Our Employment & Industrial Relations Practice is recognised as a leader in the field by prestigious industry publications such as Chambers Asia Pacific and Legal 500, with Tier 1 rankings for the firm and the team’s leading practitioners.

We represent multinational corporations, government linked companies, statutory bodies, local public-listed companies and family-owned enterprises from an eclectic range of industries including airline, banking and finance, education, oil and gas, and telecommunications.

The services we offer are comprehensive and include legal advice on resource planning, staff migration and termination, employment policies and contract documentation, compliance with employment-related legislation as well as trade union disputes and employment litigation.

We regularly advise on compliance with employment-related legislation, common law employment rights and duties, reviewing employment policies and documentation, advising on issues arising from the exercise of an employer’s managerial prerogatives, advising on employment-related matters in corporate restructuring, including retrenchment and cost-cutting exercises especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, advising on immigration law and management of foreign workers, and counselling on trade unions, trade disputes and collective agreements.

We also regularly represent clients in employment disputes involving termination of staff, unjust dismissal claims and, in particular, senior employees in complex and contested circumstances.

Sub-Practices

• Employment & Industrial Relations Advisory
• Employment, IR & Trade Dispute Resolution
• Corporate Start-Ups, M&As And Reorganisation
• Statutory Bodies: Employment & Discipline
• Immigration, Expats & Foreign Workers

Key Experience

1. BASF Malaysia
   Successfully representing BASF (Malaysia) in a judicial review application filed by its former Senior Manager, Facilities & Administration, at the High Court against the Industrial Court’s decision that he had not been dismissed by the client without just cause or excuse.
2. TH Plantations
   Representing client TH Plantations Berhad in an unjust dismissal claim in the Industrial Court filed by its former Chief Financial Officer, which was complex as the client decided that the Claimant had committed 12 AOM relating to four land matters over three years and which involved senior management personnel.
3. Nova Beta Energy
   Representing Nova Beta Energy Sdn Bhd in an application for judicial review filed by its former Executive Director at the High Court against the Industrial Court’s decision that he had not been dismissed by the client without just cause or excuse.
4. MNCs
   Advising foreign companies including the world’s leading suppliers of fluid management products and packages, aerospace industry leader, a chain of restaurants, a brand of cutting plotters, a leading enterprise data platform on establishing a Malaysian presence.
5. Tabung Haji
   Successfully defending Lembaga Tabung Haji at the Court of Appeal in relation to the claim of gratuity payments by 70 of its former employees.
6. Islamic Financial Services Board
   Successfully represented the Islamic Financial Services Board at the High Court and Court of Appeal where we successfully argued that the Board enjoys privileges and is immune from suits and legal process.
7. University Utara Malaysia
   Successfully represented Universiti Utara Malaysia at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court where we successfully argued that the principle that officers in a university acquired a special status upon appointment that is governed by statutes, the university’s constitution, circulars and not one to be decided on contractual rights and obligations pertinent to an employer-employee relationship.
8. Global Reorganisations
   Advising multinational and local companies which are public listed or household names on their global or local reorganisations including the Malaysian subsidiaries of a multinational chemical company, a multinational tobacco company, the world’s leading after-school enrichment centre, a global accounting professional body, a media and marketing solutions agency and a professional services firm.