The dispute resolution group at Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill is one of the oldest, largest and most respected in the market. The scope of its coverage is wide, with dispute specialists occupying every niche within the corporate and commercial fields. The firm’s contentious practice is divided into area-specific practice groups that offer specialist assistance in general commercial disputes, banking and insolvency litigation, and construction and real estate disputes.
The practice area heads within the disputes group are Lambert Rasa-Ratnam, international arbitration and energy specialist and tax group leader Nitin Nadkarni, and banking and insolvency specialist Kumar Kanagasingam. Other notable names within the team include partners and banking experts Andrew Chiew Ean Vooi and Sean Yeow, corporate disputes and insurance specialist Vijay Kumar, corporate disputes specialist SM Shanmugam and labour and employment specialists Lim Heng Seng and Shariffullah Majeed.
In a high-stakes commercial dispute, the firm represented KPMG against Serba Dinamik Holdings. The suit alleged negligence, breach of contract and breach of statutory duty under Section 320 of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007. This case was of immense value, surpassing $1.1 billion ($230 million), and it holds significance as the first instance in Malaysia where an auditor has been sued for exercising professional scepticism during an ongoing statutory audit. It also marks the first time the court will examine an auditor's obligation to report accounting irregularities. As a result, the case has attracted substantial media coverage.
The firm’s recent client roster includes FGV Holdings, Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional, MARA Corporation, Ning Yang Properties and Securities Commission Malaysia.
In January 2023, the firm promoted Chan Mun Yew and Andrea Chew Mei Yng to partners.
Client feedback
“Strong and experienced litigation team. Partners are reputable. Sound legal knowledge and strong business acumen, giving valuable and balanced legal advice. Very responsive and service-oriented.” – Banking and financial services
“Prompt and thorough in providing their services. You feel safe with them.” – Class action
“Fast, accurate and efficient.” – Commercial arbitration
“Understands clients' expectation and provides firm solutions for issues faced, and possesses knowledge in various fields, including business and accounts, etc.” – Commercial arbitration
“They are fast and efficient.” – Commercial arbitration
“Able to prepare effective, clear and persuasive court papers.” – Commercial and transactions
“Good analytical and logical arguments in defending the suit.” – Commercial and transactions
“Provides sound advice; excellent research and drafting skills; and efficient communication skills.” – Commercial and transactions
“This team is highly responsive and very commercial, providing quick, efficient, in-depth analysis across the full range of contentious and non-contentious matters. It is also a strong and well-balanced team that provides strategic advice.” – Construction
“Detail-oriented, good communicator, experienced.” – Construction
“Good coordination and planning skills.” – Energy
“Clear communication skills, especially in explaining legal matters to people without a legal background.” – Energy
“Very focused on the project at hand.” – Energy
“Ability to understand issues within short period of time, especially on technical/engineering matters.” –
Energy
“Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill understands our business and industry well and is able to apply this knowledge to the various issues at hand.’’ – Energy
“Provides alternative perspectives and solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Advises on intellectual property matters in a swift and prompt manner, while making sure that the quality is up to par.” – Intellectual property
“Efficient and practical advice. Understands the client’s needs very well. Cost-effective. Approachable.
Great service.” – Intellectual property
“The team at LHAG is very adept at handling high-value disputes with elements in various jurisdictions and assembling and coordinating a team of international counsel.” – International arbitration
“High-quality services and conclusive legal advice are provided, along with diverse expertise and capabilities that cover legal, technical and commercial matters. Commitments in terms of timeline and scope are always honoured, and accountability is maintained for the advice rendered to clients.” – International arbitration
“Provided swift and relevant feedback and advice for ongoing matters in a comprehensive and understandable manner.” – Labour and employment
“They provide excellent legal work coupled with very strong customer service.” – Labour and employment
“The firm is doing a great job in managing our industrial relations issues in court, especially in dismissal cases.” – Labour and employment
“Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill is very meticulous and timely in their work. They cover all bases, advise on each point clearly and succinctly and provide clear timelines on filing of court papers and documents.” –
Labour and employment
“Timely and professional in providing legal opinions on IR matters and shareholders' dispute.” – Labour and employment
“Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill demonstrates exceptional proficiency in legal research, thorough case analysis, and effective communication. Their ability to articulate complex legal concepts in a clear and comprehensible manner greatly enhances their advocacy. Additionally, their attention to detail and commitment to staying updated on relevant legal developments are commendable, contributing significantly to the success of our legal matters.” –
Labour and employment
“They provided very professional and detail-oriented legal opinion.” – Labour and employment
“Simplifying legal concepts. Easy-to-digest advice. Systematic and organised in requesting information from clients.” – Labour and employment
“Sound advice and rational approach to managing difficult employees.” – Labour and employment
“Attentive to the client's needs. Able to provide quick responses/strategies to matters.” – Labour and employment
“The team did an excellent job in ensuring all our bases were covered for the purposes of the dispute.
The drafting of the cause papers was excellent and conveyed the company's facts very succinctly. The team also ensured to constantly follow up with the counterparty and matters were handled very promptly without delay at all.” – Tax
“Prompt communications, clever use of technology, telco technology knowledge which allows for easy communication with the lawyers and drawing up strategies.” – Technology and telecommunications
Andrew Chiew
“Knowledgeable and grasped details fast. Good at court, especially cross-examination.”
“Very clear and structured thinking. Of course, knowledge of the law as well.”
Yue Han (Summer) Chong
“Always responds promptly with a professional manner.”
“Works efficiently. Very professional.”
