International banks and law firms join forces in Hong Kong gay rights case
Hong Kong — More than a dozen large banks and law firms from the US, Europe and Asia are joining forces on behalf of a British lesbian in a landmark case for LGBT rights in Hong Kong. Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and Nomura are among 15 financial institutions that have filed an application to intervene in the case of a woman — named in court documents as QT — who sued after the government rejected her application to reside in Hong Kong as a dependent of her same-sex partner. Hong Kong’s highest court is now considering an appeal filed by the government after a court ruled in favour of QT in September. The banks and law firms believe "the appeal has no merit, or is based on an unequal treatment that discriminates against same-sex partners," said B Chen Zhu, a Hong Kong-based counsel at Davis Polk & Wardwell, acting pro bono on their behalf. "They all want to express their support for equal treatment for LGBT immigrants." The intervention comes as foreign chambers of commerce have lob...
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