Asia Business Law Journal reveals Malaysia’s top lawyers. Byung Jin Park reports
The Malaysian government’s initiatives to strengthen cross-border co-operation are unlocking new opportunities for Malaysian law firms. In July 2026, Thai prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul officially visited Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital, for a bilateral summit with Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.
In a post-summit announcement, the leaders committed to resolving fisheries issues that had disrupted cross-border seafood trade and proceeding with a special border economic zone. As a result, Malaysian law firms are expected to assist their corporate clients affected by past trade disruptions, in resolving regulatory bottlenecks, supply chain contract disputes and compliance reviews.
More importantly, the establishment of a special border economic zone can create a direct surge in legal mandates for Malaysian law firms. The law firms will need to advise developers, state-backed entities and lenders, which finance infrastructure projects along the border, and structure cross-border joint ventures between Malaysian and Thai companies looking to set up operations within the zone.
Also in June 2026, Anwar and his Bangladesh counterpart Tarique Rahman agreed to “cement their relationship through a fast-track freetrade agreement”, mentioning co-operation in new growth areas including semiconductors. Parallel to ongoing government initiatives to enhance cross-border ties, Malaysia is witnessing a steady influx of foreign capital.
Announced in June 2026, the foreign direct investment into Malaysia recorded a net inflow of MYR65.9 billion (USD16 billion) in 2025, an increase of 41.2% from MYR46.7 billion in the previous year. More foreign investors are now relying on Malaysian law firms to enter the market, and the subsequent expansion of the workforce is anticipated to also boost demand for legal advice on labour and employment matters.
As cross-border co-operations expand, corporate leaders increasingly rely on top-tier legal talent to navigate the market. Against this dynamic backdrop, Asia Business Law Journal proudly presents Malaysia’s top 100 A-List lawyers and 20 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.
Client feedback submitted to ABLJ highlights a clear preference among in-house counsel for private practice lawyers with sector-specific expertise.
Entertainment specialist
David Lim, founding partner at Teng Sheng & Fatima, is called an “entertainment specialist” by Terence Tan, director at independent firm Adept Corporate Services in Singapore.
“David possesses unique expertise in the Southeast Asian entertainment industry, representing record labels and artists, making him a rare ‘specialist’ in a niche field,” says Tan.
Cherine Fong, co-founder and managing director at Jam Management in Kuala Lumpur, who worked with Lim on a fundraising exercise in 2025, also speaks highly of him. “His ability to balance legal precision with commercial practicality made him not just a legal adviser, but a trusted strategic partner,” Fong says.
Suaran Singh Sidhu, partner at Law Partnership, is distinguished by Syed Hafez Syed Hussain, chief corporate & legal officer at ADA Global in Kuala Lumpur, not only through his “legal capabilities”, but also through “his ability to understand the commercial and operational realities of the TMT sector”.
Syed Hafez says: “[Sidhu] is able to contextualise disputes within broader business and regulatory frameworks, which is particularly valuable in fast-evolving TMT matters.”
Amris Pulungan, managing partner at Pulungan Wiston and Partners in Jakarta, says that Karen Abraham, head of the IP department at Shearn Delamore & Co, has managed the majority of their IP portfolio, having worked with them consistently since 2003.
Pulungan says: “Karen demonstrates extensive knowledge and experience in IP matters, and her strong professional network has been valuable in facilitating referrals and connecting us with appropriate counsel in other jurisdictions when required.”
Strong foundation in corporate law
In addition to sector-specific knowledge, private practice lawyers with expertise in traditional M&As and IPOs were also shown to be highly favoured.
Irene Pei Ling Lim, head of corporate and legal at mobile network operator CelcomDigi in Shah Alam, Malaysia, praises Jerry Ong Kok Wah, head of corporate/M&A and capital markets practice groups at Zul Rafique & Partners.
“With his strong foundation in corporate law, in particular M&A, stock exchange requirements, he possesses an exceptional ability to navigate complex legal and commercial landscapes with clarity and confidence,” says Lim.
Lim adds: “His sound understanding of corporate and commercial matters enables him to provide advice that is not only legally robust but also practical, business-oriented, and solution-driven.”
According to Lei Jing, director of the international legal committee at Capital Equity Legal Group Shanghai Firm, Jeff Leong, senior partner at Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong, leads a special project team to structure and execute complex M&A transactions.
“He is regularly consulted by clients from highly regulated sectors – including shipping and logistics, technology and the digital economy, oil and gas, as well as construction engineering – on sophisticated, time-sensitive and high-stakes legal matters,” says Jing.
Finally, Quek Ngee Meng, managing partner at Halim Hong & Quek, is recognised by Jasmine Aulia, marketing manager at DeHeng ARKO in Jakarta, for “extensive cross-border transactional experience”.
“As managing partner of Halim Hong & Quek, he has consistently led complex and high-value transactions involving multinational corporations, developers, financial institutions, and foreign investors, particularly in industries that are pivotal to Malaysia’s economic development,” says Aulia.
“His practice is distinguished not only by strong technical expertise, but also by his commercial acumen and ability to facilitate business relationships across jurisdictions.”
Compiling the A-List
The A-List is based on extensive research conducted by Asia Business Law Journal. To identify the top lawyers in Malaysia, we turned to thousands of in-house counsel in Malaysia and around the world – as well as partners at international law firms – and asked them to tell us which lawyers should make the cut.
A-List lawyers were defined on the nomination form as “lawyers who are currently the star performers of Malaysia’s legal profession; the lawyers who are personally undertaking the country’s top legal work, crafting the most cutting-edge legal solutions to complex problems, and setting the highest standards in terms of quality, innovation and the ability to handle complex matters.”
Our Legal Icons were defined as “lawyers who are the luminaries of Malaysia’s legal profession; the titans who command the respect of clients and juniors alike; the mentors who lead Malaysia’s most admired law firms and/or legal teams, and who are the country’s most prolific rainmakers”.
All Malaysian private practice lawyers and foreign lawyers based in the country were automatically eligible for inclusion in the nomination process. As always, there were no fees or any other requirements for entry.
