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

Rahmat Lim & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings

Malaysia > Banking and finance Tier 1

Rahmat Lim & Partners is noted for its expertise in large-scale syndicated finance deals, acquisition finance and project finance work. It has experienced further growth in distressed financing and fintech, along with green Sukuks and sustainability-linked loans. Led by Wan Kai Chee, the team continues to be active in infrastructure and project finance in the oil and gas sector. Managing partner Azman bin Othman Luk is active in distressed financings, infrastructure financings and government-related financings, while Kelvin Loh represents a range of international and domestic clients in conventional and Islamic finance transactions. Geraldine Su handles cross-border financings for foreign clients and Syed Rashid bin Rahim Alsree is recognised for acquisition finance; he led the team that advised the banks on the RM2bn Shariah-compliant syndicated financing to Malayan Cement to finance the acquisition of a series of companies owned by YTL Cement.

Malaysia > Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Rahmat Lim & Partners is involved in numerous, high-value M&A transactions, both in Malaysia and across the region. The practice advises financial institutions, in addition to both public and private organisations, on a broad range of deals, including local and regional joint ventures, share and business acquisitions and disposals. The team is also well-versed in corporate reorganisations, privatisations, leveraged buy-outs and capital restructurings. Practice head Moy Pui Yee is active across a range of industries including financial services, energy and power, while Lim Teong Sit has expertise in Islamic finance and Chen Lee Won handles joint ventures and general commercial contracts. Ho Wei Lih, whose ‘professionalism and tenacity is second to none’, is another key member of the team.

Malaysia > Labour and employment Tier 1

Jack Yow, who specialises in litigious matters, leads the team at Rahmat Lim & Partners, which expanded its focus in 2021 to include health and safety, to ensure its coverage of diversity and wellbeing in the workplace. The team represents and defends domestic clients on a wide variety of mandates, including employee retrenchment during company restructuring, claims of unjust termination of employment and whether employee claims for wages stand after death. The practice also handles claims relating to the Industrial Relations Act 1967. Furthermore, advisory work spans the full range of employment relationship issues and regulations, including pensions, share options, performance improvement plans and statutory welfare.

Malaysia > Projects and energy Tier 1

Noted for its cross-border capability, Rahmat Lim & Partners advises clients on a range of infrastructure projects, including airports, ports, highways and mass rapid transit, as well as power and petrochemical plants across Asia and the Middle East. The team also has demonstrable experience in the privatisation of public sector entities. International arbitration expert Chong Yee Leong leads the practice alongside Kamilah Kasim, who focuses on the contentious aspects of infrastructure projects, and Dzuhairi Jaafar Thani, who advises on engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contracts. Allen Choong acts for clients on engineering and energy projects in Southeast Asia.

Malaysia > Real estate and construction Tier 1

Rahmat Lim & Partners’ real estate offering is co-led by head of corporate real estate Lee Yee Ling, Chong Yee Leong, Kamilah Kasim and head of corporate infrastructure, construction and engineering, Dzuhairi Jaafar Thani. The team is well-equipped to handle real estate transactions and often advises on matters concerning unusual financial arrangements. Its client roster includes local and international investors, corporations and government-linked companies. The practice’s workload frequently involves office buildings, retail properties and hotels, in addition to advising on property acquisitions and divestments, developments, joint ventures and listings of real estate investment trusts on Bursa Malaysia; Zandra Tan is praised for her ‘prowess and experience’ in the latter.

Malaysia > Antitrust and competition Tier 2

Regulatory and compliance specialist Raymond Yong, litigation partner Jack Yow and M&A expert Chen Lee Won, co-lead the team at Rahmat Lim & Partners. The competition offering advises on a broad range of issues, including compliance with the Competition Act 2010 and its regulations, exemption applications to the Malaysia Competition Commission, as well as advising on price fixing. The sectors covered by the team include international corporations and trade associations from an array of industries. Standout work includes advising on the competition law aspects of the RM1.925bn acquisition of Munchy Food Industries by Universal Robina Corporation. Penny Wong was promoted to partner as of January 2022.

Malaysia > Capital markets Tier 2

The ‘knowledgeable’ financial services offering at Rahmat Lim & Partners is led by Wan Kai Chee. The equity markets sub-team counts IPOs across Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong in its workload. Elsewhere, the debt capital markets practice acts on bond and notice issuances and medium term notes programmes. Most notable is the team’s activity in renewable energy debt capital, as demonstrated by its advice on the issuance of sukuk by the project owner of a solar photovoltaic plant. Kelvin Loh, who is noted for his expertise in bond and Sukuk transaction work, is another key contact in the group.

Malaysia > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Counting banks, financial institutions, general creditors, liquidators and receivers among its key roster of clients, Rahmat Lim & Partners’ diverse caseload includes commercial and corporate disputes, banking claims, enforcement of security issues, as well as insolvency litigation. Jack Yow, who focuses on corporate, banking and employment litigation, jointly leads the team alongside Chong Yee Leong, who has demonstrable experience in international arbitrations, with a focus in the oil and gas sector. ‘Reliable and strategic’ Allen Choong advises on engineering and infrastructure disputes.

Malaysia > Intellectual property Tier 2

Pauline Khor, who handles contentious IP matters, leads the team at Rahmat Lim & Partners. The offering advises a broad range of local and multinational companies on the full spectrum of IP and ancillary rights in Malaysia. With demonstrable experience across various industry sectors, the practice is noted for its expertise in the technology space, having recently acted on mandates involving e-commerce and online rights infringement. On the contentious side of the practice, it has ample experience assisting clients in the enforcement of anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy laws.

Malaysia > Shipping Tier 2

The team at Rahmat Lim & Partners is jointly led by head of litigation Jack Yow and co-head of maritime Soh Yin Chuin, who is praised as a ‘leader in the field’. The shipping offering is one of the largest in Malaysia. Many of the team’s matters are of high-value and often cross-border in nature, consistently involving cases of the sale, registration and de-registration of vessels and mortgages, transfers of flag, secured and unsecured vessel lending and leasing, M&A and repossession, as well as restructuring and insolvency. A recent work highlight includes the practice’s action as financial adviser to Rimorchiatori Mediterranei on its acquisition of Keppel Smit Towage and Maju Maritime.

Malaysia > TMT (including Fintech) Tier 3

Rahmat Lim & Partners regularly advises on, negotiates and drafts a broad spectrum of commercial agreements relating to the construction, provision and licensing of telecoms networks. The practice’s clients range from venture capitalists, traditional fund managers and international banks to fintech companies and technology service providers. Banking and finance expert Azman bin Othman Luk co-heads the team alongside Wan Kai Chee, whose area of practice covers fintech, and M&A expert Moy Pui Yee. Head of the firm's IP and technology team, Pauline Khor, is another key contact.