Meet Malaysia’s top 100 A-List lawyers and 15 legal icons setting the standard in law. Byung Jin Park and Miran Lim report
As Malaysia undergoes significant legal reforms, Malaysian law firms are increasingly influential in shaping business and commercial practices. In January 2025, a committee comprising 21 legal experts, including judges, was established to review the Contracts Act, 1950, which forms the foundation of Malaysia’s legal and commercial framework. The anticipated amendments to the Contracts Act aim to address substantial changes in commerce, technology and global interactions since its original enactment.
The new Cross-Border Insolvency Bill, which aims to promote co-operation between Malaysian courts and foreign jurisdictions in cross-border insolvency cases, is also currently undergoing the legislative process. The bill is expected to provide legal clarity for trade and investment, ensure the fair administration of cross-border insolvencies, and protect the interests of both creditors and debtors.
In the digital sector, Malaysia is drafting its first dedicated AI legislation. With these legal reforms underway, the legal profession in Malaysia is expected to play a significant role in safeguarding business interests.
While the Malaysian government strengthens the legal framework, the economy is moving in the right direction, despite global trade uncertainties threatening the export-orientated model. According to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry, Malaysia’s trade performance improved up to May 2025, maintaining a trade surplus for the 61st consecutive month since May 2020, while Bank Negara Malaysia reports the country’s foreign reserves increased to USD120.6 billion at the end of June, marking a decade-high.
Amid these promising trends, Asia Business Law Journal proudly presents Malaysia’s top 100 A-List lawyers and 15 legal icons, recognised for their commitment to best practices. The A-List is based on extensive research and nominations received from in-house counsel based in Malaysia and Malaysia-focused partners at international law firms.
Comments submitted to ABLJ by clients suggest they seek lawyers with strong legal expertise, commercial insights, and a business-oriented mindset, ensuring clients’ objectives are achieved.
Commercially driven solutions
Azmi Mohd Ali, a senior partner at Azmi & Associates and a seasoned counsel with more than 30 years of experience, is recognised for his expertise, according to Maizatul Aznin Mohamed, a senior director and head of legal and secretarial at Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) in Kuala Lumpur, which manages the pension fund for certain Malaysian Armed Forces members.
“His dedication and passion for delivering commercially driven solutions underscore his credibility and strong commercial acumen,” says Mohamed.
“While he remains steadfast in protecting his clients’ legal interests, he consistently seeks to strike a balance with the commercial aspects of each deal, ensuring effective legal mitigation is in place.”
Luqman Hakim Bin Azaharin, a senior executive at Boustead Plantations in Kuala Lumpur, agrees: “Azmi’s commitment to detail, responsiveness and consistent follow-through set a benchmark that few others meet,” says Bin Azaharin.
“His level of thoroughness has been instrumental in ensuring no loose ends remain in our legal engagements. Azmi exemplifies what it means to be both a legal expert and a true professional.”
Brian Law, a managing partner at Law Partnership, is recommended by David Len, the head of digital legal services APAC at DHL Group in Singapore, for his “strategic, business-minded and practical approach”.
“Brian and his tech team have been instrumental in enhancing our company’s governance and compliance posture, hence indirectly strengthening our IT capabilities and operations,” says Len.
“Their expertise in and nuanced understanding of Malaysian regulatory requirements, coupled with a clear appreciation for business realities, allowed us to navigate complex legal frameworks, especially in the commercial and IT space, without compromising legal compliance and commercial agility.”
Mag Ng, a compliance director at Mega Fortris, a security seal manufacturer serving transport and other sectors in Shah Alam, also speaks highly of Law: “We have had a longstanding and trusted working relationship with Brian and his firm over the years.
“Brian is a seasoned legal practitioner – highly reliable, responsive and consistently focused on delivering practical, commercially sound advice and solutions. His depth and breadth of experience, coupled with his strategic legal insights, make him not only a trusted adviser but also a seamless extension of our team.”
Stellar legal knowledge
With extensive expertise and a thorough understanding of the complexities of business law, many lawyers in the A-List are recognised as trusted advisers for businesses navigating challenging legal matters.
Nasriq Ilyani Abdul Hadi, a director, group legal at Bank Pembangunan Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, recommends Chung Swee Loong, a senior partner at Albar & Partners, for his “stellar legal knowledge”.
“I had the pleasure of working with Swee Loong for a number of years, most recently in one of our financings. I was impressed by his stellar legal knowledge as well as his ability to navigate and advise on complex legal issues,” says Abdul Hadi. “Whenever I engage Swee Loong for any transaction, I am comforted that my organisation will be in his good hands.”
Tong Lai Ling, a partner and head of technology, multimedia and telecommunications at Raja Darryl & Loh, is praised by Jacelyn Khoo, general counsel and chief compliance officer at Hong Leong Financial Group in Kuala Lumpur.
“Lai Ling is an exceptional candidate who consistently demonstrates the qualities of a trusted adviser and industry expert in her field,” says Khoo.
“She is highly dependable and possesses an acute understanding of our organisation’s business, allowing her to consistently provide practical solutions that are adaptable to our commercial requirements. Her strong legal expertise is a significant asset, making her an invaluable resource and a highly respected figure within her area of practice.”
Specialists over generalists
Specialists are preferred over generalists for their deep expertise and nuanced understanding of specific fields. JJ Chan, a managing partner of Chan Ban Eng & Co, is one of those specialists with significant experience in the healthcare sector.
“JJ Chan instils confidence in clients and is particularly knowledgeable in the healthcare arena,” says Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, a deputy chief medical officer of the commercial division at AXA Health in the UK. “He is always approachable with a good legal strategy and empathic towards clients. He acts with integrity and empathy and will do all he can in the interests of the client.”
Ronald Koh, a group president at Penang Adventist Hospital in Penang, also praised Chan. “I remember during one of our biggest cases, when it felt like everything was against us; he researched and researched and explained to us how he planned to approach the case despite [the fact that] it would have been easier to settle. He was confident it was the right approach and against all odds, we won the case.”
Robin Teow, a managing partner at Robin Lynn & Lee, is recommended by Yang Jianyuan, a partner at Haiwen & Partners in Beijing, for his expertise in China-related investment in Malaysia, as China has been Malaysia’s biggest trading partner for the 16th consecutive year.
“Robin Teow possesses a deep understanding of the diverse compliance needs of Chinese clients engaged in outbound investments and operations, ranging from tech giants to state-owned entities across multiple sectors,” says Yang.
“Leveraging his expertise in Malaysian and Asean laws, along with exceptional co-ordination capabilities, Teow plays a pivotal role in delivering comprehensive ‘one-stop’ regulatory compliance services for Chinese clients. His work on multi-jurisdictional compliance matters enables Chinese clients to navigate outbound investments and operations with confidence and clarity.”
Vatsala Ratnasabapathy, a senior partner at Zain & Co, is recognised by Peter Hiebler, a commercial director at Turner International in Kuala Lumpur, for her expertise in managing highly complex contentious matters, particularly those involving the renowned Merdeka 118 skyscraper, which is the second tallest building in the world.
“Zain & Co was engaged as external legal counsel by our mutual client, who is the developer of the Merdeka 118 mega project in Kuala Lumpur,” says Hiebler. “The Merdeka 118 project is large and highly complex in terms of contractual relationships and interfaces between the multiple contractors; consequently, contentious matters arise regularly, which are typically multidimensional and complex.
“Vatsala Ratnasabapathy is especially effective in dealing with contentious dispute matters referred to adjudication, arbitration or court. She can quickly distil the key issues and develop effective strategies in dealing with the dispute at hand, thereby looking after her client’s interests expertly.”
