Philip Teoh graduated with Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from National University of Singapore in 1989 and later obtained a Master of Laws from University of Malaya.

He chambered under the reknowned litigator Mr Harry Elias in Singapore and then commenced his practice with the shipping law practice of Koh & Yang. He later founded the Shipping and Insurance practice of David Chong & Co and practised in both its Singapore and Malaysian offices. He is admitted as Advocate and Solicitor of both the High Court of Malaya and the Supreme Court of Singapore. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the shipping & transport, admiralty, insurance and international trade matters.

Prior to joining the firm, he established his own firm Philip Teoh & Co. He has previously founded and headed the International Trade, Shipping and Insurance Practices of Messrs. David Chong & Co., and had led the Shipping, Insurance and International Trade practices of Lee Ong & Kandiah and Zaid Ibrahim & Co. respectively.

Through his years of practice, he has amassed experiences in:

• handling both contentious and non-contentious areas in the shipping, insurance and international trade matters.
• advising clients with respect to acquisition of insurance, shipping and transport companies and its regulatory requirements.
• advising clients on the various aspects of the insurance, shipping and transport and logistics industries including risk and insurance coverage and liability, application for licences, marine and general insurance and reinsurance claims and recoveries.
• where appropriate, appearing in all levels of Malaysian Courts (up to the Federal Court) and acting as arbitrator and counsel.

He argued and won the first reported decision of the Malaysian Admiralty Court in the case of The Istana VI. His cases have been reported in the law reports, many of which involved novel points of shipping law including:

1. The Istana VI [2014] 5 MLJ 124
2. Ing Hua Fu Marine Line Sdn Bhd v Vitachem (M) Sdn Bhd [2013] 9 MLJ 825
3. AXA Affin General Insurance Bhd v Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (M) Bhd – [2009] MLJU 888
4. Pemilik Kapal ‘Luna Indah’ v Admiral Shipping Sdn Bhd – [2006] 4 MLJ 296
5. Malaysia National Insurance Bhd & Anor v Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia & Anor – [2004] 4 MLJ 472

He has handled cases in several of the notable shipping incidents in the region:

1. Collision between the Nagasaki Spirit and Ocean Blessing
2. Collision between the Orakpin Global and Evoikos
3. Collision between the Maju Song and Jambo 90
4. Sinking of the An Tai
5. Explosion and sinking of the Ing Hua Fu No. 9

Philip other achievements throughout his practice years and associated credentials are better represented in the following:

Publications:

1. Malaysian Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents – Shipping, Insurance Claims, Wills and Wills Trusts.
2. Halsbury’s Laws of Malaysia –Shipping, Carriers (Land, Air and Sea), Marine Pollution, Bailment, Liens and Limitation of Liability, Sale of Goods, Conflict of Laws,
3. Annotated Statutes on Merchant Shipping Laws of Malaysia- Merchant Shipping Ordinance, Merchant Shipping Oil Pollution Act, Collision Regulations and Sale of Goods Act.

Presented Papers and Conducted Seminars At:

1. Legal Education Extension Programme at the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya
2. ASEAN Shipper’s Council
3. Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA)
4. Malaysian Insurance Institute (MII)
5. International Chamber of Commerce, Malaysian Chapter
6. PORAM Malaysia
7. Maritime Enforcement Coordinating Centre Residential Programme for Maritime Agencies
8. IOPC Fund and Malaysian Maritime Institute Seminar on Oil Pollution
9. Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators Qualification Course
10. Malaysian Maritime Institute
11. AMMSAT Malaysia Maritime Awareness Programme

Specific Areas of Expertise:

1. General Commercial and Corporate
2. International Trade and Commerce
3. Commercial Transactions and Sale of Goods
4. Ship Finance
5. Shipping and Admiralty
6. Transport, Freight Forwarding and Logistics
7. Insurance and Reinsurance
8. Maritime and Commercial Arbitration
9. Environmental Laws

Relevant Engagements:

1. Accredited Arbitrator, Kuala Lumpur Regional Center for Arbitration
2. Advisor, Singapore National Shipper’s Council
3. Arbitrator, Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration
4. Former Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators (4 consecutive terms)
5. Legal Advisor for Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarders (FMFF)
6. Legal Advisor of Association of Selangor Freight Forwarders and Logistics Association (SFFLA)
7. Tutor, Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators Qualification / Upgrade Course

Philip Teoh joined Azmi & Associates in January 2015 as a Partner and Head of the Admiralty & Shipping, Insurance and International Trade Practice Group.