Indonesia

ABNR Counsellors at Law has a sizable and active dispute resolution practice. Its core strengths are in commercial, shipping, construction, projects, employment, and restructuring and insolvency litigation. The firm regularly boasts significant successes at all levels of the judicial system, including the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court. It is experienced in arbitration proceedings at the local arbitration centre and in international forums.

Head of disputes Sahat Siahaan is a key figure, leading a team that includes three other partners in the litigation group: Ulyarta Naibaho, Indra Setiawan and Nafis Adwani.

In a Supreme Court victory, the team acted for Hong Kong-based shipping company Wallem & Co in its $130 million battle against Indonesian shipping group Larsenship, relating to their joint venture agreement. Singapore’s Lion Trust has entrusted the ABNR team for its ongoing tax dispute challenging the government on freezing orders issued by the country’s tax office.

The firm has a mix of international and domestic clients that includes Asuransi Tokio Marine Indonesia, British Marine, G1AM, S-Form, Sky Cape Shipping and Sompo Insurance.

Assegaf Hamzah & Partners continues to dominate with the largest corporate litigation team in the country and maintains its market-leading presence in dispute resolution. Its partners not only regularly feature in landmark home-grown matters but also in unique cross-border work. For example, it is the only Indonesian law firm whose advocates have appeared before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, where it successfully represented the Indonesian Sporthouse Society against the Indonesian Olympics Committee. The firm is part of the Rajah & Tann Asia network.

The disputes team is experienced in both civil and criminal cases across all industry sectors, and has a successful alternative dispute resolution practice. In particular, the firm specialises in aviation, labour and employment, intellectual property, insolvency, and tax and customs disputes.

The firm boasts nationally and internationally qualified mediators and arbitrators, making its alternative dispute resolution offering a go-to for top end clients. Notably, the firm established its fraud and forensics investigations practice in 2019 and merged with boutique intellectual property (IP) practice Dewi Soeharto Law Partnership in 2018. These developments have bolstered its white-collar crime and IP litigation offerings.

The firm’s co-founder, Chandra Hamzah, and partner Eri Hertiawan co-lead the disputes group. Other key individuals are partners Yogi Sudrajat Marsono, Ahmad Maulana and Asep Ridwan.

The firm successfully defended Tokopedia in a civil lawsuit regarding data privacy and consumer protection before the district court. The team is also working with Garuda Indonesia to file a lawsuit against Rolls Royce and its subsidiary over the cancellation of a total care agreement valued at $43 million. Tyco Electronics relied on Maulana and his team for the successful negotiations of a senior employee termination due to a global restructuring.

Active disputes clients of the firm include Aeon Mall Asia, Hero Supermarket, HSBC, Maybank Indonesia, Okra International, TikTok, Tirta Investama, Unilever and Vale Indonesia.

Client feedback

“It provides pragmatic advice, and understands the business and market situation.” – Commercial and transactions

“The AHP team has real strength and manages to combine technical and commercial approaches.” – Commercial and transactions

Eri Hertiawan

“He can navigate any issue that comes up and has become my go-to lawyer of choice for handling serious matters.”

Asep Ridwan

“Highly competent and able to provide sound and pragmatic advice.”

Budidjaja International Lawyers has well-honed commercial, construction and restructuring and insolvency practices that anchor its dispute resolution offering. Its specialised employment and industrial relations practice is growing with more mandates and tackling complex matters. On the corporate social responsibility front, the firm partnered with Budidjaja Institute and the Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority to raise funds for the donation of over 2,000 hazmat coverall suits to hospitals across the country.

Senior partner Tony Budidjaja is a key contact for dispute resolution services. His practice focuses on international and domestic arbitration and cross-border commerce relating to restructuring and insolvency, construction, infrastructure, energy and real estate. Partner Narada Kumara also features in most contentious firm matters.

The firm helped a private equity firm in settlement negotiations surrounding disputes that arose from a series of contract breaches committed by its investee group companies and their controlling parties. An international oil rig company enlisted Budidjaja for its civil claim filing against a Canadian platform operator. Kumara worked with a domestic coal supplier in relation to a complex employment dispute that stemmed from the takeover of the company’s mining operations.

Client feedback

“The law firm is very fast paced and manages our expectations extremely well. The lawyers’ understanding of the substantive law and practical solutions within the ambit of law is also what sets them apart from other firms.” – Commercial and transactions

Narada Kumara

“Very prompt and good substantive knowledge.”

