Yeoh Mazlina & Partners

Member of ASEAN Legal Alliance

INTRODUCTION 

Commencement 

Our offices:

Kuala Lumpur June 1992

Melaka November 1992

Subang Jaya August 2000

Damansara May 2005

Kelana Jaya March 2010

Johor Bahru February 2013

Bangsar February 2014

Penang October 2015

Number of legal associates: 11

Number of partners: 7

Number of staff: 38

Professional Indemnity cover: RM12,150,000.00

Associated offices: Aquinas Law Alliance LLP (Singapore)

Change of name: 16th September 2003 (formerly known as B.C. Teh & Yeoh)

LIST OF LEGAL ASSOCIATES

PARTNERS’ PROFILE 

PROFILE OF MANAGING PARTNER 

Dato’ Seri Matthew Yeoh Chin Chong 

LLB (Hons) Wales, Barrister, Lincoln’s Inn, CIPS, FIABCI, Hons. F.ISP (Eng)

Dato’ Seri Matthew was born and received his early education in Penang. He went to England to study for his A-Levels and a diploma in business studies before commencing his law degree course at the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology at Cardiff, Wales.

During his undergraduate years, he was a very dedicated activist in the student’s union and among the overseas Chinese student community as well as among Malaysian students in Cardiff. He initiated many cultural projects to create awareness among local students of the diverse international presence amongst them. As a Bar student in London he voluntarily participated in some advisory bureaus to help immigrants and foreigners with their legal and ancillary problems.

He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1986. Upon his return from England, Dato’ Seri Matthew read law in the chambers of the Mr Lim Cheng Poh of Messrs Lim Cheng Poh, Lim & Rahim and was admitted into the Bar of Malaysia on 20 March 1987. He worked for two years in Penang before proceeding to practice in Kuala Lumpur as a legal assistant in Messrs Nik Hussain & Partners.

During his early days in practice he concentrated on civil litigation such as debt collection and foreclosure, but since he left for Kuala Lumpur, he has been expanding his practice on corporate banking, commercial law, conveyancing, housing projects, end-financing and other banking security documentation. He also has experience in property laws and eviction of squatters. He has done documentation work in joint ventures for property development projects, and between Malaysian companies and foreign companies.

He has been appointed as an advisor and solicitor for corporate clients in China, Taiwan and Vietnam which has business interests in Malaysia and also acts for Malaysian and Singapore clients doing business in China, Myanmar and Cambodia. Most of his foreign clients in Malaysia are undertaking commercial and property development projects via joint-ventures with Malaysian companies, and he also advises foreign clients in diverse issues such as foreign investment regulations in Malaysia, employment laws, immigration laws and the laws relating to housing development.

In early 2003, Dato’ Seri Matthew initiated the setting up of our associated office in Beijing to serve the needs of Malaysian clients and business interests in the Chinese capital, and he travels there frequently. He is the legal advisor of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, and is well-connected with the Malaysian diplomatic and business community in major cities in China as well as the local municipal governments.

Dato’ Seri has also recently be appointed as the legal advisor for international affairs for the China-ASEAN Forum based in Nanning, China.

Dato’ Seri Matthew is also a consultant with Aquinas Law Alliance LLP (Singapore).

Together with the directors and managing partners of nine other law firms from each ASEAN countries, Dato’ Seri Matthew has co-founded the ASEAN Legal Alliance (ALA) in 2014 to bring together law firms from each member states to provide a more comprehensive legal network to our clients. Dato’ Seri Matthew is also the Chairman of ALA Practice Group: Private Clients, Wealth Management and International Real Estate.

PROFILE OF PARTNER 

Cik Sofini Baida Bte Ban 

LLB (Hons), IIU

Cik Sofini graduated with second class (upper) honours in law from International Islamic University, Malaysia in year 2000. During her first year at university, she won a scholarship from Multi-Purpose Bank Berhad (now Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad) under their Tertiary Education Scholarship Scheme, making her one out of only four recipients of the said scholarship that year.

Upon graduation, she worked at Alliance Bank for three years in their legal department. In November 2003, she decided to leave and commence pupillage at Messrs Azhar & Wong in Kuala Lumpur. She was called to the Malaysian Bar as Advocate and Solicitor in 2005 and retained as a legal assistant at Messrs Azhar & Wong, focusing on conveyancing, tenancy and various loan documentations. She also specialised in the assignment and transfer of post-auctioned properties.

