Azmi & Associates

Labour & Employment and Litigation & Arbitration

Partner

Melinda Marie D’Angelus obtained LL.B (Hons) from the University of London in 2003.

Having a keen interest in the area of Industrial Relations, she proceeded to work with the National Union of Bank Employees until she commenced pupilage in 2006 in the chambers of Dato’ Sri Kumar Chornalingam of Messrs. Kumar Partnership (formerly known as Sri Ram & Co.).

Melinda was called to the Malaysian Bar and admitted to the roll of Advocates and Solicitors in April 2007. Thereafter, she began her career in Messrs De Silva, which subsequently merged into the firm known as Bodipalar Ponnudurai De Silva up until end of 2011. During her employment, she handled various legal practices such as civil litigation, industrial relations and constitutional and administrative matters.

Thereafter, she joined Azmi & Associates on 16 January 2012 and led a unit within the Litigation and Arbitration Practice Group, specialising in Labour and Employment. Melinda was then elevated to a partner of the firm on 1 September 2016. In October 2017, Melinda was named in the Asian Legal Business (Asia Edition) as the Top 40 under 40 outstanding legal professionals in the Asian region.

Melinda’s more notable assignments during the tenure of her career include: -

Representing one of the major trade unions in the country in Judicial Review Proceedings in the High Court. Obtaining an Injunction for a private limited company registered in the United Kingdom preserving proceeds of a judgment of a related suit in the United Kingdom. Successfully representing co-administrators of an estate in defending an application to remove them as administrators in the High Court and successfully maintaining the decision on appeal in the Court of Appeal. Assisted in representing a construction company in an application for Injunction on the issue of a wrongful call on a Performance Bond in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Subsequently, preparing the application for leave to appeal to the Federal Court, obtaining leave to appeal to the Federal Court and assisting senior counsel in arguing the appeal in the Federal Court. Representing a trade union in the Industrial Court with regards to a Collective Agreement and obtaining an award in its favour. Successfully obtaining judgment summarily for a public listed company and maintaining the decision in the Court of Appeal. Assisting in advising and representing a private limited company in an oppression petition. Successfully representing a private limited company and its directors in a claim for fraud and misrepresentation against a local bank in the High Court of Labuan. Assisting in the drafting of a share sale agreement for a private limited realty company undergoing a restructuring scheme. Obtaining a Mareva injunction against a public listed company in the High Court and successfully maintaining the decision at the Court of Appeal. Successfully obtaining awards for compensation for unfair dismissal in the Industrial Court and maintaining the decision at Judicial Review stage in the High Court, Assisting in the drafting of a settlement agreement in relation to the distribution of properties and assets of a private limited company and its subsidiaries. Assisting and advising in the implementation of the same. Arguing out an application for leave to appeal to the Federal Court on the issue of waiver and issue estoppel. Assisting in successfully obtaining an interpretation of a provision in the Trade Unions Act 1959. Acted for a reputable oil and gas company in a claim for unfair dismissal brought by its former employee. Advising foreign counsel and obtaining an award of unfair dismissal for two expatriate employees which were subsequently successfully relied on in an international arbitration. Successfully defending claims of unfair dismissal at the Industrial Court and the High Court. Drafting and reviewing Employment Agreements, Collective Agreements, Handbooks and policies for various organisations. Advising various organisations on reorganisation and restructuring of employees, including retrenchment and redundancies. Successfully represented a subsidiary of national housing company in arbitrations against the Government of Malaysia.

English and Bahasa Malaysia

Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya (2007)

LL.B (Hons), University of London (2003)