welfare 1995–1997 Replaced by Provisional Legislative Council New parliament Member of Legislative Council Representative for Social Welfare 1998–2004 Succeeded by Fernando Cheung Party political offices Preceded by Albert Ho Yeung Sum Vice Chairperson of Democratic Party 2000–2002 With: Lee Wing-tat Succeeded by Albert Ho Political offices Preceded by Stephen Sui Secretary for Labour and Welfare 2017–2022 Succeeded by Chris Sun v t e Democratic Party Leadership and notable members Chairpersons Martin Lee Yeung Sum Lee Wing-tat Albert Ho Emily Lau Wu Chi-wai Lo Kin-hei Vice-Chairpersons Anthony Cheung Lau Chin-shek Law Chi-kwong Chan King-ming Sin Chung-kai Tik Chi-yuen Richard Tsoi Andrew Wan Li Wing-shing Lam Cheuk-ting Edith Leung LegCo members Conrad Lam Albert Chan Cheung Man-kwong Fung Chi-wood James To Michael Ho Huang Chen-ya Man Sai-cheong Ng Ming-yum Fred Li Zachary Wong Andrew Cheng Tsang Kin-shing John Tse Wong Sing-chi Kam Nai-wai Helena Wong Ted Hui Roy Kwong Internal elections Leadership elections 1994 (Lee) 1996 1998 2000 2002 (Yeung) 2004 (Lee) 2006 (Ho) 2008 2010 2012 (Lau) 2014 2016 (Wu) 2018 2020 (Lo) 2022 2024 LegCo primaries 2016 Related groups Predecessors Frontier Hong Kong Affairs Society Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood Meeting Point United Democrats of Hong Kong Split groups League of Social Democrats Third Side Neo Democrats Real brother Local alliances Pro-democracy camp Civil Human Rights Front Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union Group of 190 Joint Committee on the Promotion of Democratic Government International affiliated Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats Liberal International Hong Kong Portal --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Law Chi-kwong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_Chi-kwong) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_Chi-kwong?action=history)). 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