John Vercoe has been granted a registration by the Bar Council of Malaysia to be employed as Foreign Lawyer in Malaysia. Azmi & Associates is the first Malaysian legal firm to be issued with a license to hire Bar Council approved foreign lawyers. To date we have two (2) UK qualified foreign lawyers under this scheme and both are licensed to advise UK law in Malaysia.

John is currently a practising solicitor in the United Kingdom, and is also a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (‘AIPN’) and the Energy Institute (UK). John will be joining the firm as the Firm’s International Oil & Gas Consultant. John has been permitted by the Malaysian Bar Council to practise in the following areas by the Malaysian Bar Council: Corporate Commercial, Energy, Oil & Gas and International Joint Venture.

John has over 40 years of experience in the energy and oil & gas industry, and was previously the General Counsel for British Gas, Upstream. John is a highly experienced legal consultant and has worked successfully with various international oil & gas teams across Europe, Central Asia (especially Kazakhstan), Africa, and Southeast Asia. Due to his expertise in the oil & gas industry he is well connected to key industry players globally.

John has acted for both large and small international oil & gas entities and their contractors and has played a key role in their day-to-day business with Governments and regulatory agencies. He has undertaken many major oil & gas pipeline negotiations in Moscow and Kazakhstan during his time, and his experience also encompasses the provision of legal services and advisory to these lar international oil & gas entities through Europe and Africa.

In line with the Malaysia Bar Council’s directive, John will be a valuable asset to the Firm and will impart his knowledge and experience in the oil & gas industry with Malaysian lawyers through his time here. John will be creating an impact in the development of legal influence in law and contracts in the future of renewable energy here in Malaysia.

Upon approval of his license from the Bar Council John states that he is “very excited about my Malaysian registration, and I am very excited to bring a win-win result for all concerned".

Azmi & Associates is proud welcome Malaysia’s second foreign qualified lawyer to the Firm and be able to offer its clients’ service beyond excellence in the oil & gas sectors within the region.