▁His ▁mother ▁En id ▁Tak - ch ing ▁Lo - L it ton ▁was ▁a ▁tennis ▁player ▁and ▁won ▁an ▁impress ive ▁th ir teen ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁National ▁Championships ▁over ▁a ▁ 2 4 - year ▁span . ▁John ' s ▁mat ernal ▁uncle ▁was ▁the ▁lawyer ▁Sir ▁Lo ▁Man - k am , ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁prominent ▁E uras ian ▁family . ▁ ▁Leg al ▁career ▁After ▁passing ▁the ▁Bar ▁exam ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁Lit ton ▁entered ▁into ▁private ▁practice ▁in ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁em in ently ▁successful ▁as ▁a ▁trial ▁lawyer . ▁Lit ton ▁was ▁appointed ▁Queen ' s ▁Coun sel ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁co - f ounded ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Law ▁Journal ▁with ▁Ger ald ▁de ▁Bas to ▁Q C , ▁another ▁local ▁bar r ister . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Bar ▁Association ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁and ▁again ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁ ▁Lit ton ▁was ▁appointed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁an ▁Officer ▁of ▁the ▁Most ▁Ex cell ent ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁for ▁his ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁law ▁and ▁was ▁elev ated ▁to ▁the ▁ben ch ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁as ▁a ▁Justice ▁of ▁App e al . ▁He ▁rose ▁stead ily ▁through ▁the ▁ranks , ▁becoming ▁Vice -