Ms Winnie TAM, SC, SBS, JP, visited CityUHK School of Law
On 27 November 2025, the School of Law was honoured to have Ms Winnie TAM, SC, SBS, JP, for a Fireside Chat and an insightful Q&A session with students. The event was moderated by Prof. Alexander LOKE and Prof. Noam ZAMIR.
Ms Winnie Tam, SC, SBS, JP, is a barrister and international arbitrator. She has served for nine years as a Recorder of the Court of First Instance, High Court of HKSAR, and continues to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge on an ad hoc basis.
Her current practice is principally as an international arbitrator in a broad spectrum of cross-border and international commercial disputes, arbitrating in both English and Chinese. She also serves as counsel and expert in high-value IP litigation.
During the Fireside Chat, Ms Winnie Tam shared her inspiring professional journey and the reasons behind her choice to study law, ultimately becoming a barrister and an arbitrator. She emphasised various important qualities for students, including courage and passion for the profession. She also talked about the importance of public service.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, during which students benefited from her insights. In her final sharing, she conveyed that curiosity is the most vital trait for law students. It not only drives a desire to learn but also equips you to embrace challenges and maintain a breadth of knowledge.
Following the Fireside Chat, Ms Winnie TAM engaged in a tea reception, where students had the opportunity to connect with her on a more personal level and gain deeper insights into her experiences and perspectives.
***A fireside chat today typically takes the form of an informal conversation between a moderator and a guest speaker. The term ‘fireside chat’ originates in President F.D. Roosevelt’s broadcast to the Americans during the Great Depression. The format is in contrast to a keynote address or a lecture, both of which entail a greater degree of formality. In a fireside chat, the topics covered tend to be more wide-ranging, ranging from the guest’s personal stories and experiences to the guest’s views on topical subjects. The informal and relaxed setting allows participants to know more about the guest as well as the topics discussed.
2025年11月27日，香港城市大學法律學院榮幸迎來著名資深大律師、銀紫荊星章及太平紳士譚允芝女士到訪，並與學生進行爐邊談話。 本次活動由陸飛鴻教授及Noam ZAMIR教授主持。
譚允芝資深大律師為執業大律師及國際仲裁員。曾獲委任為高等法院原訟法庭特委法官長達九年，至今仍以暫委法官身份定期參與高等法院審批工作。譚女士目前主要從事國際仲裁，處理各類跨境及國際商事爭議，能以英文和中文進行仲裁。此外，她也擔任高價值知識產權訴訟案件的代理律師及專家證人。
在爐邊談話中，譚女士回顧了自身修讀法律、最終走向大律師與國際仲裁員的職業歷程，並強調學生應具備的多項重要品質，包括投身法律事業的勇氣與熱忱，以及履行公共服務的責任感。她特別指出，好奇心是法律學生最寶貴的特質， 它不僅能激發求知欲，更能使人勇於面對挑戰、開拓視野。
隨後，譚女士參加了茶敘與學生繼續互動，現場交流氣氛熱烈，譚女士亦悉心與學生分享更多執業心得與人生體會。
***爐邊談話通常是指主持人和嘉賓之間非正式對話的形式。「爐邊談話」一詞起源於羅斯福總統在大蕭條時期對美國人的廣播。這種形式與演講或講座形成鮮明對比，因後兩者都更爲正式。在爐邊談話中，涵蓋的話題往往更加廣泛，從嘉賓的個人故事和經歷到嘉賓對熱門話題的看法，不一而足。 非正式和輕鬆的環境易使與會者對嘉賓和討論的話題有更多的了解。