The secretary takes office after appointment by the Government of the People's Republic of China, which is responsible for Hong Kong's foreign affairs and defence.

The current secretary for justice is Paul Lam, SBS, SC, JP.

In the course of discharging his or her duties as the chief legal advisor to the chief executive of Hong Kong, the secretary for justice is assisted by five law officers, namely: (The Administration and Development Division is headed by an Administrative Officer.)

The secretary for justice ranks fifth in the Hong Kong order of precedence.

[4] The office of the attorney general was never localized during British rule and no Hong Kong Chinese ever held this key post.