Our People Archive - Page 10 of 14

Muzzammil Ahmad Maher

Muzzammil Ahmad Maher graduated from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) with a LL. B (Hons) in 2022.

He was attached to Abdul Halim Saifuddin & Associates, a legal firm in his hometown, Kangar, Perlis where he worked in the litigation department, focusing on banking litigation. He was trained to draft cause papers including bankruptcy notice and creditors petition. Apart from that, he was exposed to other area of laws such as Criminal, Conveyancing and Shariah.

During his varsity life, he was an active student participating events organized by IIUM and others. He participated in Ahmad Ibrahim Internal Moot Competition (2019) during his first year of law school. He was actively involved in secretarial works as he was appointed as Assistant Secretary of Welfare Secretariat of AIKOL Law Society (2020) and an Officer to the Academic and Activities division of Asian Law Students Association (ALSA) IIUM (2021). Apart from that, having been involved in these societies provided the opportunities for him to manage various programs such as ALSA Malaysian Conference (AMOC), Webinar: Mental Health & Coping in the Midst of Quarantine/Online Learning and Gavelcast (Legal Podcast).

He was called to the Malaysian Bar and admitted to the roll of Advocates and Solicitors in November 2023.

Details

Muzzammil Ahmad Maher

Associate

Direct Line:
+603 2110 5888

E-mail:
muzzammil@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Nik Amalia Suraya Nik Muhammad Saifuddin

Nik Amalia Suraya Nik Muhammad Saifuddin graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) in 2022 from the International Islamic University Malaysia and was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in September 2023.

Her journey in the field of law officially began with an internship in 2021 at Messrs Salehuddin Saidin & Associates, where she primarily focused on the Criminal Defence Division assisting matters involving white collar crimes, anti-money laundering, sexual offences, and capital offences.

In 2022, she joined Azmi & Associates as a Trainee Solicitor for her pupillage where she assisted in numerous litigation matters and made significant contributions that resulted in favorable outcomes for her clients including obtaining an Order for Recognition and Enforcement of an Arbitral Award following the dismissal of a Setting Aside application by the counterparty, as well as obtaining a judgment in favor of a taxpayer in a tax appeal before the Special Commissioners of Income Tax (SCIT) for the alleged non-deductible expenses in the sum of RM850,000.00.

Upon completion of pupillage, she was further retained as an Associate under the leadership of our Partner, Abu Daud Abd Rahim in the Litigation, Arbitration, & Dispute Resolution Practice Group that specializes in various aspects of general and civil litigation, with a particular focus on contractual and tort claims, tax law, medical law, corporate law, construction law, land law, estate and administration matters, and execution proceedings.

Details

Nik Amalia Suraya Nik Muhammad Saifuddin

Managing Associate

Direct Line:
+603 2118 5070

E-mail:
nikamalia@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Siti Basira Mohd Rofi

Siti Basira graduated from Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) with a First Class LL.B (Hons) in 2020.

She was often on the Dean’s List throughout her studies and was honoured with the Best Student Award in Civil Procedure. She also received the prestigious Rector’s List Award during her convocation ceremony. Excelling in her studies, she balanced her academic achievements with active participation in co-curricular activities and treasured quality time with family and friends.

She was an active student participating in various voluntary community works and organised several impactful events with I Can Malaysia IIUM and Inspire Club IIUM. She was called to the Malaysian Bar and admitted to the roll of Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in March 2021, after completing her pupillage at Messrs Syariman Othman & Co. in Alor Setar. During her pupillage, she gained exposure to litigious matters and was entrusted with preparing written submissions, including for an appeal at the Court of Appeal.

In August 2021, Basira began her legal practice as an associate with Messrs Ezrilaw Firm, focusing on corporate banking matters such as drafting and reviewing security documents. Her responsibilities extended to reviewing secretarial matters for compliance with the Companies Act 2016 and advising financial institutions on various legal issues. She worked closely with a diverse range of corporate entities, including SMEs and cooperatives, and gained significant experience in Islamic finance, retail, and land-related matters. Basira also actively participated in client meetings.