In April 2008, Cik Sofini decided to leave law practice to join Citigroup Kuala Lumpur Centre of Excellence. As Regional Contracts Manager, she managed negotiations of cash account and product documentation with various multi-national companies clients across Asia, Europe and America. While working there, she received recognition for her work from Citigroup when she won the Asia Superstar Service Award and Employee Spot Award. However, her stint with Citigroup ended after only eighteen months when she left in October 2009 to be with her family in London, United Kingdom.

Cik Sofini joined Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partner as a partner in July 2011.

Ms Vanitha a/p T. Renganathan 

LLB (Hons) London, CLP, Malaya

Ms Vanitha graduated with second class honours from University of London (External) in 1994 and went on to complete her Certificate in Legal Practise in University of Malaya. Thereafter, she read law in the chambers of Mr R.R. Chelvarajah, who was the then Malaysia Bar Chairman in 1997 – 1998. During her pupillage, she received guidance in both fields of conveyancing and litigation. She was then called to the Malaysian Bar in November 1996.

Upon completion of her pupillage, she then commenced her legal career as a legal assistant in Messrs Murphy and Dunbar in Melaka in 1997. She was supervised and worked with the Senior Partners, namely Mr Aloysius Ng Chee Seng and Mr Chan Shick Chin, the latter being the author of a Practitioner’s Guide “Personal Injuries, Law Practise and Precedence”. She gained vast experience in the conduct of hearings and having appeared as co-counsel with partners of the Firm in both Lower and Higher Courts in relation to Personal Injuries and Fatal Accident Claims.

Ms Vanitha then gained invaluable experience working in UniAsia Insurance in Kuala Lumpur, having worked in the Legal Claims Department for 3 years, with the handling of claims made by third party claimants and Solicitors alike.

In 2001, she joined Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partners as a legal assistant and then became a partner in 2004. Her areas of practice presently mainly includes the following:

• Property related acquisitions and dispositions;
• leases and tenancies;
• banking facilities pursuant to conventional and Islamic financing principles;
• joint venture agreements relating to property development;
• probate and administration.

She currently leads her practice in Melaka with the support of 2 assisting Counsels and 7 clerical staff. Under her supervision, the Branch has been on the panel of the following developer companies and real estate agent companies:

• Tong Yeng Development Sdn Bhd;
• Sima Development Sdn Bhd;
• Newfoundland Development Sdn Bhd;
• Impian Canggih Sdn Bhd;
• Pemaju Sdn Bhd;
• Opes Consulting Sdn Bhd.

She is also now heading Bangsar branch as a partner.

Ms Ho Nien Yi 

LLB (Hons) Wales, CLP

Ms Ho Nien Yi obtained her law degree from the University of Glamorgan, Wales in 1996. Upon her return home, she proceeded to do her Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) in University of Malaya and later her pupilage in Messrs Megat Najumuddin Leong & Co. In 1999, she was admitted to the Malaysian Bar.

She started her legal practice in Messrs Anad & Noraini in the area of civil litigation, specializing in insurance matters.

She also has experience in corporate works (e.g. share sales, shareholder agreement, joint ventures, public listing of companies, restructuring exercises, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence including liaising with corporate bodies such as Bank Negara and Securities Commission) in which she practiced for two years in Messrs Megat Najmuddin Leong & Co. before she decided to join Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad in their legal department where she was involved in vetting banking/corporate documents and giving legal advices to the different departments in the Bank.

She was back in legal practice in November 2002 and joined Messrs Rashid Tasin, KL Tan & Low as a conveyancing and banking lawyer. She handled basic conveyancing that is the drafting of Sale and Purchase Agreement and loan agreement for banks where no standard documents were provided. The panel bankers which she handled were mainly Malayan Banking Berhad and Public Bank Berhad. Besides handling the drafting of agreements, she also had to oversee the work of the conveyancing clerks under her. Ms Ho also handled drafting of wills and commercial contracts during her practice in Messrs Rashid Tasin, KL Tan & Low.