FKNK Law Firm offers a wide variety of dispute resolution services, from construction to criminal and alternative dispute resolution. It has industry sector specialties in banking, e-commerce and fintech, natural resources and infrastructure. Recently, the firm featured in a slew of domestic restructuring and insolvency matters.

The disputes team is led by three key partners: restructuring and construction specialist Martin Nagel, insolvency partner Aldi Firmansyah and labour specialist Widyantoro Kurnia. Nagel and Firmansyah are currently serving as administrators in several sizable insolvency cases.

The team has been busy representing numerous creditors, such as Albagmul and Armor Manufacturing, in postponement of debt payment cases. It is also assisting debtor Pelangi Niaga Mitra Internasional as it undergoes a restructuring.

Current clients include CIMB Niaga, Multitech Trans Nusantara and Selaras Mitra Sejati.

Hartamulya Andryanus Siahaan is a litigation boutique that handles the full range of contentious matters. Areas of commercial dispute expertise include business dissolutions, IP rights, real estate, insolvency, tax and private client. The firm is also regularly engaged for white-collar crime cases, such as those related to financial crimes, money laundering, embezzlement, fraud and cyber crimes.

Partner Rio Andre Winter Siahaan runs the disputes team. His focus is on commercial disputes and white-collar crime defence.

The team is currently representing nickel mine repository Aneka Nusantara Internasional in a complex and multifaceted dispute involving the ownership of shares and company control. This case has spiralled into criminal charges and other civil lawsuits brought against its client.

In another high stakes matter, Siahaan and his team are defending domestic insurer Asuransi Central Asia against claims totalling more than $1 billion made by shipping company Gerrindo Surya Makmur relating to lost and damaged cargo.

On the IP side, a startup tech company enlisted the firm for its trademark rights dispute with another local digital-based household service tech company.

Additional active clients include IndoJapan Steel Center and Rahayu Santosa.

Client feedback

“So far this law firm has been consistently providing professional service to us. Its service has been very satisfactory.” – Commercial and transactions

“The partners give very well-constructed advice and solutions. They are able to educate clients regarding the law.” – Commercial and transactions

Rio Andre Siahaan

“He did extremely well in our litigation proceeding. He won our legal case in the court.”

“Well-educated and an expert in multi-disciplined business cases.”

Harvardy Marieta & Mauren specialises in commercial litigation, arbitration and disputes in the labour and insolvency arenas. In terms of industry sectors, it continues to make headway in the fintech and power and renewable energy spaces. Over the past year the firm handled a notable volume of civil and criminal embezzlement, and fraud matters for its conglomerate clients.

Managing partner Harvardy Iqbal and partner Windri Marieta are the key dispute resolution contacts. Notably, Marieta is the youngest female Indonesian accredited as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and she currently serves as the co-chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Indonesia chapter.

The firm is representing 1,732 creditors in the restructuring of Sentul City at the commercial court of central Jakarta. In a breach of contract dispute, the firm is assisting a domestic logistics company on its defence against a sizable claim made by a marketplace vendor in relation to the delivery of parcels. The team helped Korea-Indonesia Bank succeed in a civil litigation that escalated to the Supreme Court against several ship-owner companies.

The firm counts Astro Group, British American Tobacco, Bell Helicopter, Carrefour Indonesia, GlaxoSmithKline Indonesia, the government of Indonesia, Moody’s, Pfizer, Prudential Life Assurance and Tokopedia among its litigation clients. 

The dispute resolution offering at Hendra Soenardi enjoys a long history of partnering with top regional and international litigation firms as local counsel in prominent cross-border disputes. For example, it has worked alongside Holman Fenwick Willan, Allen & Gledhill, Rajah & Tann and Drew & Napier in multi-jurisdictional cases.

The team at Hendra Soenardi has proven expertise in infrastructure, construction and land disputes. Last year, it fortified its middle ranks with the hiring of experienced litigator Arsa Mufti from HHP Law Firm.

Partners Soenardi Pardi, Oscar Damarjati and Raisa Rishya Renald Rinaldi are responsible for the firm’s litigation and arbitration practice.

The team is acting for a leading plantation company on its shareholder dispute concerning the alleged breach of contractual obligations under a sales and purchase agreement filed before the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). In another SIAC matter, Pardi and his team are representing an Indonesian project plant owner in a $200 million claim against its main contractor. A local medical and health equipment company has enlisted the firm in a tort lawsuit against a Singaporean company.

In a landmark suit, the largest ever in the country’s history relating to a reclamation project, the firm continues to counsel several large-scale project developers in their disputes against a regional government in relation to reclamation permits. There is over $715 million at stake and the case is currently at the appeal stage.