Basira joined Azmi & Associates’ Penang Office in November 2022. She was promoted to Managing Associate on 1 April 2024 and subsequently to Senior Associate 2 on 1 October 2024.

She has been instrumental in maintaining and strengthening the Penang office’s operations. Her primary focus is now on corporate and commercial matters, complemented by banking work, real estate and wealth management. She represents financial institutions, including Islamic financial institutions, banks, and cooperatives, in commercial financing transactions valued in the tens of millions and collaborates closely with their customers to provide detailed guidance on compliance issues.

Her recent portfolio includes:

• Representing multinational corporation (MNC) in reviewing agreements for land acquisition involving state investment arm company.

• Providing legal service for a subsidiary of a listed company regarding a land development agreement.

• Conducting due diligence for corporate acquisition.

• Reviewing a collaboration agreement on behalf of a multinational corporation (MNC) with an American entertainment and media company.

• Preparing Information Memorandums (IM) on behalf of an asset management company for private equity funds handling assets in the USA and UAE.

• Advising on employment matters, including compulsory leave policy for multinational corporation (MNC).

• Representing multinational corporation (MNC) on compliance with local laws, rules and regulations including a corporate venture with a local cooperative.

• Providing opinion and advice on intellectual property including trademark and industrial design, tribunal awards, and insurance-related legal matters.

She has also collaborated with international lawyers, including those based in Hong Kong, on corporate matters.

With her basic litigation knowledge from her pupillage, Basira is also capable of advising clients on general litigation matters when required. She regularly advises corporate clients on business regulations, rules, and laws, ensuring they remain updated on the latest legal amendments and developments. Basira manages multiple retainer clients daily and is recognized for her responsiveness, solution driven approach, commercially sound advice and highly committed to client care. She has successfully built strong relationships with repeat clients.

Details

Siti Basira Mohd Rofi

Senior Associate 2

Direct Line:
+604 375 0120

E-mail:
basira.rofi@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Nasbal Harun

Nasbal Harun graduated from Universiti Malaya with a LL.B (Hons) in 2015.

Passionate towards litigation practise, Nasbal spent the term of his pupillage at Messrs Shaikh David Raj (now known as Messrs Shaikh David & Co) and was actively involved in Banking Litigation, Insurance disputes as well as Shipping & Maritime. He was admitted to the role of Advocates and Solicitors by the Malayan High Court in April 2017.

Thereafter, he proceeded to complete his pupillage in Sabah under Messrs Zainal & Associates and Messrs Ken Yong & Co and gained exposure in general banking litigation, general litigation as well as criminal defence. He was admitted to the role of Advocates of the High Court of Sabah & Sarawak in September 2018.

Nasbal joined Messrs Haniff Khatri as a Legal Associate in December 2018. Under the guidance of Mr. Haniff Khatri, he was actively involved in matters involving constitutional issues as well as public interest litigation.

Thereafter, he joined Messrs S.L. Leong, Kartina & Partners as a Legal Associate in December 2020 gaining exposure in Construction, Debt Recovery, Contractual and Commercial disputes and in February 2022, Nasbal joined Messrs Rao & Kamal and was involved in matters involving city townhall disputes, accident cases as well as employment disputes. He also acted for Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) in debt recovery and meter-tampering actions.

Nasbal joined Azmi & Associates in November 2022 and was dedicated to Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group (3) under the supervision of our Partner, Abu Daud Abd Rahim. His notable assignments include :-

• Obtained an Order staying the execution of Bankruptcy Order including the gazettement of the same which resulted in the setting aside of the Bankruptcy Order against the client;

• Provided extensive research and drafted the cause papers for Judicial Review against the smoking ban in eateries [Mohd Hanizam Yunus Dan Lain-Lain v Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia [2020] 9 MLJ 273];

• Substituted 7-years imprisonment sentence imposed on the client with a Bond of Good Behaviour;

• Opposing Judicial Review applications as appeals to Appeal Boards by dissatisfied developers and residents against the decision of the city townhall council;

• Involved in the preparation for trial for malicious prosecution suit initiated by a political figure against the Government of Malaysia which resulted in the Court awarding a Judgment in the sum of RM300,000.00 towards the client.

