Bar Association challenges decision to clear ex-lawmaker Margaret Ng of misconduct

The Hong Kong Bar Association has requested a judicial review of a decision to clear former opposition lawmaker and barrister Margaret Ng of misconduct related to her participation in an anti-government protest in 2019. The association argues that Ng's conviction for taking part in an illegal gathering was not serious enough to bring disrepute to the profession or diminish public confidence.

Ng, a pro-democracy advocate, was convicted alongside nine other opposition figures for organizing and participating in the protest, which she later appealed and won. The Bar Association's disciplinary inquiry followed their convictions in April 2021. A three-member panel from the tribunal ruled that Ng's criminality was not morally culpable enough to warrant professional sanction.

The association contends that the panel misapplied legal principles and took into account irrelevant factors, such as Ng's political motivations. The organization emphasizes the importance of correcting this legal error to maintain public confidence in the profession.