Azan Marwah: A Journey of Law, Inspiration, and Philanthropy

Azan Marwah is a name that resonates with many, especially within the realms of the legal profession and philanthropy. Known for his vibrant personality and dedication to making a positive impact, Azan’s life journey is an inspiring tale of resilience, creativity, and purpose. His multifaceted career as a barrister, combined with his philanthropic efforts, paints a comprehensive picture of an individual committed to justice and community service.

Q1: Your journey has inspired many. Can you start by telling us a bit about your early life and background?

I am Indian and American, born and raised in Hong Kong with holidays around Asia, the US and India. This ‘third culture’ experience has been  a boon but also, at times, a challenge. It has been a privilege to grow up in a diverse cultural environment, always being a ‘minority’ but also enjoying the benefit of looking at things slightly differently.

Q2: What led you to pursue a career in law?

It’s rather embarrassing. I hated my first job as a management trainee in retail. It was not intellectually stimulating so I used my commute everyday to read books. Then, one day, my father lent my his ‘Rumpole of the Bailey’ books by the late John Mortimer QC. I was taken with his romantic depiction of a barrister – fighting for the underdog, facing down an archaic system, doing what was right in the face of great odds. I loved it. When I discovered that we had barristers in Hong Kong, I was hooked. I gave up my job and went back to university.

Q3: You’ve had a successful legal career. Can you share some highlights from your practice? And also what keeps you up at night?

My very first two jobs in the law were in Los Angeles County. In my final year of law school, I moonlighted as a Court Mediator doing civil harassment and other disputes. This was an incredible experience where I got hooked on what I called ‘real law for real people’. I saw everything from elder abuse (similar to the film, ‘I Care A Lot’) to intergenerational family disputes. My next job was as a law clerk at the Public Defender’s Office in the Juvenile Appellate and trial offices. That was an incredible experience, working alongside attorneys defending the poorest and most vulnerable in the face of great odds.

When I returned to Hong Kong, I had two pieces of good fortune. The first, after finishing pupillage, was being hired as a Judicial Assistant at the Court of Final Appeal – an experience that made me think big about my career. It showed me that I should always think about any legal question as part of a bigger picture.

Since entering full time private practice, I have defined success as effecting change on difficult issues that affect real people. By that rubric, I am most proud of my work on human trafficking (e.g. ZN v Secretary for Justice), women’s rights (e.g. D v S), LGBT equality (e.g. Edgar Ng v Secretary for Justice, Edgar Ng v Housing Authority, Angus Leung v Secretary for the Civil Service) and my work on children’s rights (e.g. Re M, AA v BB, NF v R, Mrs B & Anor).

I am also very proud of the Bar’s 75th Anniversary Book, which I edited and which includes an article I wrote about the history of our profession. I was very pleased to be able to tell some of the stories of how minorities have contributed to our achievements.

The list of things that keep me up at night is, sadly, quite long. But the most difficult things to live with are child protection cases. Sometimes we have to work on tragic cases with things you cannot unsee.

Q3: Your involvement in pro bono and community service has been remarkable. How did that start?

Both of my parents have always been committed to public service. My father drilled into me the notion that when you have the power to help someone, if no one else will do it, then it’s your duty. He also taught me that we achieve nothing on our own. Frankly, if you look at any of the things I was involved in, every single time the hard work was done by a group of us – I rely on my wife, my family and my friends.

Q4: Can you tell us about some of the projects you’re involved in?

Hong Kong’s laws relating to children are tragically out of date. We are in urgent need of root and branch reform. I work with the Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights, which is an independent, non-partisan, expert-led charity for children’s rights in Hong Kong. Our goal is to bridge the gap between children, families and civil society to the Government – fulfilling the promise of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child but lobbying for a comprehensive Child Ordinance with an independent Child Commission. In the same vein, I am an honorary legal adviser to Mother’s Choice with a focus on child protection, crisis pregnancy, vulnerable women and children.

My second area of work is related to LGBT, gender and racial equality. In particular, together with my friends (Jerome Yau, Gigi Chao, David Ko, Celine Tan and Paul Choi) I work with Marriage Equality to advance equal treatment for same-sex couples by eliminating discrimination against same-sex couples, and promoting diversity in society and the development of law relating to LGBT+ equality in Hong Kong.

The other big project I am working on is the development of sports arbitration and dispute resolution in Hong Kong and China. Recently, happily, the Government has adopted this project as part of the Policy Address for 2024.

Q5: You’ve faced challenges along the way. How have these shaped you?

Being an ethnic minority in Hong Kong has certainly shaped my experience. I can recall looking to join one set of chambers only to be told that they did not want non-ethnic Chinese. I can recall one of my early trials being told by the prosecutor to ‘go back to your home country’. But the upside of not being an insider is that you have the perspective of an outsider. It has given me a freedom to look at problems differently and see solutions where no one thought possible.

Q6: You’ve become an inspiration to many young talents, especially within ethnic minority groups. How do you feel about that?

I guess it is just my turn. I’m not the first nor am I alone. I looked up to my seniors, who showed me that there was a place and a path for me. I think of the people I looked up to: Kemal Bokhary, Mohan Bharwaney, Kumar Ramanathan, and Arjun Sakhrani. I had the benefit of their support and guidance – but also the support and kindness of my peers when I joined the Bar: Sanjay Sakhrani, Kamlesh Sadhwani, Vandana Rajwani, and Puja Kapai.

I want young lawyers, whether minorities or not, to realise that is plenty of opportunity for them. They need to get out there, ask for help, and you will quickly find that people will support you.

Q7: What are your current endeavours, and what’s next for you?

Earlier this year I was elected head of my chambers, Pantheon Chambers. My goal is to transform us into the first modern chambers in Hong Kong. That’s a long term project but I am passionate about it. It means a lot more of my time training and developing younger people – but that’s always fun.

Aside from sports dispute resolution, I believe that we need more lawyers specialising in and developing elder law. In Hong Kong, most people have never heard of this area of the law. With our ageing population, Hong Kong needs lawyers that are ready to help and protect our elderly and their families.

Q8: Last week you’ve played in a charity game of field hockey raising funds for the Hong Kong Committee for Children’s Rights, can you please tell us more about that?

I love hockey. It is my favorite sport. One of things I have loved most about playing in the league is that a real cross section of society plays – men and women, local and international, across socio-economic groups.

During Covid, the league was cancelled and many people felt so disconnected. So, a group of us got together and decided to rebuild the connections we had lost by getting together to play sports in the service of Hong Kong’s children. We formed the joint legal hockey team (“the Justice League”) and started to play exhibition games against other teams – raising money from the legal community to make a difference.

In the last three years, we have raised about HK$300,000. I am really grateful to you and to Hugill & Ip for all you have done to promote this effort.