Details

Nasbal Harun

Senior Associate 1

Direct Line:
+603 2118 5056

E-mail:
nasbal.harun@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Mohd. Shah Hashim

Mohd. Shah obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand and is a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. He is an Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya and is a Licensed Company Secretary and a Trade Mark and Industrial Design Agent.

He was called to the Malaysian Bar in September 1984 and was in private practice in the areas of Commercial Litigation, Corporate and Private Conveyancing, Banking Documentations, Government Licensing and Private Clients.

In September 1996, he joined Nestlé Malaysia as a Legal Manager and was appointed as the head of the Legal Department of the Nestlé Group of Companies in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998. His areas of responsibilities were Legal, Company Secretarial and Government Relations. Mohd. Shah was the Executive Director, Legal & Secretarial of the Nestlé Group of Companies until 30 June 2013.

During his tenure, he has been exposed and participated in various areas of legal and commercial transactions affecting the food industry, including, manufacturing, warehousing, sales and marketing, purchases of landed properties, sale and purchase of shares, licensing of intellectual properties and applications of various types of licences and fiscal incentives from the regulatory authorities.

Mohd. Shah served as the Company Secretary of Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad and all of its subsidiaries and associated companies. He advises the Board of Directors on all aspects and was responsible to ensure adherence to integrity, compliance and governance of the Companies to related corporate compliance and governance requirements. In 2011/2012, he was instrumental in the setting up of a comprehensive and all-encompassing Corporate Compliance Framework for the Nestlé Group of Companies in Malaysia and Singapore.

He was also involved as an industry representative in various dialogues and discussions with the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-Operatives and Consumerism on the drafting of the Competition legislation since 1998, including participating in a PEMANDU Lab, prior to the passing of the Competition Act 2010.

In his capacity as the Executive Director, Legal and Secretarial of Nestlé Malaysia, he initiated a Companywide awareness program to train every employee on the impact of the Competition Act 2010, on the business operations of the Nestlé Group of Companies in Malaysia. He also had the opportunity to supervise the drafting and filing of an application for an individual exemption under the Competition Act 2010, including attending to dialogues with the Malaysia Competition Commission. In the area of Competition Law, his main interest is in the area of Competition Law Training, Competition Law Audit and Investigation and Competition Law Advocacy.

He has held various industry positions, and these include, Chairman of FMM Food Manufacturing Group, Member of FMM Branding & Intellectual Property Committee, Vice-Chair of FMM Ethical Business Practice Committee, Vice-Chairman of ICC Malaysia, Trustee representing ICC Malaysia in ASEAN CSR Network, Country Chair for Malaysia in ASEAN Food and Beverage Alliance and Industry Representative in JAKIM Halal Certification Advisory Council.

He is experienced in all aspects of In-House legal issues for a Fast Moving Consumer Goods Industry, Company Secretarial and Corporate Governance and Compliance requirements affecting Public Listed Companies and various aspects of the Competition Act 2010 affecting Companies with dominant market positions in Malaysia. His passion are in the areas of Compliance, Governance and Integrity.

He was attached to a small banking law firm from 2013 to 2016. He served as the Company Secretary of Asian Finance Bank, now known as MBSB Bank from September 2016 to February 2018.

He serves as Prudenz Corporate House as Chief Operating Officer, on part time basis, since July 2018. Mohd. Shah currently sits as Director of a number of companies.

