Hong Kong amends law to limit foreign lawyers in certain cases

The Bill was passed by a majority in the city’s legislature (Kin Cheung/AP)

Hong Kong lawmakers have passed an amendment to a law granting the city’s leader the power to bar overseas lawyers from handling national security cases, following a high-profile row sparked by a pro-democracy Hong Kong publisher’s hiring of a British lawyer.

The changes will require overseas lawyers who do not generally practice in Hong Kong to obtain permission from the chief executive before submitting applications to represent clients in national security cases in court.