Wong & Partners

Wong & Partners is a member firm of Baker McKenzie and has strong expertise in corporate and M&A, intellectual property and tax where the firm is ranked ‘Outstanding’ in our tables. In addition to being highly ranked across a number of practice areas, the firm also has extensive industry knowledge in banking and financial services, consumer goods and services, infrastructure, real estate, and technology and telecommunications. Key individuals include Mark Lim for banking and finance, Brian Chia and Andre Gan for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kherk Ying Chew for IP and Adeline Wong for tax.

Banking and finance

Work highlights

Advised Sime Darby Plantation in connection with the refinancing of its credit facilities worth $931 million on marginally improved terms.

Capital markets

Work highlights

Advised Maybank Investment Bank on Islamic financing under the Malaysian securities commission’s sustainable and responsible investment sukuk programme to part-finance the development of three solar projects, including the largest twin floating solar photovoltaic project in the world and the first of its kind in Malaysia. 

Construction

Work highlights

Acting for Green Prospect in a suit commenced by King Ong Development for an alleged unpaid sum under an agreement to build a factory that sits on land spanning 50 acres.

Key clients

China Power Engineering Consulting Group, CPM Construction, CUEL, Panasonic Homes MKH Malaysia

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights

Advised Gribbles Pathology (Malaysia) on its proposed $10 million acquisition of MPath and its subsidiaries from Malaysian Genomics Resource Centre.

Key clients

Graymont, Navis Capital Partners, Pfizer (Malaysia), Press Metal Aluminium Holdings, Prestigion Education

Dispute resolution

Work highlights

Acted for Vale Malaysia Minerals in several administrative law proceedings commenced against the state of Perak, Malaysia. The case concerned the connection between the development and operation of a maritime terminal and iron ore distribution centre in Perak known as the Teluk Rubiah Maritime Terminal and an enactment passed by legislation which prescribed ‘coastal charges’ to be imposed on commodities.

Key clients

Concrete Parade, Google, Hitachi Systems Digital Services, Panasonic Homes MKH Malaysia, Petronas Carigali

Intellectual property

Work highlights

Representing Centek, Centek Holdings and Centek Technologies, a market-leading manufacturer of centralisers and stop collars for the oil and gas industries, in an action against four individual defendants and two private limited companies for breach of confidence relating to significant amounts of trade secrets and confidential information.

Key clients

AfterShock PC, GSK, JLL, Measat Broadcast Network Systems, Nestle (Malaysia), Unilever Malaysia

Tax

Work highlights

Assisting Abbott Laboratories in rendering strategic Malaysian tax advice in connection with its post-acquisition integration of St Jude Medical entities in Malaysia, including a detailed tax feasibility study and structuring advice to minimise the Malaysian tax exposure in the integration.

Client feedback

“Efficient, commercial-minded, ability to bridge the gap between borrower and lender in terms of negotiations, able to propose and suggest good solutions, able to tap into the expertise of its other international offices.” – Banking and finance

“It has competent lawyers who are professional and well equipped with the necessary knowledge to provide clients with holistic advice for every transaction undertaken.” – Banking and finance

“Responsive, understands the client’s business, concerns and adds value.” – Corporate and M&A

“Speed, expertise and operational execution effectiveness even during COVID-19.” – Corporate and M&A

“Extremely proactive, ready to provide commercial solutions, works hard to drive the deal forward effectively and quickly.” – Corporate and M&A

“As we are a venture capital investment firm, we're always looking for lawyers that understand our risk appetite, can identify what's material against what's nice to have, can provide legally creative solutions, and can move fast—Wong & Partners has all of these strengths. Despite our industry being nascent, it has demonstrated a willingness to invest its promotional time in learning up the technical aspects of our work in order to better serve our matters, can identify and distinguish salient legal and commercial issues, and is always responsive and communicative.” – Corporate and M&A

“Responsive, thorough, professional, organised and clear in communication. Very strong in corporate and transactional due diligence.” – Corporate and M&A

“Client service. Gives clear advice and responds in a timely manner. Understands clients’ constraints.” – Corporate and M&A

“The partners and associates at Wong and Partners are very attentive not only to legal details but also to the business requirements of its clients.” – Energy

Munir Abdul Aziz

“Deep understanding of the client’s business and concerns.”

“M&A expertise, commercial agility.”

“Very responsive and a good listener. Very proactive and works hard to drive the deal forward effectively and quickly.”

Brian Chia

“Brian Chia is our relationship partner. He is pragmatic, extremely responsive, and checks in regularly to have process-driven conversations about how it can optimise workflows, what his team can do better and if we are in need of specific training. As a client, I really appreciate this, as it's not always just about the technical legal work product. Cost, process, resource and timing considerations are just as important when managing in-house legal matters, and Brian demonstrates a consistent and robust awareness of these needs.”

Elaine Foo

“Elaine was instrumental in getting our transactions executed on time. Despite the challenging timeline and circumstances, Elaine was firm in negotiating against unnecessary risks for the company and showed a real understanding of complex transactional structures.”

Mark Lim

“Always accessible and helpful, commercial-minded, offers solutions, technically sound and an overall expert in his area.”

Kimberly Ng

“Kimberly is very responsive, thorough and professional. She is diligent and hardworking and always helps us find the answers we need. She also is proactive in providing us with information we may find useful.”

Licia Tan

“Very professional, well equipped with industry knowledge and has good client relationship management skills.”