On 1 July 2004, she joined Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Subang Branch as a legal assistant practicing in the area of conveyancing and banking. She was in charge of the Subang Branch solely wherein she single-handled the marketing and paper work for Subang Branch. In January 2007, she was made a partner of Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partners and has been a partner until todate. Under her supervision, the firm has managed to be in the panels in a number of banks namely Malayan Banking Berhad, Public Bank Berhad, Hong Leong Bank Berhad, Alliance Bank Malaysia Berhad, RHB Bank Berhad, OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad and Standard Chartered Bank (Malaysia) Berhad. She also does sub-sale cases whereby she has the support of various estate agents. Recently, Ms Ho managed to admit Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partners to be one of the panel solicitors for the developer Sime Darby Brunsfield Damansara Sdn Bhd in their project known as “Medalla Serviced Apartments @ Oasis Corporate Park”.

Ms Khor See Lin 

(LLB Hons) Malaya, LLM NUS Singapore

Ms Khor graduated from the University of Malaya with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB)(Hons) in 2006 and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 2007.

She joined the corporate, conveyancing and banking department of Tay & Partners as an associate. She attended to and advised in sales and purchases, tenancies and leases of properties for both local and foreign clients. Apart from the general conveyancing matters, she was involved in corporate advisory work and had carried out due diligence work in corporate and compliance exercises for clients.

Ms Khor completed her Masters in Law (Corporate & Financial Services Law) at the National University of Singapore in year 2009. She returned to Malaysia and joined Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Sri Petaling branch, as a partner. During her time with Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, she attended to the drafting and preparation of a few joint venture agreements in respect of housing development and other projects undertaken by clients in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Bahru, Kelantan. She also handled loan documentation for consumer loans and commercial loans granted by various local and foreign banks in Malaysia.

In the end of year 2010, she joined a legal firm which focused in the area of Media & Entertainment Law. She prepared and drafted licensing agreements, merchandising agreements and co-production agreements for production companies. She had also advised on shareholders agreements and employment related matters. She oversees the portfolio of Bank Simpanan Nasional in respect of loan granted by Bank Simpanan Nasional in the creative industry.

During her time with the said law firm, she has also drafted funding agreements in respect of funds/grants granted by Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia (FINAS) for the promotion of creative industry in Malaysia and further rendered advice to FINAS on relevant aspect of law. Ms Khor also assists clients to incorporate private limited companies in Malaysia as well as handled preliminary company secretarial matters for the clients.

In year 2012, Ms Khor rejoined Yeoh Mazlina & Partners and is now heading Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Pelangi Damansara branch as well as Penang branch as a partner. Apart from conveyancing related matters, Ms Khor is now actively involved in rendering corporate advisory services to corporate clients, amongst others, the developer in Kota Bahru, Kelantan since her time with Sri Petaling office, a construction/developer company in a state government awarded project in Penang, a developer in a proposed mixed development in Putrajaya, a public listed company specialized in manufacturing of food ingredients.

Her main experience includes the following:

• Advising on corporate and commercial transactions including reviewing, drafting and negotiating the requisite agreements such as heads of agreement, joint venture agreements, shareholders agreements, business sale and purchase agreements for both local and foreign clients as well as documents in cross-border transactions
• Attending to and drafting of joint venture agreement, sale and purchase agreement and corporate advisory work in respect of various projects and developments
• Attending to, advising and drafting of commercial agreements and advisory work in respect of government award of contract to clients
• Drafting and preparing employment contracts and contract of services for clients as well as advising on employment related matters
• Attending to and review on tenancies and leases of properties for landlords or tenants for properties in Malaysia
• Drafting, preparing and advising on sale and purchase transactions of properties in Malaysia either for the vendor or the purchaser
• Attending to and handling consumer and commercial loans in Malaysia

Ms Khor is also a Co-Chair of the ALA Practice Group: Arbitration and International Dispute Resolution.

Ms Chan Say Kun 

(LLB Hons) Malaya

Ms Chan is a lawyer focusing on corporate, conveyancing and banking law.

She graduated from the University of Malaya with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB)(Hons) in 2006 and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in May 2007.

