The Legal 500 Asia Pacific (2016)
Banking & Finance – Tier 2
Capital Markets – Tier 4
Corporate M&A – Tier 3
Dispute – Tier 4
Islamic Finance – Tier 3
IT and Telecoms – Tier 2
Labour and Employment – Tier 3
Projects and Energy – Tier 1
Real Estate and Construction – Tier 3
Shipping – Tier 2
Leading Lawyers:
Kuok Yew Chen - IT and Telecoms
Ong Chee Kwan - Shipping
Banking & Finance
Christopher & Lee Ong handles corporate banking, project finance, structured financing and debt restructuring. The firm sits on the panels of Maybank, Mizuho Bank and Hong Leong Bank. Christopher Lee and Fiona Sequerah are recommended.
Corporate M&A
Christopher & Lee Ong routinely serves as Malaysian counsel in major cross-border transactions and is a member of the Rajah & Tann LLP Asia network. Yon See Ting acted for Chinese investment company CITIC Environment Protection, carrying out due diligence on the Malaysian subsidiaries of United Envirotech prior to acquisition. Together with practice head Christopher Lee, Yon also advised Arenga Pinnata and Strategic Ambience on a RM246m share acquisition and subsequent takeover of Masterskill Education Group. Highlights for ‘astute professional’ Kuok Yew Chen, who ‘gives quick responses, is readily accessible, and knows how to navigate red tape’, included advising Maybank on a joint venture with Volkswagen Capital.
Dispute
Christopher & Lee Ong’s commercial litigation practice is led by Ong Chee Kwan, who handled a number of significant arbitration matters and court proceedings relating to shipping disputes.
Islamic Finance
Christopher & Lee Ong’s Christopher Lee and Fiona Sequerah advised Cagamas Global as issuer and Cagamas as guarantor in connection with a $2.5bn multi-currency medium term note programme, and assisted Cagamas Global Sukuk as issuer and trustee and Cagamas as obligor in a £2.5bn multi-currency sukuk issuance programme.
IT and Telecoms
Christopher & Lee Ong’s ‘excellent’ practice is co-headed by Kuok Yew Chen and Yau Yee Ming, and covers the entire region as a result of its association with the Rajah & Tann LLP Asia network. Clients include governments, statutory boards and corporations, and the team handles outsourcing, licensing and e-commerce matters.
Labour and Employment
Christopher & Lee Ong’s work includes retrenchment exercises and litigation in the Industrial Court. Rubini Murugesan is recommended.
Projects and Energy
Christopher & Lee Ong provides ‘great service and timely responses’. Christopher Lee assisted Prasarana Malaysia with phase 3 of the Klang Valley Light Rail Transit System extension and, together with Eileen Yeoh, advised Petronas on establishing the power plant in the Refinery And Petrochemicals Integrated Development (RAPID) project. Shemane Chan is assisting 1MDB Real Estate in the Tun Razak Exchange development, a proposed RM26bn financial district. Clients of the ‘reasonable’ Yau Yee Ming include Sumitomo.
Real Estate and Construction
Christopher & Lee Ong’s Shemane Chan is advising 1MDB Real Estate as main developer of new financial district Tun Razak Exchange, valued at RM26bn. Lim Hui Ming is also recommended for real estate work.
Shipping
Christopher & Lee Ong handled disputes relating to unpaid bills, ship mortgages, vessel collisions and ship arrests. Jainil Bhandari, who is qualified to practice in Malaysia and Singapore, and Ong Chee Kwan are recommended.