Partner, Soemadipradja & Taher
Rahmat Sadeli Soebagia Soemadipradja has been practising law for over 30 years and is a recognised leader in the Indonesian energy & natural resources sector, particularly in mining. After his initial four years of practice with a prominent Indonesian law firm, Rahmat joined the leading Australian law firm Freehills, on secondment, at its Sydney office, after establishing Soemadipradja & Taher law firm, along with Hafzan Taher.
He has been appointed as an arbitrator in several Indonesian business dispute cases and has served as an expert in Indonesian mining law, administration law, and finance law in several international arbitration proceedings and court cases outside Indonesia.
Rahmat's main areas of practice cover energy and natural resources, particularly mining, environmental law, forestry, general corporate and foreign investment into Indonesia, including regulatory and compliance, capital markets and project finance. Rahmat's experience has been beneficial in advising multinational corporations in handling strategic issues.
Rahmat is recognised by The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers as a leading mining lawyer, by Chambers Global as a leading lawyer in corporate and commercial law, by Chambers Asia as one of the leading individuals in Projects & Natural Resources, by The Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a leading corporate, employment and energy lawyer, by IFLR 1000 as a leading lawyer and by PLC Which Lawyer as a leading restructuring and insolvency lawyer and a leading corporate lawyer.
Rahmat is the first point of call on cross border joint venture questions and disputes, contract drafting under Indonesian law and practice, and government related projects.
Managing Associate, AKSET Law Firm
Thomas is a key member of AKSET's team, with a strong focus on labor and employment matters, including advisory and compliance work for both private entities and aid-funded or non-governmental organizations operating in Indonesia. His practice also includes extensive experience in general corporate law, foreign direct investment, mergers and acquisitions, and infrastructure projects.
Thomas holds a law degree from Universitas Gadjah Mada and is a licensed advocate and member of the Indonesian Advocates Association (PERADI). He is also an active member of the Indonesian Labor Law Consultant Association (HKHKI).
Thomas also regularly speaks at various events, training, and workshops on topics including labor and employment law, general corporate, capital investment, mergers and acquisitions, and human resources
Founding Partner, AKSET Law Firm
Dea is one of the founders of AKSET, a firm with 20 lawyers. AKSET was founded in 2010. Before AKSET, Dea was a partner at another prominent law firm in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Dea is recognized throughout the region as an expert on Indonesian mining law. She also has a strong reputation in major projects and regularly advises Indonesian regulatory authorities in the electricity sector. Related practice areas include infrastructure, financing and M&A.
Dea is the youngest Indonesian lawyer to be nominated in WHO'S WHO LEGAL's list of the best mining lawyers for 2010, 2011, and 2012, where she continues to be recognized in the same publication, with her most recent nomination in 2024.
Dea represents domestic and international mining clients through every stage of their operations, from financing, licensing and land acquisition, exploration and production, through to post-project rehabilitation. She advises mining clients on domestic processing and divestment obligations and represents clients in negotiations with the government to reform their Contracts of Work.
Major infrastructure projects have included public ports and private terminals, hauling roads, independent power projects, and a major freight railway line in East Kalimantan. She has worked on some of the major power projects in Indonesia, advising consortium members and coal suppliers.
Dea graduated from the University of Indonesia in 1997 (Sarjana Hukum degree) and Duke University School of Law in 2003 (Master of Laws degree or LL.M). She is a licensed advocate and member of the Indonesian Advocates Association (PERADI).
Founding & Managing Partner, Shanghai Zenith Law Firm
Fuhua “Roger” Ni is the Founding & Managing Partner of Shanghai Zenith Law Firm. He holds a Master of Laws degree from both Emory University School of Law and East China Normal University. He is admitted to practice law in China (Member, Shanghai Bar Association) and is a Registered Foreign Lawyer at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) Court. He previously held registrations as a foreign lawyer with the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Singapore International Commercial Court.
Roger serves in numerous organizational roles, including:
Roger is also General Counsel of the Thailand Chamber of Commerce, Program Advisor at the Center for International Legal Studies, an Independent Director at PPS International (Holdings) Ltd. (a Hong Kong listed company), and an expert in the Foreign-related Expert Database of the Oriental Legal Identification Center.
Furthermore, Roger's arbitration and mediation roles include the following:
His recognitions include the 2024 LexisNexis Greater China 40 "Legal Elites Under 40" Award, a research stay at UNIDROIT, and Fellowships at the International Mediation Research Center (East China University of Political Science and Law), The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIARB), Prime Dispute, International Mediation Campus, and previously at the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand Inc.
His practice areas include criminal and civil litigation, arbitration, corporate law, foreign investments, commercial law, family law, and inheritance law. He is fluent in Mandarin and Shanghainese (native), and proficient in English.