Aisyah Hassan
“Transparent, sharing knowledge, punctual and professional manners.”
Ai Ting Ho
“Very committed and always there for you.”
Vijay Kumar
“An expert who is knowledgeable, resourceful, calm, available and accessible.”
“Effective preparation, clear and persuasive court documents.”
“Good analytical and logical arguments in defence.”
Chng Keng Lung
“He responds to our queries and requests in a very prompt manner, while making sure that the responses are of high quality. He delegates work very well to his team, and makes sure that his team conducts work within the deadline requested by us.”
“Understands needs very well. Very practical. Provides a lot of comfort to the client.”
“Knows legal IP landscape very well. Able to provide clear views and actionable items.”
“Able to assist the trademark search and trademark registration well.”
“Able to give suggestions and solutions for issues during trademark registration.”
“He tries to help us achieve our business objectives professionally and ethically.”
Heng Seng Lim
“We've been working with Heng Seng for a couple of years now as he is an expert in his field and has always given us practical and sound advice. His advice and strategy are well-thought-out and he addresses our concerns in a comprehensive yet pragmatic manner.”
“Very knowledgeable in his area of expertise, open to sharing detailed explanations, responsive and approachable.”
“The firm, especially the partner in charge, Lim Heng Seng, is very knowledgeable of industrial relations laws and practices, provides detailed explanation and advice as well as being very responsive to our requests and questions. We were working on a compressed timeline and the firm has worked very well with us to meet the timeline.”
SM Shanmugam
“He understands our business and industry well and is able to apply this knowledge to address the legal issues at hand.”
“We are very impressed with his problem-solving skills and quick understanding of our case issues. His confidence and preparedness during hearings were also superb and top-notch.”
“He is well versed in the telco sector and his experience is valuable when dealing with our opponent.”
Darshendev Singh
“He is adaptive, accommodating and provides solution-oriented advice. He is also an outstandingly bright lawyer who is immensely hard-working, with great acumen and commercial sense.”
Hooi Ping Tan
“Excellent client service with timely and well-crafted solutions.”
“Hard-working and very considerate.”
“She can always work out the best solution for us. Very reliable.”
Jia Xin (Jason) Tan
“Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ethical and professional conduct.”
“He demonstrated the ability to identify and analyse properly legal issues that arise and come up with proper solutions. Overall quality of work and output meets expectation.”
Wai Fung Teh
“Wai Fung is hard-working, responsive and is technically sound.”
“Excellent coordination and planning skills. “
“Ability to clarify legal terms and processes in the simplest terms.”
“Fast learner, asks the right questions to be able to understand.”
“Fast, efficient and accurate.”
Pei Roo (Chris) Toh
“Good communicator. Manages the matter at hand well and without any delay. Receptive to feedback and answers queries immediately and succinctly.”
Amardeep Singh Toor
“Professional and very knowledgeable lawyer.”
“He is an expert with in-depth knowledge of the latest developments in employment and labour law. He frequently participates as a guest speaker in numerous HR conferences, where he delivers talks on current case laws and issues in industrial relations.”
“He is a very open, broad-minded person. Thinks outside the box and provides the appropriate advice.”
“Timely responses on urgent matters/issues.”
“Firstly, his in-depth legal knowledge and expertise are commendable, providing the company with valuable insights and guidance in navigating complex legal issues. Secondly, he demonstrates strong communication skills. He effectively conveys legal concepts and information to stakeholders, ensuring a clear understanding of the implications and options available to the company. Additionally, his proactive approach to legal matters is noteworthy. He anticipates potential challenges, enabling the company to implement pre-emptive strategies and mitigate risks effectively. This proactive stance contributes to the overall risk management and compliance efforts of the organisation. Furthermore, he displays a commitment to client service. He is responsive to inquiries, provides timely updates on legal proceedings, and prioritises the company's best interests in his legal strategies. Overall, his positive attributes encompass legal expertise, effective communication, a proactive approach, and a commitment to client service, all of which contribute significantly to his role as the lawyer to the company.”
“Very good knowledge of employment law, and very practical approach to resolving complex legal issues.”
“He is adaptive, accommodating and provides solution-oriented advice. He is also an outstandingly bright lawyer who is immensely hard-working, with great acumen and commercial sense.”
“Patient and swift in providing feedback and advice. Agile in strategising legal proceedings.”
“Knowledgeable and informed, he possesses in-depth knowledge of local employment law and is well-versed in understanding potential outcomes and responses. Furthermore, he is proactive in his approach, taking the lead and providing support by supplying the necessary documents, agreements, and legal steps when reached out to.”
“Advice and suggestions provided were relevant and up to date with the industry law and regulation as well as employment law. Amar and the team were always ahead of the response and possible actions by the associates and advised accordingly.”
Charissa Wong
“Responsive and able to give quick advice.”
Wai Chin (Crystal) Wong
“Good communication and networking with clients. Fully understands the client's requirements and expectations. Very responsive and efficient.”
Huang-Meng (Sean) Yeow
“Always has a solution. Responsive and approachable. Provides immense comfort to clients that they are in good hands. Provides candid and transparent feedback on the strength of the case, in order to arrive at a strategic decision.”
Amardeep Singh Toor and Wong Lien Taa
“From our initial engagement until the case was dismissed, our lawyers Mr. Amardeep Singh Toor and his assistant Wong Lien Taa from Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill were very professional and kept us informed on the various steps on how they were approaching this case. We as directors of the company had a very professional relationship with them and had regular meetings with our lawyers in the progress of the case in their office.”
