Cheng Huan is one of the most acclaimed barristers in Hong Kong. Over the past forty-plus years, he was appointed first Queen’s Counsel and later on Senior Counsel. His sharp mind, occasional harsh words, astute wisdom, and friendly and enthusiastic character have made him widely popular. In his earlier book Defending the Law, also published by Cosmos Books, he mainly described a number of selected legal cases.

In this new book Reflections, Cheng Huan reviews his early life: from childhood to student life and from examinations of legal studies in London to university life at Cambridge. In the middle part of this book, the author recalls a few cases that he dealt with as a lawyer, such as Dai Pai Dongs (open-air food stalls), plea bargains, bind-over orders, private tenancy allowances, money laundering, bankruptcy proceedings, homosexual love, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. He even followed his clients’ instructions to offer opinions to other barristers with regard to their due diligence. While the writing style of the book may appear somewhat frivolous at times, its content can always enrich the readers’ knowledge.

The author has written a weekly column for Sing Tao Daily and for The Standard over more than two decades. For the first time he has compiled selected articles from these columns into Reflections. The articles are both interesting as well as profoundly meaningful.

About the Author：

CHENG HUAN was born in Malaysia and educated in Singapore and England. At Cambridge University he gained a degree in law and diploma in international law.

Before commencing his legal career in Hong Kong he worked as a journalist for the Far Eastern Economic Review, Asiaweek, and was China correspondent for The Guardian newspaper in Britain. At that time he travelled extensively in China and wrote many articles on the country’s affairs; he was the first person to report the death of Chairman Mao Tse Tung’s second-in-command Marshal Lin Piao.

In 1986 Cheng was called to the Hong Kong Bar. He was made a Queen’s Counsel, which title changed to that of Senior Counsel when China regained her sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. Throughout his legal career he has specialized in criminal law and certain aspects of civil law such as the law of defamation.

Among his many public duties, he was a member of the Hong Kong Press Council, a member of the People’s Consultative Conference for the Province of Fujian (China), a deputy convener of the Bar Disciplinary Committee, an ex-member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and a director of the Chinese Overseas Friendship Association. He is Adjunct Professor at the City University of Hong Kong.

He was a member of the election committee that elects the Chief Executive of the HKSAR. He has written a weekly column for East magazine and presently for the Sunday edition of the Singtao newspaper. His law chambers presently comprise some 56 other barristers.