Partner, Riying Law Firm
Ms. Tan is engaged in dispute resolutions services for more than 6 years. Ms. Tan is proficient in litigation, arbitration and mediation of civil and commercial cases, and is familiar with relevant rules of these dispute resolution methods. Her Client experiences includes:
Ms. Tan holds a Bachelor's degree in Business English (2013) and a Juris Master degree (2016), both from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.
She has also participated in international legal activities such as serving at the TPP Free Trade Negotiations hosted by SUIBE (2014), where she interpreted for foreign scholars, and conducted basic research for the Shanghai Arbitration Commission (2013-2014), comparing its rules with those of UNCITRAL arbitration.
Managing Partner, Eu Jin Partnership
Eu Jin is the Managing Partner of Ong Eu Jin Partnership. He is active in the capital markets sector and has advised companies which have successfully listed and completed their IPOs on the Malaysian Stock Exchange. Aside from Malaysian IPOs, he has also acted as the Malaysian legal counsel for companies seeking listing in Hong Kong and the US. On the Mergers and Acquisitions front, he has advised on a number of multi-million-ringgit acquisitions in respect of both listed and unlisted companies as well as mandatory and voluntary general offers.
As part of his debt capital markets practice, Eu Jin has advised on serial bond issuances and commercial paper/medium term note programmes as well as various Sukuk issuances. Notably, Eu Jin was the Malaysian counsel for the issuance of Samurai bonds in the aggregate principal amount of ¥200 billion by the Government of Malaysia in 2019. As a banking and financial services practitioner, he has advised Malaysian financial institutions on some of the largest bilateral and syndicated financing transactions. Eu Jin has also acted as Malaysian legal counsel for financial institutions in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Eu Jin commenced his legal career as a litigation lawyer. He was thereafter appointed as the executive director of a subsidiary of a financial services group for 7 years before returning to the legal profession as a corporate lawyer. He has been appointed as director (both executive and independent non-executive) of companies regulated by the Securities Commission Malaysia.
A frequent speaker at law conferences, Eu Jin participated as a panellist in Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Siem Reap, Manila, Colombo, Bengaluru and Chicago.
Special Consultant, Ocampo & Manalo Law
Johannes Bernabe is a founding commissioner of the Philippine Competition Commission, having been appointed upon its establishment in 2016 and later serving as its OIC-Chairman. During his time at the Commission, he oversaw the work of its Mergers & Acquisitions office, and later the Enforcement office as well as the Economics division. He co-chaired the International Competition Network's Advocacy Working Group, and chaired the negotiations for ASEAN Agreement on Competition.
Prior to his appointment, Mr Bernabe was a Senior Fellow at the Geneva-based policy think-thank, the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, where he advised governments and business groups in Asia, Africa and the Middle East on issues covering WTO issues and public international trade law issues.
Before these, Mr Bernabe was a trade negotiator and legal adviser for the Philippines at the WTO in Geneva.
Mr Bernabe graduated cum laude with a degree in Economics and subsequently Law at the University of the Philippines. He took postgraduate studies in Law at Queen Mary-University of London, Public International Trade Law at the International Development Law Institute in Sydney, and Competition Law at King's College-University of London.
Mr Bernabe currently teaches Comparative Competition Law and Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions in the Masters’ of Law program of the UP College of Law. He likewise serves as an academic ambassador for Oxford University Center for Competition Law and Policy.
He has returned to law practice after his term with the Competition Commission, and is again affiliated with Ocampo Manalo Law Office, where he has been a Senior Partner, Of Counsel and now a special consultant. In parallel, he has established and leads the consulting group, the Law & Economics Advisory Network or LEAN, which advise entities on Competition Law and Policy.
Past President, The Law Society of Hong Kong; and Immediate Past President, LAWASIA
Ms. Melissa K. Pang is the Member of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Ms. Pang is the Past President of The Law Society of Hong Kong. She was elected the first female President of the Law Society from 2017 to 2021. Ms. Pang currently serves as the Chairperson of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Honours Committee and Legal Aid Committee. She is also a member of several other committees overseeing external affairs, constitutional affairs, human rights and mediation. Ms Pang is the Past President of LAWASIA.
Ms. Pang is qualified to practise as a solicitor in Australia, England & Wales and Hong Kong. She is a Notary Public, Civil Celebrant, accredited mediator, Council Member of the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited, associate member of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators, and China Appointed Attesting Officer. She is a Partner of Pang & Associates.
Ms. Pang is the Chairman of the Family Council, the Hong Kong Press Council and the Agency for Volunteer Service. She is the board member of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, member of Operations Review Committee of the ICAC. Ms Pag is the former Chief Commissioner of Hong Kong Girl Guide Association. With her devotion to public service, Ms. Pang was awarded by the Hong Kong SAR Government the Medal of Honour in 2006, Justice of the Peace in 2010 and the Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2020
Partner and Director of Overseas Labor and Employment Law Centre, River Delta Law Firm
Tina is the Partner and Director of Overseas L&E law center of River Delta Law Firm. Tina has graduated from Russian Saint-Petersburg State University with a Master’s degree of LLM, majored in International Law. Since joining RDL, she has been committed to the research and practice of overseas labor and employment law.
