Profile
Work Department
Position
Partner
Career
Dato’ Sunil Abraham is a partner at Cecil Abraham & Partners. He specialises in Corporate and Commercial, Banking and Securities, Media, Telecommunications, Public & Administrative and Environmental Law disputes as well as in Arbitration disputes. He has significant advocacy experience before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court and before arbitral tribunals.
He has appeared in a number of noteworthy cases before the Federal Court pertaining to the registration and enforcement of arbitral awards in Siemens Industry Software GmbH Co Kg (Germany) (formerly known as Innotec GmbH) v Jacob and Toralf Consulting Sdn Bhd (formerly known as Innotec Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd (M)) & Ors [2020] 3 MLJ; the validity and enforceability of introducer agreements within the meaning of Section 24 of the Contracts Act 1950 in Wong Yee Boon v Gainvest Builders Sdn Bhd [2020] 2 CLJ 727; the application of Section 10 of the Arbitration Act 2005 in Arch Reinsurance Ltd v Akay Holdings Ltd [2019] 1 CLJ 305; the applicable test for forgery in civil claims in Letchumanan Chettiar Alagappan (as the executor of the Estate to SL Alameloo Achi (Deceased) & Anor v Secure Plantations Sdn Bhd [2017] 5 CLJ 418; the applicable principles relating to the granting of interim relief in arbitration disputes in AV Asia Sdn Bhd v Measat Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd [2014] 3 MLJ 61; the powers of liquidators in Ooi Woon Chee & Anor v Dato’ See Teow Chuan & Ors [2012] 2 MLJ 713; the exercise of royal prerogative powers in Dato’ Seri Ir Hj Mohammad Nizar bin Jamaluddin v Dato’ Seri Dr Zambry bin Abdul Kadir (Attorney General, intervener) [2010] 2 MLJ 285 and His Royal Highness Sultan Ismail Petra Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yahya Petra v His Royal Highness Tengku Mahkota Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra & Anor and another suit [2011] 1 MLJ 1; and the doctrine of non-delegable duty and vicarious liability in Dr Harikrishnan & Anor v Megat Noor Ishak bin Megat Ibrahim and another appeal [2018] 3 MLJ 281, to name but a few.
He has successfully represented Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd in a defamation claim against Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd (reported in Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd v Mkini Dotcom Sdn Bhd & Ors [2018] 4 MLJ 209) involving issues relating to the law on responsible journalism and reportage. Dato’ Sunil Abraham has also had the distinction of representing several ministers within the Government of Malaysia in numerous libel claims.
He has also successfully represented Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd in high-profile environmental law disputes instituted by local residents and involving the regulators as well as numerous developers in planning law disputes.
He has appeared as co-counsel for the Government of Malaysia in an investment treaty arbitration claim instituted by Malaysian Historical Salvors and as co-counsel for investors in investment treaty disputes.
He also sits as an arbitrator in commercial and infrastructure related disputes.
He has been recognised as a leading individual by Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Benchmark Litigation and Asialaw Profiles as well as ranked by Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific in the area of dispute resolution. He has also been recognised in Who’s Who Legal as a Future Leader in Arbitration. In 2016, he was named by Asian Legal Business in the Top 40 Under 40 Practitioners in Asia.
Languages
Memberships
Panel of Arbitrators
- Asian International Arbitration Centre
- London Court of International Arbitration
- Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce
- International Chamber of Commerce
Panel of Mediators
- Asian International Arbitration Centre
Current
- Member of the Management Board of the International Bar Association (IBA)
- Legal Practice Division Liaison Officer to the Asia Pacific Regional Forum and the Dispute Resolution Section of the IBA
- Member of the IBA Diversity & Inclusion Council
Past
- Co-chair of the Asia Pacific Regional Forum of the IBA
- Advisory Board Member of the Young Lawyers’ Committee of the IBA
- Co-chair of the Asia Pacific Arbitration Group of the IBA
- Asia Pacific Liaison Officer of the Arbitration Committee of the IBA
Education
Qualifications
- BSC Economics (Hons), London School of Economics, University of London
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP Law School
- Bar Vocational Course, Inns of Court School of Law, City University
- Barrister at Law of the Honourable Society of Middle Temple
- Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, United Kingdom
- Fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators
- Fellow of the Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution
Content supplied by Cecil Abraham And Partners
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Cecil Abraham and Partners is without doubt the leading commercial litigation firm for large scale and complex disputes. They have a close team of experienced partners who work interchangeably with each other. Over the last 10 years I have worked on large cases with them, and I cannot fault their performance and ability.'
'The sheer experience that Cecil Abraham brings and the way he has trained by his example of hard work and precision has brought about a firm ethos for hard work and doing an excellent job in cases, such that they are respected by clients and the courts.’
‘Cecil Abraham is an excellent advocate, good tactician, and works hard. Aniz is calm and gets the work done, very pleasant. Sunil Abraham has gone from strength to strength and is is a pleasure to see how well he has done.’
‘Stand out partners include Dato' Sunil Abraham for his ability to meld legal arguments and Aniz Ahmad Amirudin for his in-depth industry knowledge.’
‘Highly skilled and specialised team focused on dispute resolution, with innovative ideas, diligence, and proficiency in the subject.’
‘Best in class, top shelf candidates, especially Sunil Abraham who is insightful, a master of his subject, tactful and pleasant to work with, even on stressful timelines.’
- 'Dato' Sunil Abraham is a sharp litigator. He is also very responsive to client queries and requests.’
- 'The unusual mix of erudite and pragmatism with the ability to make the arguments that matter, find the defences that work and appraise the client of the risks involved at all stages.'
Key clients
- Lynas Rare Earths Ltd and Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd
- Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad
- IOU Pay Ltd (now known as Ovanti Limited) and IOU Pay Asia Sdn Bhd
- Telekom Malaysia Berhad
- Setia Utama LRT3 Sdn Bhd
- Eversendai Constructions (M) Sdn Bhd
- Euroclear Bank
- Hap Seng Group Consolidated Berhad and its subsidiaries
- Marriot International Inc
- NRY Architects Sdn Bhd
- Kining Exeton Sdn Bhd
- Ireka Enginering & Constructions Sdn Bhd
- Royal Pahang Durian Resources PKPP Sdn Bhd
- Bank Negara Malaysia
- Amanahraya Investment Bank Ltd and its subsidiaries
- Sotella Fund Pte Ltd
- Tropicana Aman Sdn Bhd
- Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (Pernas)
- Shopee Mobile Malaysia Sdn Bhd
- Tegas Sejati Sdn Bhd
- Technygroup Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd
- Amalgamated Plant Engineering Sdn Bhd
- Executors of the Estate of Madam Lim Siew Kim
- Telekom Malaysia Berhad