Andrew Cheung

On 24 March 2020, acting on the recommendation of the independent Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission (JORC), Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Cheung's appointment (subject to the endorsement of the Legislative Council in accordance with Articles 73 and 90 of the Basic Law) as the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal upon the retirement of Geoffrey Ma on 11 January 2021.

The announcement on 24 March 2020 of Cheung's appointment as the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal was welcomed by the Hong Kong Bar Association, which released a statement that he 'commands the respect of the Bar' and 'will capably discharge the duties of the Chief Justice in accordance with the requirements of the Basic Law'. Cheung's appointment was also welcomed by the Law Society of Hong Kong, which issued a statement that he 'has a distinguished record of judicial service on the Bench' and 'will continue with the good tradition of Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma to head an independent Judiciary upholding the rule of law which is of cardinal importance to Hong Kong under the principle of One Country Two Systems'.

On 21 March 2018, the Judiciary announced his appointment as a Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal with effect from 25 October 2018, succeeding Robert Tang. Cheung's appointment was accompanied by the appointments of Baroness Hale and Beverley McLachlin as Non-Permanent Judges of the city's top court. He held the office of Chief Judge of the High Court for 7 years, 127 days – the longest serving of the four judges who had served in the role.

He was elected an Honorary Bencher of Lincoln's Inn in 2017.

In June 2011, Cheung succeeded Geoffrey Ma as the Chief Judge of the High Court and President of the Court of Appeal, making him the fourth local judge to hold this position.

Cheung was appointed to the bench in 2001 as a judge of the District Court of Hong Kong. Sitting first as a Deputy High Court Judge in December 2001, he was soon elevated to the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2003. He was then appointed as the Probate Judge in 2004, before becoming the Judge in charge of the Constitutional and Administrative Law List of the High Court in 2008. His tenure was marked by a number of high-profile rulings relating to constitutional and human rights matters.

Cheung was called to the Hong Kong Bar in 1985 and began private practice the following year; in 1995, he was admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore.

The Honourable Mr Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung PJ (Chinese: 張舉能 ; born 24 September 1961) is a Hong Kong judge, who serves as a Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong. He was previously the 4th Chief Judge of the High Court, and the President of the Court of Appeal. A graduate of Harvard Law School and the University of Hong Kong, he was a barrister-at-law in private practice prior to his judicial career, and was qualified to practise in Hong Kong as well as Singapore.

Born on 24 September 1961, Andrew Cheung Kui-nung attended Ying Wa College, before reading law at the University of Hong Kong, and taking a Master of Laws degree at Harvard Law School in the United States. Cheung served briefly as a Lecturer and Demonstrator of the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong on a part-time basis after graduation.