The Legal 500 - Asia Pacific (2023)

Antitrust and Competition – Tier 1
Banking and Finance – Tier 2
Capital Markets – Tier 3
Corporate and M&A – Tier 1
Dispute Resolution – Tier 3
Intellectual Property – Tier 1
Labour and Employment – Tier 2
Projects and Energy – Tier 1
Real Estate and Construction – Tier 3
Shipping – Tier 1
TMT (Including Fintech) – Tier 1

Leading Lawyers:
Christopher Lee – Projects and Energy
Clive Selvapandian – Shipping
Kim Poh Ng – Intellectual Property
Kuok Yew Chen – Corporate and M&A
Lim Hui Ming – Real Estate and Construction
Siaw Wan Lim – Projects and Energy
Sri Sarguna Raj – Intellectual Property
Yon See Ting – Antitrust and Competition; Corporate and M&A

Next Generation Lawyers:
Anissa Maria Anis – TMT (Including Fintech)
Chor Jack – Projects and Energy
Jane Guan – Antitrust and Competition
Rubini Murugesan – Labour and Employment
Yong Shih Han – TMT (Including Fintech)

Hall of Fame:
Deepak Pillai – TMT (Including Fintech)
Intan Haryati – TMT (Including Fintech)
Kuok Yew Chen – TMT (Including Fintech)

Key Lawyers:
Annette Soh – Capital Markets
Anissa Maria Anis - TMT (Including Fintech)
Chor Jack – Banking and Finance, Corporate and M&A, Projects and Energy
Clive Navin Selvapandian - Shipping
Daphne Lam - Capital Markets
Goh Yau Jun – Real Estate and Construction
Han Li Meng – Labour and Employment
Intan Haryati – TMT (Including Fintech)
Jane Guan – Antitrust and Competition
Lim Siaw Wan - Projects and Energy
Kelvin Kho - Real Estate and Construction
Nicole Chong - Intellectual Property
Rubini Murugesan - Labour and Employment
Samuel Ong - Antitrust and Competition
Shanti Geoffrey – Dispute Resolution
Steven Cheok - Intellectual Property
Tracy Wong - Corporate and M&A
Yong Shih Han - TMT (Including Fintech)

Antitrust and Competition
The well-established competition practice at Christopher & Lee Ong is headed by ‘renowned’ Yon See Ting. On account of its association with Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, the team is well-equipped to advise multinational companies, in addition to regional PLCs and trade associations, on the full spectrum of competition law matters. This involves evaluating net economic benefits and immunity considerations, assisting in exemption applications and merger notifications, acting as counsel in M&A transactions and conducting due diligence. Standout work includes the team’s representation of two leading Malaysian insurance companies in the high-profile investigation brought by the Malaysian Competition Commission against the General Insurance Association of Malaysia. Jane Guan is a partner to watch in the team.

Banking and Finance
Christopher & Lee Ong has strong connections to local and international banks and financial institutions. It also advises a range of multinationals and Malaysian businesses, having an impressive record in project finance and syndicated lending through to Islamic finance, securitisation and debt restructurings. The firm is part of Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP’s Asia network, giving it further credibility and capabilities throughout the ASEAN region. Christopher Lee and Fiona Sequerah are experienced and rounded practitioners with solid banking and finance credentials. Chor Jack leads on many of the team’s big engagements, including project financings.

Capital Markets
Christopher & Lee Ong is a member firm of Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, and its Malaysia-based capital markets team is co-headed by Yon See Ting, Anette Soh and Fiona Sequerah. The offering is well-equipped to advise on mandates concerning the listing of companies, IPOs and debt fundraising exercises across Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong. The team has demonstrable experience across the IT, telecoms, shipping, banking, infrastructure and energy sectors. Daphne Lam joined the firm from Halim Hong & Quek in October 2021 and soon-after, Anette Soh joined from Azman Davidson & Co in January 2022.

Corporate and M&A
Christopher & Lee Ong’s ‘reliable and responsive’ corporate practice advises on the entire deal lifecycle, from competitive M&A bidding and structuring to eventual execution and implementation. The team has expertise in joint venture and shareholder’s agreements, takeovers and equity capital markets. The firm represents an array of clients, including multinational companies, government-linked corporations and SMEs from various sectors. Yon See Ting and Kuok Yew Chen regularly advise on cross-border transactions and are familiar with regulatory authorities for competition and telecoms. Other key members of the team include Christopher Lee, Por Chuei Ying, Yau Yee Ming, Chor Jack, Tracy Wong and Lee Hock Chye.