Hiswara Bunjamin & Tandjung is the respected Indonesian partner of global dispute resolution giant Herbert Smith Freehills. The firm serves domestic and international clients in complex, contentious matters with a wide scope of services ranging from commercial arbitrations and civil litigation to criminal investigations and private wealth disputes. In particular, peers have highlighted the firm’s strength in insolvency litigation.

The main partners handling disputes are practice head Narendra Adiyasa, and restructuring and insolvency specialist Debby Sulaiman.

The team helped Indo Pancadasa Agrotama successfully obtain an SIAC arbitration award involving a mining dispute and represented Jakarta International Container Terminal to a win against its labour union over a dispute relating to the subcontracting of work. In another high stakes matter, HBT acted for a Southeast Asian state-owned commercial bank and its Indonesian subsidiary in a dispute and potential SIAC arbitration against an international insurance company in relation to issues arising from an agreement for the distribution of insurance products in the region.

Maybank Asset Management enlisted the firm as it underwent an Indonesian Attorney General Office corruption investigation on the mismanagement of investments in state-owned insurer Jiwasraya.

Key clients of the practice include BNP Paribas, Carrier Corporation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Hutchinson Ports Holding Limited, Kookmin Bank, Nordic Aviation Capital, PT Maybank Asset Management and Toshiba Corporation.

Client feedback

“The firm is very responsive and the team works very well under pressure.” – Insolvency

Debby Sulaiman

“Quick responses, has good knowledge in litigation matters and is innovative.”

The dispute resolution offering at Hutabarat Halim & Rekan is wide ranging for both domestic and international clients. It has a niche practice group that is wholly focused on complex, trans-border commercial disputes. The firm appears in our insolvency table for the first time this year based on its involvement in several sophisticated restructuring and bankruptcy matters.

Four partners focus on commercial dispute resolution: senior partners Pheo Hutabarat and Asido Panjaitan, and partners Yuris Hakim and Fathan Nautkia.

The litigation team is currently representing one of the largest conglomerates in Indonesia and its subsidiaries in connection with disputes involving over 100 Indonesian and offshore companies. BASF Indonesia is working with the firm in connection with the investigation of one of its employees by the Indonesian National Police.

Other active disputes clients include Agri Tradisi, Asia Baharu and Kresnu Sekuritas.

Client feedback

“The partners and solicitors are very knowledgeable and able to provide sound advice.” – Commercial and transactions

Rosna Chung

“She is very knowledgeable in Indonesian laws and she gives sound advice on our transactions.”

The name Ignatius Andy conjures respect and admiration from peers. The dispute resolution boutique of Ignatius Andy Law Offices is led by the eponymous market leader known for his litigation prowess and deep knowledge of competition law. The firm focuses entirely on litigation, domestic and international arbitration, competition, and restructuring and insolvency.

Andy started his firm in 2004 after leaving Hadiputranto Hadinoto & Partners, where he helped establish its litigation practice group. Andy is an arbitrator at the SIAC, Indonesian Arbitration and Mediation Centre and the China Maritime Arbitration Commission. He was also elected by the ICC World Council as a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for a three-year term that began in July 2021.

Highlighting the firm’s expertise in contentious antitrust matters, Andy and his team acted for Telekomunikasi Selular in a high profile proceeding regarding discriminatory practice allegations by Netflix. The country’s competition authority ultimately ruled that the client did not violate any competition laws. In a similar success, Andy represented the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer and proved it did not violate competition law in relation to tying and exclusive agreement provisions.

The firm counts British American Tobacco, Carrefour, Citibank, Coca Cola, ExxonMobil, GlaxoSmithKline, Newmont, Prudential, Pfizer, Unilever and the World Bank as key clients.

The market recognises Leks & Co for its leading real estate practice and its dispute resolution offering. Managing partner Eddy Leks is consistently lauded by peers and clients for his real estate expertise. Apart from its real property vertical, the firm delivers on commercial, insolvency, transportation and labour dispute matters.

Leks and partner Ivor Pasaribu are the two main contacts for dispute resolution.

The two partners are acting for Hexindo Adiperkasa in a labour dispute against its outsourced employees that culminated in a cassation application to the Supreme Court. The team represented domestic developer Pembangunan Deltamas as the claimant in two civil cases relating to the termination of conditional sale and purchase agreements.

The firm bolstered its contentious tax capabilities recently with the hiring of counsel Winarto Sugondo.

