HONG KONG -- After 19 years in business, prominent human rights lawyer Michael Vidler closed his Hong Kong firm this month because he "just didn't see any future."

Nikkei Asia spoke to Hong Kong attorneys, diplomats and legal scholars who warn of a gradual erosion of judicial independence, which could have implications for the city's appeal as a business destination. © Illustration by Hiroko Oshima
Under security law, doubts grow over finance hub's key selling point