Tina has assisted hundreds of Chinese enterprises with labor and employment law services during the investment in Asia Pacific countries and regions. Tina has practical working experience in cross border labor disputes resolution during international assignment, employment compliance management of Multinational Enterprises in APAC, and disputes in relation to confidentiality and restrictive covenants in the process of recruitment and termination. In recent years, Tina has been focusing on the flexible employment and digital labor topics, she has assisted with multinational companies in proper utilizing digital labor in overseas countries, disputes resolution of independent contractor’s misclassification, compliance and flexibility of employment outsourcing service.
Tina has provided legal services to around 100 Chinese Enterprises to assist them go abroad, including Ctrip, Alibaba, Tencent, JD.COM, Mindray, H3C, CATL, SMIC and etc
Partner, Arma Law
Ms. Merari is the general corporate, foreign investment, and employment expert in Arma Law.
After obtaining her master's degree in International Civil and Commercial Law (Adv.) from Leiden University, Netherlands, Merari shapes herself as a competent achiever in general corporate, employment, and capital investment domains.
As a driving force of general corporate and employment matters, Merari represented major multinational clients across a spectrum of diverse sectors.
In her advisory capacity for a subsidiary of a multinational health and wellness company, she successfully aligned company regulations and employment contracts with the parent company's guidelines.
Merari also played a pivotal role in assisting a multinational personal care manufacturer in establishing clear governance structures and compliance mechanisms.
Leveraging her experience, she refined company regulations for a property management group overseeing multiple companies.
Notably, Merari served as a legal counsel for an Indonesian property management company in its acquisition by a global property management firm, showcasing her outstanding legal prowess.
Since 2008, Merari has been a steadfast representative for clients across various sectors, extending her expertise to non-profit organizations (NGOs) and foundations. Her commitment is evident in advising an international private school in Jakarta on general legal compliance, where she demonstrates a profound understanding of intricate regulatory frameworks.
She was recognized as a recommended lawyer for 2022 - 2023 from the HukumOnline In-House Counsel Awards 2023.
Director, BR Law Corporation
Winston brings almost three decades of legal expertise on corporate transactions and matters, specialising in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, banking, corporate finance and corporate restructuring. He has advised a diverse range of clientele, including multi-national corporations, small and medium local enterprises, and state-owned entities across Southeast Asia, particularly on cross-border merger and acquisitions, and foreign direct investment in the energy, infrastructure, and technology industries.
Notably, Winston has advised Vietnamese tech giant VNG Corporation on all aspects of two multi-million dollar investments: in Funding Societies, a digital financing platform in Southeast Asia, participating in its Series C+ and C2 round of fundraising, which cumulated to approximately US$144 million, and in Telio, a business-to-business e-commerce company, participating in its Series A2 funding round. He also acted as lead counsel for PT Kayan Hydro Energy, PT PLTU Celukan Bawang and PT General Energy Bali on key Belt and Road Initiative projects along Indonesia’s Regional Comprehensive Economic Corridor, which comprised PT Kayan’s signing of an Engineering Procurement and Construction contract exceeding US$1 billion with Power China Group's Sinohydro.
Winston's other recent matters involve:
Counsel, Eldan Law as well as Arbitrator and Lawyer from Brunei
Colin has an active international practice as an arbitrator and lead counsel across multiple jurisdictions. He is the first ASEAN national lawyer to become an English Queen's Counsel (now King's Counsel). He also practices as barrister and King's Counsel from 36 Stone chambers in London and also as an advocate & solicitor in Brunei from Dr Colin Ong Legal Services. In 2010, he became the first ASEAN practising lawyer to be elevated to a Master of the Bench of the Inner Temple. He is currently the Senior Bencher of the Inner Temple in Singapore. In addition to litigation matters in England & Wales, Brunei and Singapore, he regularly acts as counsel in international arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific; Europe, Middle East, US and he sits as arbitrator in even more seats. His case usually involves very high value, complex commercial, construction and investment disputes. In addition to having acted and/or advised in numerous institutional and ad hoc arbitrations for international corporate clients, he has also acted in matters both for and against state and state owned entities and is widely acknowledged as an expert in both civil and common law. He has been involved in over 400 arbitrators as counsel or as arbitrator (chairman, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator) in commercial, construction and investor-state disputes under most of the worldʼs leading ad hoc and institutional rules. He is the only English Silk who does not hold UK nationality or UK-dual nationality and is often appointed as neutral national presiding arbitrator. He is ranked as a Though Leader in three field of Arbitration, Construction and Commercial Litigation by Whoʼs Who Legal since 2019. He has been ranked as a top 30 global elite arbitration practitioner by Expert Guides-Best of the Best: Arbitration. Whoʼs Who Legal 2024 Arbitration has described him as “the undisputed superstar in Asia as both arbitrator and counsel…his mastery of both civil and common law, places him at the pinnacle of legal market”.
