Sivananthan

Founding Partner

Datuk N. Sivananthan is one of Malaysia’s most established criminal defence advocates, with over three decades of continuous practice in serious and complex criminal litigation.

He is widely recognised for his work in high-stakes prosecutions involving capital offences, corporate and financial crime, corruption, and preventive detention regimes.

He appears regularly at all levels of the Malaysian courts, including the Federal Court, and has been engaged in matters of significant legal and public importance. His practice spans the full spectrum of criminal defence work — from advisory and investigative-stage strategy to trial advocacy and appellate proceedings.

Datuk Sivananthan is frequently consulted at the earliest stages of investigations, particularly in matters involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), securities and regulatory offences, and serious Penal Code charges. He is known for developing early-stage defence strategies, preparing detailed representations to enforcement authorities, and advising on evidential presumptions, procedural challenges, and prosecutorial engagement before charges are preferred.

His courtroom advocacy is characterised by disciplined preparation, statutory precision, and strategic cross-examination in complex evidential matters. He has acted in capital drug prosecutions, murder trials, firearms cases, large-scale fraud matters, and regulatory enforcement actions with substantial financial and reputational exposure.

Datuk Sivananthan is the first Malaysian admitted as Counsel before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, reflecting international recognition of his standing in criminal practice. He is also admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya and the Supreme Court of Singapore, and is a member of the International Criminal Bar (ICB) and the International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA).

In 2009, he was conferred the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang. In 2022, he was recognised in Britishpedia: Successful People in Malaysia.

He is regarded by clients and peers for his measured advocacy, strategic judgment, and steady leadership in matters where legal complexity intersects with public scrutiny.

English, Malay, Tamil

Advocate & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Singapore

Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya

Counsel, International Criminal Court (ICC)

Member, International Criminal Bar (ICB)

Member, International Criminal Court Bar Association (ICCBA)

Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (2009)

Recognised in Britishpedia: Successful People in Malaysia (2022)

LLB (Hons) University of Warwick

Of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister