Antitrust and competition Tier 1

Shearn Delamore & Co's strong track record in antitrust pre-dates the onset of Malaysia's 2010 Competition Act. In particular, the firm is well-versed in representing multinational and government-linked companies in related compliance matters. Led by Anand Raj and K Shanti Mogan, it counts major clients from the financial, pharmaceutical and construction sectors within its portfolio. Recent case highlights include a potential abuse of dominance case (concerning exclusivity and bundling), an investigation by MyCC over allegations of horizontal infringement and a purported breach of contract (private law dispute). Lilien Wong is the name to note for matters relating to joint ventures and share sales.

Banking and finance Tier 1

Operating a niche practice that advises on the regulation of derivatives, the banking and finance team at Shearn Delamore & Co is led by Christina Kow. The team maintains a focus on regulatory matters governing securities, financial services and foreign exchange administration. Notably, it also has the ability to handle transactions such as Islamic, structured and project finance, areas complemented by its expertise in debt capital markets and the restructuring of defaulted facilities. Laksana Positif is a recent client win in a period which also saw it represent MIDF Amanah Investment Bank in relation to a substantive Islamic medium term notes issue.

Corporate and M&A Tier 1

Dispute resolution Tier 1

Disputes handled by the team at Shearn Delamore & Co cover areas such as white collar crime, Islamic finance, customary (native) rights, environmental law and aviation. Notably, it has an established reputation representing broadcast clients in online publication claims as well as defamation related disputes. A key highlight is its work for The Nielsen Company in a case concerning the measurement science utilised in a research survey. The offering is directed by Jeyanthini Kannaperan and includes the 'outstanding' Yee Mei Ken and 'astute' data protection expert K Shanti Mogan.

Intellectual property Tier 1

Led by the 'world-class' Karen Abraham, Shearn Delamore & Co's intellectual property team also features litigation expert Indran Shanmuganathan, an 'experienced lawyer' with 'good tactical knowledge and intimate awareness of legal complexities'. Handling trade mark violations, data protection and industrial designs, the firm also covers matters such as copyright abuse and competition law. Notably, it has particular expertise in the telecoms sector where it advises on relevant aspects pertaining to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Janet Toh, Michelle C Y Loi and Timothy Siaw are collectively recommended for the protection of IP assets, including complex patents and for their expertise relating to life sciences. Jyeshta Mahendran is another name to note.

Labour and employment Tier 1

Handling an increasing quotient of contract renegotiations, the labour and employment offering at Shearn Delamore & Co is led by Sivabalah Nadarajah, a specialist in trade disputes, collective bargaining and industrial action. The 'amazing' Suganthi Singam handles both contentious and non-contentious matters, Reena Enbasegaram is known for her work in disciplinary action procedures, and Raymond Low is recommended for health and safety litigation. Notably, the firm also pursues allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace and recently acted in this capacity for Malayan Banking Berhad.

Real estate and construction Tier 1

Shearn Delamore & Co's clients include private companies, local and offshore property funds, real estate investors, financial institutions and multinational corporations. The firm advises on property acquisitions and divestments, joint ventures and M&A involving real estate clients. Sau Yee Sar is co-leading the team and provides expertise on shareholder agreements, commercial leases and joint ventures for property development. Rodney Gomez also co-leads the team and is noted for his dispute resolution experience, including litigation and arbitration in relation to construction and infrastructure disputes.

Tax Tier 1

Islamic finance Tier 2

Projects and energy Tier 2

Shearn Delamore & Co acts on financings, dispute resolution and project structuring matters in the realm of projects and energy. These include township developments, highways, railways and airports. Datin Grace Yeoh leads the energy, natural resources and green technology team with key expertise in the banking industry and on foreign investment. Rodney Gomez leads the infrastructure and projects team, whose expertise is in arbitration and adjudication handling disputes arising out PPPs.

Shipping Tier 2

Shearn Delamore & Co acts for freight forwarders, logistics companies, ship owners, offshore and marine companies. The firm advises on the full range of shipping matters with expertise and experience in transactional and contentious issues. Rajasingam Gothandapani is leading the team and has assisted clients on salvage and collision claims, regulatory issues and shipbuilding. His clients include banks, shipyards and shipowners.

TMT Tier 3

With a focus on patents, life sciences and IP litigation, Timothy Siaw heads the TMT offering at Shearn Delamore & Co. Notably, the team is drawn from a cross-section of disciplines (including competition law) and features Janet Toh Yoong San, a specialist in the negotiation of software development, customisation and licensing agreements. In particular, the firm recently acted for Spacegen on a third party application to utilise its technology to analyse raw satellite images.