Rahmat Lim & Partners > Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia > Firm Profile

Rahmat Lim & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings

Malaysia > Banking and finance Tier 1

The banking and finance at Rahmat Lim & Partners handles a broad variety of domestic and cross-border lending, ranging from unsecured bilateral loans to complex syndicated transactions. The group regularly acts for Malaysian and international financial institutions as well as public and private corporations, handling asset financing, structured financing and debt restructuring transactions. Other core strengths include acquisition and leveraged financing, financial services regulatory and fintech. Team lead Wan Kai Chee has a broad practice spanning restructurings, capital reductions, foreign investment and fund and collective investment scheme formation. Managing partner Azman bin Othman Luk focuses on banking and finance transactions, and also advises on financial and capital markets regulation.

Malaysia > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

The M&A team at Rahmat Lim & Partners has a strong track record of high-value and high-profile work in Malaysia and across the broader region. Clients include a range of public and private organisations and financial institutions. The group regularly advises on local and regional joint ventures, acquisitions and disposals, corporate reorganisations and amalgamation, as well as capital restructurings, leveraged buyouts, inbound and outbound investments and private equity transactions. Department head Moy Pui Yee  is sought after for transactional work in the financial services, energy, manufacturing, hospitality and retail and consumer sectors. Chen Lee Won  is noted for her expertise in foreign investment into Malaysia and securities law, and for her experience assisting private equity firms and sovereign funds.

Malaysia > Labour and employment Tier 1

Rahmat Lim & Partners’ employment practice is part of its dispute resolution team which regularly handles a balanced mix of contentious and advisory matters. Led by Jack Yow, it advises on employment and industrial relations, at both domestic and cross-border levels, and has a dedicated health and safety practice that advises on the regulatory framework relating to workplace health and safety. The practice launched a new ESG & public policy practice area in 2021, assisting organisations with navigating the increasingly complex regulatory environment in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Leveraging its association with regional powerhouse Allen & Gledhill LLP, its clients can benefit from extensive legal resources for matters such as EPF and SOCSO contributions, union recognition, disciplinary actions, terminations of service and misconduct.

Malaysia > Projects and energy Tier 1

Rahmat Lim & Partners is particularly strong in infrastructure projects including airports, ports, highways, and mass rapid transit as well as power plants and petrochemical plants across Asia and the Middle East. The team assists with concession, power purchase, construction and engineering matters. Chong Yee Leong‘s practice focuses on international arbitration in energy, oil and gas, and power and infrastructure projects in Malaysia and Singapore. Leong heads the team with Kamilah Kasim, who has considerable experience advising on the privatisation of public sector businesses and on infrastructure development by the private sector.

Malaysia > Real estate and construction Tier 1

Rahmat Lim & Partners advises clients across a full range of corporate real estate matters, including acquisitions, developments and joint ventures, leasing and associated due diligence. The practice has a strong track record of handling structured property transactions, involving office buildings, malls and retail properties, hotels, residential and mixed developments and industrial properties. Lee Yee Ling heads the corporate real estate department; her practice is geared towards acquisitions and divestments, sale-and-leaseback transactions, joint developments and development projects. Chong Yee Leong manages the firm’s projects and international arbitration group, bolstering the firm’s ability to draw on construction and engineering expertise. Kamilah Kasim is another key name here, with considerable experience in complex engineering projects.

Malaysia > Antitrust and competition Tier 2

Rahmat Lim & Partners handles a broad range of antitrust and competition matters, including compliance, exemption applications to the MyCC, and cross-jurisdictional merger control assessments and filings. The team also represents clients in the financial services, automotive, pharmaceuticals and property development sectors in complaints and investigations. Raymond Yong focuses on matters involving the MyCC, regularly advising on cartel and abuse of dominance cases as well as on the antitrust-aspects of M&A and joint venture structuring. He jointly leads the practice with Chen Lee Won, whose clients include financial institutions, manufacturers, oil and gas entities and private equity firms.

Malaysia > Capital markets Tier 2

The capital markets practice at Rahmat Lim & Partners acts on a broad spread of debt- and equity-side issuances. Recent work includes bond and note issuances, including Islamic medium-term notes programmes, with a specialist offering in funding renewable energy projects through debt capital raisings. The team has a strong offering when it comes to REITs, and also works on IPOs, secondary issuances, employee share schemes and warrant issuances. Wan Kai Chee heads the firm’s wider financial services department, his practice spanning capital markets, investment funds, private equity, and fintech.

Malaysia > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Rahmat Lim & Partners is a key choice for liquidation, winding-up, insolvency and loss recovery disputes, regularly representing a diverse roster of clients ranging from financial institutions, public and private companies and accounting firms to liquidators, receivers and managers. Other core strengths in contentious work include commercial and corporate disputes, banking claims, minority oppression and shareholder disputes, and employment litigation, as well as probate and administration, professional negligence, securities and trust proceedings. Group head Jack Yow is a stand-out name for industrial relations and employment litigation, while Chong Yee Leong heads up the firm’s projects and international arbitration department.

Malaysia > Intellectual property Tier 2

Led by Pauline Khor  Rahmat Lim & Partners’s recent work in IP has focused on e-commerce related litigation and providing support to anti-counterfeiting measures taken by local and international brands. Khor has experience in all aspects of IP civil and criminal enforcement, including trademarks, passing off, copyright, patents, registered designs and trade secrets.

Malaysia > Shipping Tier 3

Rahmat Lim & Partners advises on the sale, registration and de-registration of vessels, and the preparation and registration of ship mortgages. It also handles contentious matters including domestic and international maritime litigation, the enforcement and repossession of vessels, and arbitration relating to insurance and casualties, which the shipping team is able to draw from across the firm’s financial services, litigation, and projects and international arbitration departments.

Malaysia > TMT (including Fintech) Tier 3

The TMT practice at Rahmat Lim & Partners stands out for its fintech work, advising a range of venture capitalists, traditional fund managers, global banks, start-ups and technology service providers. The group also negotiates commercial agreements relating to telecoms provision and licensing, outsourcing, research and development. Wan Kai Chee, who also heads the firm’s financial services department, is a key name here. Azman bin Othman Luk heads the firm’s regulatory and compliance department, and Pauline Khor leads the IP and technology team. Karen Foong focuses on advising financial institutions and corporations on licensing, regulatory and compliance matters.