Details

Mohd. Shah Hashim

Senior Associate 1

Direct Line:
+603 2110 5888

E-mail:
mohd.shah@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Sherena Khairul Suman

SHERENA KHAIRUL SUMAN graduated from University of Cardiff with a LL.B (Hons) in 2018 and proceeded to complete the BPTC at City, University of London. Having being called to the Bar of England and Wales and she is a member of Middle Temple. She also continued to pursue her LL.M at the City, University of London focusing on Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.

Sherena is part of the Senior Partner’s Office at Azmi & Associates where she deals with matters of cross-border mergers and acquisition, due diligence reports, oil and gas related advisory and negotiations for take-over of asset and businesses and the drafting of agreements that falls within each purview. During her university years, she was focused on commercial and company law matters as well as fraud and economic crime disputes.

Upon returning to Malaysia, she underwent pupillage at Messrs Shearn Delamore & Co where she worked primarily on general disputes, banking litigation and retail banking matters while assisting on general dispute files. Sherena is a trained litigator from her experiences in the litigation department. Previously, she interned at Messrs Benjamin Dawson and Messrs Ariff Rozhan & Co while completing her LL.B. She was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in April 2022.

Some of Sherena’s assignments are as follows:-

• Assisted in drafting Share Sale Purchase Agreements, Collaboration Agreements, Joint Venture Agreement, Employment Contracts and Supplemental Agreements.

• Spearheaded cross boarder negotiations involving an oil and gas take-over between client and governmental officials of different nationalities.

• Due diligence and legal advises relating to taking over operatorship of platforms, oil fields and vessel.

• Assisted in advising clients on matters of foreign investment procedures and specially curated investment agreements.

• Assisted with legal advisory for a Korean Company on forming their Joint Venture Company and their potential liabilities with regard to importation of vehicles and liaising manufacturers in Malaysia.

• Advises and liaises with corporate companies on ESG and sustainability related matters together with a team of experienced lawyers.

• Legal Researcher for Court of Appeal and Federal Court cases.

• Headed the retail banking cases involving the lease and auction of properties owned by the bank.

• Frequently liaises with Heads of Government Departments on importation matters and government incentives.

• Managing a portfolio of files and liaising with clients and solicitors for adverse parties / counter parties in particular trial matters for electricity theft, execution proceeding (auction, post auction, post auction and Land Office matter) in Banking and Finance litigation on high profile litigation cases.

• Assisted in Summary Judgment and Default Judgment matters for corporate companies as a process of debt recovery, its cause papers, injunction, and interlocutory relief.

• Frequently assists with corporate development matters with foreign clients and solicitors.

Details

Sherena Khairul Suman

Senior Associate 2

Direct Line:
+603 2118 5083

E-mail:
sherena@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Nafis Zain Safwan Majid Zain

Nafis Zain Safwan Majid Zain graduated from University of Essex with a LLB (Hons) in 2018. He then pursued the Bar Professional Training Course and Master of Laws (BPTC LLM) at The University of Law, London and was subsequently called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in November 2019. As part of the BPTC LLM, he provided Pro Bono legal services in the field of Immigration under the supervision of the Legal Advice Clinic of The University of Law.

He spent the term of his pupillage at Messrs Zul Rafique & Partners where he gained a growing interest in corporate and commercial law and was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in December 2020.

In pursuit of his desire to learn more about the corporate world, he joined Azmi & Associates in August 2021 as an Associate under the Construction & Engineering Practice Group which is spearheaded by our Senior Partner, Dato’ Azmi Mohd Ali. He has since gained experience in several areas of law including Construction, Energy, Oil & Gas and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Details

Nafis Zain Safwan Majid Zain

Senior Associate 2

Direct Line:
+603 2118 5080

E-mail:
nafis.zain@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Asiah Siddiqah Abdurrahman

Asiah Siddiqah read law at the University of Bristol and graduated with an LL.B (Hons) in 2019.

She was a recipient of the Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) scholarship, which enabled her to pursue her studies in the United Kingdom on a full scholarship. She was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in March 2023.

Prior to joining Azmi & Associates in 2022, she worked under the Investigation and Enforcement Division at Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC). She was involved in regulatory compliance and dawn raids.

