Legal aid scheme came into operation when a sub-department of the Judiciary called the Legal Aid Section was set up within the Judiciary.

The Legal Aid Department (LAD) was established and moved to the old French Mission building on Battery Path, nicknamed the "Red Brick Building".

Litigation Unit of LAD was set up and occupied temporary quarters in D’Aguilar Street.

LAD established a branch office at Ritz Building, Nathan Road, Kowloon as a convenient alternative for receiving and handling civil legal aid applications. In 1991, the Kowloon Branch Office moved to its present location at Mongkok Government Offices.

Legal Aid in Criminal Cases Rules were amended to cover all criminal cases in the District Court.

Legal aid was extended to cover appeals to the Privy Council.

Criminal legal aid was extended to cover committal proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court.

The Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme came into operation to provide legal representation for people who had reasonable grounds to claim but did not qualify for legal aid because they did not pass the means tests but, nonetheless, were unable to afford the high costs of litigation from their own financial resources. It was the first contingency legal aid fund in the world and became self-financing in 1990s.

The enactment of the Official Solicitor Ordinance appointing DLA as the first Official Solicitor who represents the interests of persons under a disability of age or mental capacity in proceedings (i.e. persons under the age of 18 or mentally incapacitated persons).

The Legal Aid (Amendment) Ordinance 1991 came into operation to replace the criteria of disposable income and disposable capital in the means test with a single criterion of “financial capacity” with the aim of achieving a system fairer to persons having only income or capital.

Legal Aid (Amendment) Ordinance 1995 came into operation and DLA has discretion to waive the limit of financial resources in the cases of applicants who have satisfied DLA that they have reasonable grounds to claim under the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as applied to Hong Kong.

Legal Aid Services Council was set up to supervise the provision of legal aid services provided by LAD and to advise the Government on legal aid policy.

Homepage was launched for the public to obtain on-line information about LAD

Performance pledge on processing time was introduced. Vision, mission and values statements were also launched. Subsequently in 1999, the performance pledge on payment was introduced.

A pamphlet entitled “A Guide to Legal Aid Services in Hong Kong” was published.

Pamphlets covering a wide range of topics were published to enhance public understanding of legal aid services, such as ways to apply for legal aid, legal aid contribution and DLA’s First Charge.

Introduction of the “Pilot Scheme on Legal Aid for Mediation in Matrimonial Cases”.

According to Legal Aid (Charge on Property) (Rate of Interest) Regulation, DLA’s first charge interest rate would vary annually according to market movement instead of fixed annual rate of 10%.

Leaflets on legal aid services published in languages of people of different races.

Launching of Legal Aid Electronic Services Portal (LAESP) for legal aid applicants to submit pre-application information through online.

Financial eligibility limit for Ordinary Legal Aid Scheme was raised from HK$175,800 to HK$260,000 and that for the Supplementary Legal Aid Scheme (SLAS) from HK$488,400 to HK$1,300,000.

The scope of SLAS was expanded to cover negligence claims against eight types of professionals, negligence claims against insurers or their intermediaries in respect of the taking out of personal insurance products, monetary claims against vendors in the sale of first hand residential properties, and representation for employees in appeals from Labour Tribunal.

The structure of payment of criminal legal aid fees was enhanced by remunerating pre-trial work of lawyers according to the time required; assessing conference fee payable to solicitors on an hourly basis; and classifying a particular case and assessing the rates and the required preparation time beforehand and having them marked on the brief on assignment.

Aided persons and the public may make payment to LAD with their ATM cards or credit cards at ATMs or through internet banking. The new payment methods afford greater convenience to aided persons and the public.

An electronic appointment system was launched for the public to make appointment to obtain application-related forms and documents via the LAESP on LAD’s website. The electronic appointment system further supports mobile device since 2019.