Anissa is a Partner in Christopher & Lee Ong’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications ("TMT"), and Data Protection Practice Group.

With over ten years of experience in the TMT industry, Anissa’s forte is her ability to leverage on her deep understanding of this industry, providing sound legal advice with significant commercial and industry insights, particularly in the media and entertainment industries. Her background in corporate and commercial law also well-equips her to provide advice and drive negotiations for local and international clients, both in the public and private sectors.

She focuses on end-to-end legal advice for a wide variety of media and entertainment platforms such as broadcast television, feature films, animation, music, publications, digital media and sports on issues covering content creation, acquisition and distribution, licensing, regulatory and governmental projects, investments and financing, defamation, intellectual property protection and exploitation, commercial and business-related matters for areas such as media sales, e-commerce, talent and artist management, merchandising, advertising, marketing and sponsorship, master content provision/supply, procurement, satellite services, human resources, IT, tenancies, scholarships and corporate social responsibility.

Anissa is recognised as a Next Generation Partner for TMT by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

Media & Entertainment

• Sole external legal advisor to a Malaysian media production house in relation to the production of an original made-for-television series that is set to broadcast on a leading American subscription video on demand streaming platform.
• Sole legal counsel to a Malaysian media production house in relation to the production of a topical Malaysian subject matter documentary, which was featured on the international world premiere stages such as CAAMFest37 (the largest American showcase of Asian films) and DocEdge (the New Zealand Academy Award-qualifying festival for documentaries).
• Advising on legal issues in respect of the business of broadcasting and content creation for various languages, including drafting and negotiating agreements for television, OTT, animation and digital content development, production, commissioning, investments, financing/ funding, assignments, channel and programme licensing, distribution and exploitation.
• Advising on, drafting and negotiating agreements for the engagement, endorsement, management and commercial exploitation of on-air and off-air talents, including actors, directors, writers and production crew.
• Advising on, drafting and negotiating agreements for joint ventures with, and acquisitions and divestments of several notable broadcasting and content-focused foreign and local companies.
• Advising on legal issues in respect of the film business, including drafting and negotiating all related agreements and documents such as term sheets, co-development, co-investment/financing and co-production agreements, output deals, talent (on and off screen) agreements, option and rights agreements, music agreements, distribution agreements, marketing agreements, grant /funding documentation, and sponsorship agreements, as well as managing various business-related initiatives such as rights clearances, regulatory relationships, anti-piracy, script/ content submission processes and strategic brainstorming during the development and production stages.
• Advising on legal issues in respect of the business of sport including the preparation and oversight of strategic, transactional and compliance documentation for the setting up, launch and ongoing operations of sports channels and events, the negotiation and drafting of all related agreements and documents for the broadcast and license of local and international sports content including collaborations with local and international sports associations and the provision of broadcast and production services for local and international sports events such as the Commonwealth Games, the Asian Games and the SEA Games, and brand ambassador and talent engagement agreements for sports personalities and newsreaders.
• Advised a China-based client who is currently one of the largest online video streaming sites in the world, in relation to providing legal and regulatory advice for the client’s entry into the Malaysian market.
• Advised a global cinema federation with regards to the licensing of music rights by cinemas in relation to film and other performances/the playing of music in cinemas in Malaysia.
• Advised an international sports broadcaster on its entry into the Malaysian market.
• Advising various corporations and platforms/ applications online platforms on legal and regulatory issues regarding print and digital marketing and advertising in Malaysia.
• Advised one of the most successful local content production houses in Malaysia on several of its transactions  including the setting up of a film fund, investment deals with other media companies and its internal restructuring.
• Engaged by a Malaysian-based production company to be sole counsel to provide end-to-end legal advice and expertise with regards to its work with  the world's largest online retailer and a prominent cloud service provider, to produce an entire season of a new local series for their video on demand subscription platform.
• Advising (including providing training to) various corporations and platforms / applications on social media issues, management, regulation, censorship and entry into the Malaysian market.

Technology & Telecommunications

• Advised one of the largest telecommunications tower infrastructure companies in Malaysia on their proposed “sale and leaseback” of all universal service provision sites in Malaysia designated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
• Advised one of the biggest telecommunications companies in Malaysia on its co-marketing of products and services with a major media company in Malaysia.
• Assisted and provided responses for a multi-jurisdictional questionnaire, legal advice and due diligence work concerning the launch of a highly confidential product, by a globally recognised technology manufacturer, in Malaysia (amongst other jurisdictions).
• Advised an American Big 4 multinational technology company on its proposed roll out of a new TV application service in Malaysia as well as on its expansion of the types of services offered on the TV application.
• Advised a local telecommunications and internet platform on regulatory issues pertaining to the issuance of spectrum assignments by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.
• Advising telecommunication and internet service providers on access agreements for various services to be acquired from Malaysia’s legacy telecommunications provider.
• Advising on, drafting and negotiating the documents for the procurement of technology for companies including the setting up of systems and infrastructure for the broadcasting industry, software / hardware licensing, supply of goods / services and regulatory applications.
• Advising clients on other technology agreements such as intellectual property agreements, transfer of technology and technology licensing agreements, and software / hardware agreements.
• Assisted a SPV in the telecommunications industry owned by the Malaysian government, on the deployment of In Building Solutions ("IBS") in approximately 250 buildings / sites approved by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ("MCMC") in connection with the nationwide 5G rollout in Malaysia.

Intellectual Property

• Advising on protection and exploitation of general as well as media and entertainment-related intellectual property in particular copyright and trademarks, including the management, licensing, transfer and/or assignment of such rights.
• Advised a Malaysian media production house in relation to potential copyright infringement and other possible Intellectual Property infringements.

Corporate & Commercial

• Advising clients in the fields of general corporate law including corporate finance, both conventional and Islamic, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions; corporate restructuring, joint ventures and corporate governance.
• Advising listed companies, private limited companies and businesses on corporate governance and compliance issues, and foreign companies and businesses on doing business investing in Malaysia.
• Advised clients on commercial matters with an emphasis on agreements for commercial tenancies, franchising, unit trusts, manufacturing and provision of services.
• Advising clients on company secretarial matters, such as compliance with Companies’ legislation and relevant guidelines, the preparation of secretarial documents and the incorporation of companies and societies, including companies limited by guarantee, charitable foundations and offshore companies.