She worked as a Legal Executive at Wong & Partners (member firm of Baker & McKenzie) and as a paralegal at Thomas Philip. She also interned at Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill in 2018 and Azmi & Associates in 2019.

She is part of Mergers, Acquisitions, and Corporate Practice Group under the supervision of our Partner, Sharizan Sarif.

Details

Asiah Siddiqah Abdurrahman

Senior Associate 2

Direct Line:
+603 2118 5063

E-mail:
asiah.siddiqah@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Nur Insyirah Mohamad Noh

Insyirah graduated with an LL.B (Hons.) from the National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 2020. She is currently pursuing a Master of Laws (LL.M) with a research focus in forensic law and was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 2023.

During her academic years, she was an active and high-achieving student, consistently listed on the Dean’s List and awarded the 2018 Best Student of Batch 32 by the UKM Faculty of Law. She also received the Zamalah Research Scheme Scholarship to support her postgraduate research.

Insyirah began her legal career at Azmi & Associates (Penang Office), where she served as a Pupil-in-Chambers and Legal Executive, and is now a Legal Associate. Her work encompasses a broad range of legal areas, including wealth management and succession planning, real estate and property, projects and infrastructure, as well as corporate and commercial matters.

Her recent highlights include:

Wealth Management & Succession Planning
• Drafted and reviewed wealth management instruments, including Trust Deed, Hibah and Power of Attorney.
• Conducted and attended to matters relating to Termination with A Rights of Survivorship (WAROS) application.
• Conducted and attended to matters relating to Small Estate Distribution.
• Attended to and completed a Presumption of Death application.

Real Estate & Property
• Drafted and reviewed Tenancy Agreements for commercial properties.
• Assisted in and completed property transfer transactions for corporate and individual clients.
• Assisted in and attended to matters relating to land co-proprietorship.
• Assisted in and attended to matters relating to land acquisition.

Projects & Infrastructure
• Drafted and reviewed legal documentation including Land Development Agreement, Development Rights Agreement and Land Disposal Agreement for land development projects.
• Reviewed a Letter of Exit relating to a renewable energy supply project.
• Reviewed a Termination of Concession Agreement for a premium outlet development.

Corporate & Commercial
• Conducted legal due diligence exercises in relation to corporate and commercial matters.
• Reviewed various corporate documentation including Dealership Agreement, Collaboration Agreement, Security Services Agreement and Stockist Agreement.

Joint Ventures, Mergers & Acquisitions
• Assisted in and completed a RM5 million share sale transaction.
• Drafted, prepared and reviewed legal documents including Indemnity Agreement, Deed of Waiver of Dividends, Joint Venture cum Shareholders’ Agreement and various supplemental agreements in connection with merger and acquisition transactions.

Employment & Industrial Relations
• Assisted in, conducted and prepared independent audit reviews for a U.S.-based medical company.
• Reviewed a Labour Services Agreement for a Japan-based company.
• Assisted in and attended a Labour Office hearing.

In addition to her legal practice, Insyirah has authored several articles on industrial land acquisition, investment trends and legal frameworks for highly regulated sectors. She is also a published co-author of two legal books and has presented her research at academic conferences.

Insyirah is currently attached to the Azmi & Associates (Penang Office) and continues to demonstrate a strong passion for delivering strategic legal solutions to clients across sectors.

Details

Nur Insyirah Mohamad Noh

Managing Associate

Direct Line:
+604 375 0120

E-mail:
insyirah@azmilaw.com

Practice Areas

Khairunnisa Khairol Anwar

Khairunnisa is a graduate from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) with LL.B and Shariah (Hons) in 2020.

She previously worked as a Protégé, Legal & Secretarial at Duopharma Biotech Berhad where she was involved in reviewing and negotiating various non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and commercial agreements for pharmaceutical transactions. At the same time, she has also been exposed to intellectual property which includes trademarks and copyright matters. She was also attached to Hanif & Co. and Mahkamah Syariah W.P.K.L. as attachment student during her university days.