Dispute Resolution
Christopher & Lee Ong covers a broad range of disputes, including general litigation, arbitration and adjudication. The team has considerable trial and appellate expertise, as they regularly conduct civil appeals in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Malaysia. Praised as ‘experienced, clued on and always ever-willing to assist clients’, John Mathew leads the team and is an arbitrator with the Asian International Arbitration Centre, while Shanti Geoffrey leverages her expertise as a former capital market regulator to advise on contentious matters.

Intellectual Property
The offering at Christopher & Lee Ong is led by Sri Sarguna Raj, who is noted for his ‘great strategy’ on IP cases. The team is well-equipped to handle both contentious and non-contentious matters, from IP protection and registration, enforcement of rights and litigation to trademark auditing, with noteworthy clients including AirAsia, for whom its cases are multi-jurisdictional. Other key areas of expertise include advising on infringements pertaining to trademarks, patents, copyrights, licensing, domain names and industrial design. Steven Cheok, who focuses on clearance searches and the prosecution of trademark applications, is another key contact in the group.

Labour and Employment
Yau Yee Ming and Kelvin Kho co-head the employment team at Christopher & Lee Ong. With a strong reputation as a full-service firm, the team members cross-specialise in corporate, commercial and dispute resolution. It is experienced in advising on the full spectrum of contentious matters, including such areas as unfair dismissal, breaches of contract, redundancies, business closures and retrenchment. The practice regularly represents its Malaysian client base at the Industrial Court and in mediations. Rubini Murugesan stands out for her capability in employment litigation.

Projects and Energy
The ‘dedicated, conscientious and frank team’ at Christopher & Lee Ong has considerable regional experience in projects, energy and infrastructure. The practice advises on renewable projects, as well as telecoms and IT matters, mines and mineral processing facilities and sewerage systems. In addition to drafting PPAs and tender documentation, other key areas of expertise include adjudication and arbitration proceedings. Practice head Christopher Lee, who ‘has a knack for thinking outside the box’, acts as a key adviser in government initiatives, while Lim Siaw Wan handles projects in the oil and gas, energy and power, and rail sectors. Chor Jack, who advises on corporate structuring and PPAs, is another key member of the team.

Real Estate and Construction
Christopher & Lee Ong’s real estate team has both Lee Hock Chye and Lim Hui Ming, who is praised as ‘an exceptional partner to her clients’, at its helm. The practice has demonstrable experience advising on domestic and cross-border real estate transactions, namely involving other ASEAN countries, and counts local and international investors among its key roster clients. Proposed developments and purchases form a large proportion of its workload. The team is working with Damansara Holdings Berhad on a novel environmental mandate, advising on regulatory aspects of mining bauxite minerals from plots of land in Pahang.

Shipping
Jainil Bhandari leads the ‘standout’ shipping offering at Christopher & Lee Ong. The team has a strong reputation for its cross-border practice, owing to its membership across the Rajah and Tann Asia network, with many of its most notable matters spanning Malaysia and Singapore. Its workload focuses on cases involving marine casualty management, investigation and resolution of regulatory issues, marine pollution and rights and casualty disputes. Further, the team deals with land-based shipping work. Expert in wet and dry shipping disputes, Clive Navin Selvapandian is a stand out member of the team.

TMT (Including Fintech)
The TMT practice at Christopher & Lee Ong continues to see growth in areas such as cloud computing, digital signing, e-commerce, cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens. Key client include a range of multinational organisations and conglomerates across the banking and financial services, technology and telecoms, energy and insurance sectors, as well as fintech companies, application developers and media and global industry disruptors. Practice co-leader Deepak Pillai is praised as ‘extremely knowledgeable and comprehensive in matters relating to data privacy’, while co-head Kuok Yew Chen focuses on corporate M&A work. Intan Haryati specialises in structuring, drafting and negotiating IT contracts, and Anissa Maria Anis advises on content creation, acquisitions and distributions, licensing matters, regulatory issues and defamation cases. Yong Shih Han is another key member in the team.