MacalloHarlin Medrofa Advocates handles the full range of disputes, from commercial litigation to international arbitration and industrial relations disputes. The team is well-versed in state administrative disputes and works with domestic and international clients in many cross-border battles. The employment practice routinely assists clients in negotiations and in securing out-of-court settlements.

Managing partner Turangga Harlin and partner Kenny Macallo lead the dispute resolution practice group. Both have expertise in contentious commercial and white-collar crime matters, while Harlin also focuses on state administrative disputes and Macallo is a labour disputes specialist.

The firm was busy last year in a myriad of disputes, including an SIAC award victory and successful representation in a tort-related dispute over a licensing agreement. The team also worked on a cross-border dispute in relation to a complex and indirect joint venture structure.

Counsel Helena Sitorius joined the firm in 2021 from an in-house role at Aventis Pharma.

Client feedback

“The team provides objective, relevant, sharp and effective advice and strategies. The lawyers know and understand the client's position with a warmth-oriented approach that makes it extremely convenient for us to seek legal advice.” – Commercial and transactions

“The firm has solid lawyers who deliver nothing but the best customer service. Their legal skills are great. Their rapport and guidance were outstanding at all times and they could formulate an effective strategy for each case.” – Commercial and transactions

“The firm does not only provide advice from the legal aspect but from a technical point of view in detail. It also conducts detailed research so that the company can understand all the possibilities that could happen to the outcome of the trial and can anticipate the next steps.” – Commercial and transactions

“Well-rounded in terms of legal hard skills and knowledge of our industry.” – Commercial and transactions

“The lawyers provide timely updates and precise legal advice.” – Intellectual property

“The lawyers have a clear and effective strategy in dealing with the proposed termination and the associated lawsuit from the employee, which is a testament of the firm's experience.” – Labour and employment

“The Firm is good in all services provided to our company.” – Labour and employment

Turangga Harlin

“Mr Turangga Harlin has set an extraordinary standard for his services and he has gained comfortable trust from us. He is objective, relevant, humble, sharp and offers effective advice and strategies. He allows us generous extensions on his service for informal discussions and the exchange of ideas and feedback.”

“He provides sound and prompt advice.”

“Turangga is a solid lawyer. His legal skills are great and he is able to process large volumes of information quickly and formulate an effective strategy. He is very personable and has maintained a comfortable relationship with our company.”

“He is always very responsive, gives very comprehensive explanations, understands the client's needs, has a very good memory, is very detailed and always seems to give his best.”

Kenny Macallo

“Good communications, clear legal advice and problem-solving initiative.”

“All the services he handled and is currently handling are well provided.”

“Top notch advice and in-depth understanding of the practice and the law related with the issue.”

Makarim & Taira S offers a broad range of dispute services, having notable expertise in commercial, insolvency, and labour and employment. The firm recently entered an alliance with Drew & Napier in Singapore and Shearn Delamore & Co in Malaysia to form a blue chip regional legal network. Named the Drew Network Asia, the partnership aims to provide seamless cross-border services for their offshore clients.

Key contacts for the disputes group are managing partner Lia Alizia and partner Rahayu Ningsih Hoed.

In a high value, complex case, the firm is acting for a publicly-listed independent power company in a state administrative dispute related to its pipeline license involving various claims totalling more than $70 million. This is the first case in Indonesia involving a dispute related to the construction of a private-use pipeline constructed on a line where a public-use pipeline existed.

Additionally, the team is acting for a large US-headquartered IT company in a high stakes dispute filed by one of its former directors. This matter is likely to set a precedent for other companies that hire a director who also acts as an employee. Another highlight for the firm is its representation of the largest clean water operator in Batam Island over the termination of its clean water supply concession agreement.

On the insolvency front, Alizia and her team are acting for HBO Asia and Discovery Network in their dispute related to the bankruptcy proceedings of Indoensia Media Televisi.

The firm’s client list includes major household names, multinational companies and leading state-owned enterprises.

Client feedback

“The lawyers have been prompt, succinct and practical in their advice.” – Commercial arbitration

“The team is very responsive and knowledgeable about not just the law but also local practices.” – Commercial arbitration

Lia Alizia

“Lia is very strong, knowledgeable and responsive. It is a pleasure to work with her.”

“She is incredibly responsive and knowledgeable.”

Harris Toengkagie

“He gives appropriate advice and guidance.”