She was employed by Messrs Shahrizat Rashid & Lee, Penang as an associate in Corporate and Conveyancing Department. She was later elevated as junior partner in year 2015 before she left the firm to Messrs. Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Penang. Throughout her service with the previous firm, her main portfolio is attending and advising in sales and purchases, tenancies and leases of properties for both local and foreign clients, post-auction transactions and wills. She also handled loan documentation for consumer loans and commercial loans granted by various local and foreign banks in Malaysia. Apart from the general conveyancing matters, she was involved in corporate advisory work and drafting various type of agreement for corporate clients including lease agreement for ESCAPE Theme Park, Penang, joint venture agreements, consultancy agreements, share sales agreements, buy back agreements, sale of goods contracts and other related agreements and/or documents for corporate clients. She also has experience in advising corporate clients on tenancies and leases of shopping complexes in Penang including drafting of option to let documents, tenancies agreements, licensing agreement and novation agreements. She was actively involved in the negotiation of tenancies and licensing with corporate clients.

She then joined Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Penang branch, as an associate in 2016. She assisted to oversee the Penang branch wherein she handled both marketing and paper work for Penang Branch. During her time with Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, she attended to the conveyancing and banking matters. She also attended to some corporate documents drafting and rendering advises to local corporate clients.

She is now a partner to Messrs Yeoh Mazlina & Partners, Penang branch. Apart from conveyancing related matters, she gets involved together with other partners of the firm in the drafting and preparation of agreements and documents in respect of a housing development in Laos undertaken by firm’s corporate clients.

Ms Gan Pei Fern 

(LLB Hons) Malaya

Presently the partner of Yeoh Mazlina& Partners, Sri Petaling branch, Pei Fern holds an LL.B (Hons) degree from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. She did her chambering at Tay & Partners and was called to the Bar in year 2008.

She has worked as a legal consultant on biodiversity and biosafety law related issues at CEBLAW, a national legal research centre set up by the Government of Malaysia and the University of Malaya as a legal consultant. The focus was the implementation of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and related international treaties. Her work mainly focused on policy formulation, stakeholder engagement, international negotiations, national implementation, publication and consultancy works. She was instrumental in the drafting and finalisation of the Malaysian Access to Biological Resources and Benefit Sharing Act 2017. She was appointed as an ABS expert in the preparation of UN Global Environment Facility Project. She represented the Government of Malaysia as part of the Malaysian Delegation in international negotiations that led to the adoption of three international treaties. She is currently a legal consultant to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in relation to the implementation of the biodiversity-related international agreements in Malaysia. She has co-authored several publications on these issues.

Pei Fern practises in the areas of corporate and commercial transactions and conveyancing property matters which include secondary sub sales, consumer and commercial banking works, landlord & tenant laws, probate & administration of estate, company secretarial matters, and drafting of related commercial and corporate agreements.

She is also attending to the sale of properties by the firm’s developer-client and is currently part of the team in rendering corporate advisory services and drafting of agreements for the development project in a special economic zone in Laos.

She lives a multidimensional life and enjoys human rights related activities. She was a member of the Bersih’s Peoples’ Tribunal on General Election 13 and was a prosecution team member of the Kuala Lumpur International Tribunal on War Crimes.

CURRENT SCOPE OF PRACTICE 

1. Commercial and Corporate matters 

(i) Corporate loan documentation for financial institutions

(ii) Incorporation of companies and maintaining and filing statutory documentation

(iii) Rendering advice generally on company law, financial services, leasing, duties of directors, etc.

2. Conveyancing 

(i) Commercial and residential projects

(ii) Industrial – sale and purchase, joint venture and logging/mining agreements

(iii) individual – sale and purchase, tenancy and lease agreements

3. Banking securities 

(i) Individual loan documentation (term loan, housing loan, overdraft, personal loan, club membership loan, refinancing, etc.)

(ii) Project loan documentation (bridging and end financing)

(iii) Corporate and commercial loan documentation

4. Civil & Commercial Litigation 

(i) Debt Recovery (hire purchase, housing loan, staff loan, term loan, overdraft, TR/LC/BA, guarantee, indemnity, etc)

(ii) Enforcement of Judgment (debtor summons, seizure & sale)

(iii) Bankruptcy & winding up

(iv) Breach of fiduciary duties, corporate disputes, shareholders dispute

(v) Partnership

(vi) Insurance and accident claims

(vii) Defending civil & corporate claims

5. Foreclosure proceedings 

6. International trade and investments 

7. Immigration matters 

(i) Work permits

(ii) Entry visas

8. Human resources and industrial court related matters