Rahmat Lim & Partners is a prominent dispute resolution practice offering comprehensive legal services across commercial, banking, corporate, employment, and property litigation. The firm's expertise extends to complex areas including security enforcement, minority shareholder rights, corporate governance disputes, insolvency proceedings, regulatory challenges, and professional negligence claims. The dispute resolution team delivers strategic representation to a select clientele comprising banks, financial institutions, multinational corporations, local blue-chip companies, institutional shareholders, and major private companies, with a particular strength in sophisticated, high-value disputes requiring nuanced legal intervention.
The practice is led by litigation head Jack Yow and international arbitration and projects head Yee Leong Chong, both distinguished practitioners with extensive experience in complex commercial disputes. Yow has notable expertise in handling high-stakes litigation involving financial institutions, multinational companies, and judicial review applications, having successfully recovered multi-million-ringgit facilities and obtained significant arbitration awards. Chong, with over 33 years of practice, specialises in international arbitration across multiple Asian regions and Africa, focusing on construction, energy, infrastructure, and investment disputes. Their collective expertise has positioned the firm as a leading dispute resolution practice in the region. In June 2025, the firm hired Aravind Kumarr as a litigation partner.
In one of the most significant corporate restructurings in Malaysian legal history, the firm acted as lead Malaysian counsel for Vantris Energy (formerly Sapura Energy) and 22 of its subsidiaries in schemes of arrangement encompassing debts of approximately RM12 billion — the largest reported restructuring by any Malaysian company to date. The restructuring produced several novel legal outcomes, and the proceedings were the first to engage the Malaysia-Singapore Protocol on court-to-court communication in cross-border corporate insolvency matters, with the Malaysian proceedings also receiving recognition as foreign main proceedings in Singapore, Brazil, and Ghana.
On the construction and projects front, the firm acted as counsel for BASF Petronas Chemicals in a dispute against Petronas Gas arising from an agreement for the sale and purchase of electricity, under which Petronas had agreed to sell and deliver electricity to BASF for use in its facilities. The dispute concerned the annual contractual quantity for the 2018 and 2019 contract years, with implications touching on a contract value of approximately RM4.2 billion and resulted in Petronas commencing a suit against BASF for an outstanding sum of RM57.9 million. The matter was resolved amicably between the parties in September 2025, with the suit discontinued without liberty to file afresh.
Turning to labour and employment, the firm acted as counsel for Tasek Corporation in judicial review proceedings brought by a former employee following her retrenchment as part of the company's restructuring and reorganisation exercise in 2018. The claimant challenged the bona fides of the retrenchment, contesting among other things the company's financial position and its adherence to the last-in-first-out principle. The Industrial Court had previously found in favour of Tasek, holding that the termination was with just cause or excuse, and the High Court in March 2025 dismissed the judicial review application with costs awarded to Tasek.
Client feedback
"They are a well-rounded firm and are able to apply themselves in various specialties." – Commercial and transactions
"Attentive, knowledgeable in local regulations, and providing the right guidance and advice." – Government and regulatory
"Great communication and a thorough understanding of the issues we faced. Takes additional effort to find references for the client's next course of action." – Government and regulatory
"The firm is highly professional and responsive, always providing sound and timely advice. Their lawyers are independent and confident, able to address our queries directly whenever needed. Their command of the English language is outstanding, and they handle Malay language requirements with equal ease. The quality of their written work is particularly impressive." – Real estate
Prabjit Dev Singh
"Prabjit communicates excellently, is friendly and approachable, and is generous with his knowledge. He provides thorough and detailed advice."
Desmond Liew
"Communicates well and provides sufficient input throughout the case."
Mei Fang Tan
"Attentive to detail, always available, and provides clear solutions and options with risks outlined to support decision-making."
Jack Yow
"He is sharp and strategic, with an incredible memory and the ability to anticipate the opposing party's moves. His legal knowledge, case preparation, and work ethic are impeccable. He is also remarkably creative in finding solutions to difficult problems. He is one of the best lawyers I have ever encountered, and someone I would engage again without hesitation."
