Hong Kong’s highest court on Monday struck down a bid from more than 30 major banks and law firms, as well as Amnesty International, to support a lesbian’s legal battle that has far-reaching implications for gay expatriate couples in the city.

The ruling was handed down by the Court of Final Appeal about a month after 15 financial institutions, 16 law firms and the global human rights group petitioned the court to have a say in what has become known as the “QT case”.

A spokesman from Davis Polk and Wardwell, the lawyers representing the banks and law firms, said they were “disappointed”, but respected the court’s decision. “Hong Kong faces strong competition from other international financial cities in the region and globally and the current immigration policy risks putting Hong Kong behind other jurisdictions,” he said, adding that the institutions believed respecting diversity was essential for the city to attract talent. Read more via South China Morning Post