She held the position as the secretary for a community engagement project known as USIM GISO 2020: Kembara Ar-Rum to Padang, Indonesia back in January 2020.

She has passion in Intellectual Property, technology and pharmaceutical related matters. She has completed her pupillage under the supervision of our Partner, Mr. Khairul Fazli Abdul Kadir and was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor in the High Court of Malaya on 7 April 2023.

As part of the Multimedia, Technology and Intellectual Property Practice Group, she has been exposed to, among others, on the trademark registration procedure (including attending to the appeal and ex-parte hearing to overcome the MyIPO’s provisional refusal) and renewal procedure.

Since the commencement of her pupillage, she has been involved in multiple assignments whereby she has:

• assisted our Partner in advising Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in respect of:
– UPM’s rights and obligations in undertaking the publication of copyrighted works (written by authors) in electronic format.
– proposed collaboration between UPM and Way Research Academy Sdn. Bhd. to undertake research and development activities relating to clinical cell therapy, immunotherapy and food technology.

• assisted our Partner in advising Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) in respect of:
– a project to be undertaken by FRIM and Nature Profusion Sdn. Bhd. involving product development (based on FRIM’s intellectual properties) and commercialization.
– a project to be undertaken by FRIM and its commercial arm involving the licensing of FRIM’s technology and commercialization of plants.
– a project to be undertaken by FRIM and Free The Seed Sdn. Bhd. involving licensing of FRIM’s technology and product commercialization.

• assisted our Partner in advising Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad (BMMB) in respect of the strategic partnership between BMMB and Backbase Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd. for the implementation of BMMB’s digital banking project, in particular, relating to the front-end channels and microservices.

• assisted our Partner in advising Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad (EON) in respect of:
– the collaboration between EON and a third party for the commercialization the Workforce Management System to the identified client.
– the appointment of an escrow agent for the deposit of the source code and related materials or documentation associated with the Workforce Management System.
– the enhancement to the existing Workforce Management System commercialization arrangement aimed to address certain issues to effectively manage the commercialization process.

• assisted our Partner in advising a local research institution in respect of:
– proposed collaboration between the research institution and a local company for the development and pre-commercialization of biodegradable products.
– collaboration for the development and implementation of an e-commerce platform aimed at enhancing and optimizing the entire herbal industry supply chain in Malaysia.
– grant of license on its technologies related to Eurycoma Longifolia (commonly known as Tongkat Ali) to its commercial arm, with the aim of exploring opportunities to allow for further development of a diverse range of consumer products with the potential sub-licensees.

• assisted our Partner in advising Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in respect of the trust arrangement for the intellectual property created pursuant to a research grant agreement executed by UTM and other third parties.

• assisted our Partner in providing legal opinion to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in respect of patent laws in Malaysia as well as intellectual property provisions under various agreements executed by UTM and other third parties to undertake collaborative works.

• assisted our Partner in providing advice to Custommedia Sdn Bhd (CMSB) in respect of grant of license by TRON Forum (a non-profit organization in Japan) to CMSB to establish, operate and manage the Ubiquitous ID Center in Malaysia, which enable CMSB to assign ucode to its members in Malaysia.

• assisted our Partner in providing advice to Sinhua Hock Kee Trading (M) Sdn Bhd through its representative Mirandah Law LLP in respect of a potential trademark infringement and passing off action against the alleged infringer in Malaysia.

• attended to the appeal process to overcome the MyIPO’s provisional refusal for multiple trademark applications, on behalf of various clients such as Padiberas Nasional Berhad, Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Berhad, DRB-HICOM Berhad, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Edaran Modenas Sdn Bhd (EMOS) and Avantcom International Sdn. Bhd.

Details

Khairunnisa Khairol Anwar

Managing Associate

Direct Line:
+603 2118 5033

E-mail:
khairunnisa@azmilaw.com