The Malaysian Lawyer continues with its annual listing of the largest law firms in Malaysia for the year 2023.
The statistics are as at 18 December 2023 and where the law firm is the aggregate of the number of lawyers in all its branches.
The Year 2023 In Review
The Stability and Growth of the Larger Law Firms
Overall, we continue to see stable numbers at the largest law firms.
For several years in a row, the three largest law firms in Malaysia continue to be Zaid Ibrahim & Co (in association with KPMG Law), Shearn Delamore & Co, and Skrine.
The rankings and numbers in the list of largest law firms also remain largely the same as the previous year.
Based on the legal profession statistics for the Malaysian Bar as at 15 February 2023, the number of larger law firms of more than 30 lawyers is at an all-time high of 37 larger law firms. The number of practitioners at the Malaysian Bar is also at an all-time high of 21,570.
Chooi & Company + Cheang & Ariff Dissolved
In January 2023, the firm of Chooi & Company + Cheang & Ariff (CCA) announced that it would dissolve and re-establish its two pre-merger firms of Chooi & Company and Cheang & Ariff. The two firms had earlier merged in June 2018. Last year, the merged firm of CCA was listed in joint 10th position at 76 lawyers.
Nishimura & Asahi Alliance with Malaysian Law Firm
As announced on 12 January 2023, leading Japanese law firm, Nishimura & Asahi, announced its strategic alliance between its Singapore office with the Malaysian firm, WM Leong & Co.
The Malaysian firm is led by its managing partner, Leong Wan May, and she is also a partner at Nishimura & Asahi (Singapore) LLP.
Growing Number of International Alliances and Associations
With the above entry, there is now a growing list of Malaysian law firms with a formal association or alliance:
- Christopher & Lee Ong – part of the Rajah & Tann Asia network.
- Esther Hor, Mohanthas, Scully (HMS Law) – in association with RHTLaw Asia LLP.
- Foong & Partners – in association with WongPartnership LLP.
- Halim Hong & Quek – a member firm of Andersen Global.
- Rahmat Lim & Partners – in association with Allen & Gledhill Singapore.
- Robin Lynn & Lee – in collaboration with DFDL.
- Shearn Delamore & Co – part of the Drew Network Asia.
- Wong & Partners – a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International.
- WM Leong & Co – in association with Nishimura & Asahi.
- Zain & Co – member of Dentons.
The growing list appears to show a continued and growing demand for Malaysian law expertise as part of a foreign firm or foreign network’s regional and international offering to its clients.
Closure of Herbert Smith Freehills’ Kuala Lumpur Office
In October 2023, Herbert Smith Freehills announced that it would close its Kuala Lumpur office. HSF was one of only two qualified foreign law firms in Malaysia, having established its Kuala Lumpur office in 2017.
As evident from the above list, the number of associations with foreign law firms continues to grow in Malaysia. However, Malaysia’s liberalisation of the legal market to allow for the licensing of full-fledged foreign law firms and joint ventures through the international partnership model has not quite attracted foreign law firms to set up in Malaysia.
Ng Jern-Fei KC as Registered Foreign Lawyer with Malaysian Law Firm
Boutique dispute resolution firm, Lim Chee Wee Partnership (LCWP), announced that King’s Counsel Ng Jern-Fei would be joining the firm as a registered foreign lawyer from 2 January 2024.
LCWP would be the only Malaysian law firm with a King’s Counsel as registered foreign lawyer in its ranks. Ng Jern-Fei KC will be bringing his 20 years of international arbitration experience and expertise to LCWP’s international arbitration practice.
This will then result in a total of three registered foreign lawyers in Malaysia. Pierre Christophe Xavier Brochet is at Azmi & Associates, and Prof Dr Harald Sippel at Skrine.
Moving from the recap of the Malaysian legal market in 2023, we list down Malaysia’s largest law firms and have drawn up a list of the largest 16 firms.
Malaysia’s Largest Law Firms
#16: Cheang & Ariff (53 lawyers)
Having de-merged from CCA Law, Cheang & Ariff is now listed at the #16 position.
#15: Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership (57 lawyers)
Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership is in the #15 position.
#14: Shook Lin & Bok (59 lawyers)
Shook Lin & Bok maintains its position at #14.
#13: Tan Norizan & Associates (73 lawyers)
Tan Norizan & Associates remains at #13 on the listing.
#12: Raja, Darryl & Loh (76 lawyers)
Raja, Darryl & Loh slips two positions to #12 this year.
#11: Wong & Partners (79 lawyers)
Wong & Partners climbs up a position this year.
#10: Othman Hashim & Co (81 lawyers)
Othman Hashim & Co enters the top ten largest law firm position. The number of lawyers is drawn from its 7 branches.
#9: Adnan Sundra & Low (83 lawyers)
Adnan Sundra & Low slip slightly from last year’s #7 to this year’s #9.
#8: Zul Rafique & Partners (91 lawyers)
Similarly, Zul Rafique & Partners also drops slightly to #8 position.
#7: Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill (92 lawyers)
LHAG moves from last year’s #8 to this year’s #7.
#6: Azmi & Associates (95 lawyers)
Azmi & Associates moves up to #6 position.
#5: Rahmat Lim & Partners (101 lawyers)
Rahmat Lim & Partners exchanges positions with Christopher & Lee Ong. The firms continue to be among the top five largest law firms in Malaysia.
#4: Christopher & Lee Ong (102 lawyers)
Christopher & Lee Ong continue to be neck-to-neck and exchanging places with Rahmat Lim & Partners.
#3: Skrine (110 lawyers)
Skrine drops down one position to third position this year.
#2: Shearn Delamore & Co (120 lawyers)
The largest Kuala Lumpur firm, Shearn Delamore & Co climbs to second position this year.
#1: Zaid Ibrahim & Co (125 lawyers)
Zaid Ibrahim & Co (in association with KPMG Law) retains its top position as the largest law firm in Malaysia. The firm is made up of its main Kuala Lumpur office (with 66 lawyers) and other offices in Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Bahru.
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