Nurjadin Sumono Mulyani & Partners has a dedicated disputes practice led by an experienced litigator, partner Mulyadi. The team is adept in handling commercial and civil litigation, criminal litigation, and labour and insolvency disputes. Its contentious intellectual property is also a specialty. The firm enjoys a strategic alliance with international firm Bird & Bird.

The core disputes specialists are senior partner and insolvency expert Mulyadi, labour and employment specialist Ilya Sumono and intellectual property specialist Irawati Chandra.

The firm helped its client, one of the world’s top fast-moving consumer goods companies, amicably settle multiple industrial relationship disputes concerning the implementation and extension of its collective labour agreement between the company and its labour unions. The team is currently busy working with several creditors and debtors in their respective bankruptcy proceedings.

Ruben Soeratman

“He provides a comprehensive legal assessment with a commercial approach.”

SSEK Legal Consultants boasts a deep bench of multinational clients, particularly in the natural resources sector. It has also been steadily increasing its footprint in the technology and telecommunications space. The dispute resolution offering features its strong antitrust experience and its work in complex debt restructurings.

Partner Dewi Savitri Reni leads a focused disputes team that includes labour and employment partner Fahrul Yusuf and insolvency specialist Michael Carl.

The team led a global engineering company through a mediation process relating to a contract dispute. It successfully defended Yamaha Indonesia Motor Manufacturing against price fixing claims and helped a multinational logistics company mount a successful defence against trademark infringement allegations.

Other work highlights include acting for a client in a breach of contract lawsuit over bonds and successfully defending an international client against a lawsuit filed by employees over terminations.

Recent notable clients include Ford Motor Company and General Motors.

Client feedback

“The firm provides good advice.” – Commercial and transactions

Mahareksha Dillon

“Quick responses and easy access.”

Core strengths of Suhardi Somomoeljono & Associates’ disputes practice include its expertise in construction and bankruptcy litigation. The team is adept at handling a range of corporate and commercial dispute matters for players in the construction, energy, financial services and real estate sectors. Notably, the firm frequently acts for clients in partnership with the Indonesian government and state-owned enterprises.

Managing partner Suhardi Somomoeljono and partner Dianyndra Kusuma are key disputes figures.  

The firm represented an Indonesian EPC construction company in a dispute related to the legality of a gas network construction project. For another joint operation EPC client, the team is helping it to settle disputes with more than 10 non-governmental organisations in an oil and gas network project in South Sumatra.

TNB & Partners is the Indonesian associate firm of Norton Rose Fulbright. Its disputes offering encompasses complex civil litigation, arbitration, white-collar crime and employment disputes for onshore and offshore clients.

Partner Kresna Panggabean leads the dispute resolution team.

Last year, the firm kept active on a mixture of work including debt recovery, criminal investigations and BANI (Badan Arbitrase Nasional Indonesia) arbitrations.

Notable clients include AT Kearney, IOL Indonesia, Noble Group and Schlumberger.

Since its formation in 2019, the dispute resolution offering at UMBRA has featured in numerous complex litigations for domestic and offshore clients. Its range encompasses securities litigation, intellectual property disputes, insolvency disputes, labour disputes and international trade disputes.

The litigation team is led by senior partners Liyanto Wijaya and Melati Siregar, and counsel Junianto Losari. Senior partner Poppy Cut Rahmasuci is another key contact for contentious employment issues.

The team represented local garment maker Mulia Cemerlang Abadi Multi Industry in an employment dispute and was able to secure a favourable decision by convincing the court to dismiss the case on procedural grounds.

Client feedback

“So far, the legal service it’s provided has been well done.” – Commercial and transactions

“The lawyers really care for their clients. They give accurate and prompt advice and reply to client's enquiries.” – Commercial and transactions

“The firm does a fantastic job in understanding the industry and practices within. This has enabled them to draft and submit very strong court submissions.” – Labour and employment

Nikki Krisadtyo

“She drafted submissions for court and explained more in depth to us the concepts of the Indonesian court system. Similarly, the cross examination of witnesses was conducted to a high standard.”

Wiem Law Firm provides dispute resolution services for commercial matters and in insolvency, IP and property rights. The team is young and dynamic with a strong governmental network. The firm predominantly works with domestic clients but is growing its foreign customer base.

Partner Jandi Mukianto is the key contact for commercial disputes and contentious matters relating to insolvency, real property and IP.

One highlight for Mukianto and his team was representing the Indonesian National Shipowners’ Association in a trademark dispute. The Cimone homeowners’ alliance, a community of 50 homeowners, enlisted the firm for its battle against the city mayor after they lost their ownership certificates as a result of unlawful administrative work by a local officer.