The core of Colin's work revolves around international commercial arbitration, complex cross-border high level disputes, financial disputes; large construction projects, post M&A and corporate crossborder litigation. Colin has been instructed as lead counsel on a wide range of high-profile matters, often relating to or within the Asia-Pacific, in various sectors and industries, including banking & finance; company matters; energy; infrastructure, minerals; offshore corporations and trusts, post mergers and acquisitions, hotel, shipping, fisheries, insurance, construction, telecoms and IT, technology products, renewable energy (including solar and wind), and mining.
Colin is consistently highlighted by the legal directories for his mastery of strategy, advocacy and his ability to quickly to get to grips with disputes involving complex factual and technical matters which required a solid grasp of the details as well as expert evidence. He is regularly described by his opponents and by the directories as having a full mastery over both common law and civil law.
Colin is consistently referred to by the directories as a team player. He has led large teams of counsel in many significant cases across many fields. He has also led other Senior Counsel in both arbitrations and also before the Singapore Courts. He is known to be user-friendly and versatile and often work together with clients, instructing solicitors, other barristers and expert witnesses with a view to formulating the best possible case and strategy in order to maximise the best prospects of success. He has worked frequently as co-counsel with lawyers qualified in other jurisdictions and is often appointed as chairman in many arbitrations.
In International Arbitration, Colin is a highly specialised and seasoned arbitration practitioner who spent the first 17 years of his career in 2 magic-circle London chambers, one specialising in international arbitration and shipping and the other in banking and finance. He has worked on a wide range of commercial arbitrations in numerous sectors ranging from corporate and finance disputes through energy & infrastructure to international trade and shipping, as well as on investor-state disputes ICC & UNCITRAL.
Colin has been a visiting law professor at leading universities in common and civil law jurisdictions since 1996. He has sat as arbitrator and acted as lead counsel under many arbitration rules including AAA, BANI, CIETAC, HKIAC, ICC, ICDR, KCAB, KLRCA, LCIA, LMAA, SIAC, SCMA, TAI, UNCITRAL and WIPO rules. He has wide experience in many cases in diverse applicable laws including Brunei, Cambodian, Canadian, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hong Kong, Indian, Indonesian, Malaysian, Philippine, Japanese, Singapore, Swiss, Thai, Turkish, UAE and Vietnamese law. He is regularly appointed as presiding arbitrator in seats across the world by both leading arbitrators as well as by arbitral institutions (including under AAA, BANI, BJAC, CIETAC, HKIAC, ICC, ICDR, KCAB, LCIA, LMAA, SCMA, SIAC, TAI and UNCITRAL Rules).
Partner, Dacheng Law Offices (Guangzhou) LLP
James Lan is a Partner for Dacheng Law Offices (Guangzhou) LLP. James brings a wealth of experience, having previously service at Huawei with a focus on international commerce and cross border investment. Specializing in investment in Southeast Asia, James boasts over a decade of expertise, primarily advising Chinese clients in foreign investment in South-east Asia across diverse sectors, including infrastructure, manufacturing energy, mining, real estate, and e-commerce.
James excels in delivering comprehensive legal research and compliance advisory services tailored to companies investing in Southeast Asia. His expertise extends to facilitating the establishment of local entities for Chinese enterprises, ensuring meticulous compliance with labour and licensing regulations for seamless operational adherence. Furthermore, James is recognized for his proficiency in conducting due diligence for investment projects. In this capacity, he provides detailed reports, legal opinions, and transaction documentation, offering crucial insights to verify project feasibility and legality.
James is involved in several major projects, which include:
Partner, Dentons HPRP
Trijoyo Ariwibowo ("Ari") is a Partner at Hanafiah Ponggawa & Partners ("Dentons HPRP"). He is an experienced legal professional with over 14 years of expertise and plays a pivotal role in the firm’s success. He stands out for his achievements and recognition in the legal practice, specializing in Real Estate, Consumer Products & Services, and Private Equity & Venture Capital.
Ari's extensive legal background includes a profound understanding of the Real Estate sector, where he has demonstrated exceptional skills and knowledge. His expertise in Real Estate has earned him notable recognition, with his nomination for Indonesia Rising Stars 2023 in Asian Legal Business (ALB). Furthermore, his outstanding contributions to the legal field were underscored with a mention in Legal 500 and acknowledgment as one of the key lawyers in the Real Estate sector. These recognitions solidify his status as a distinguished legal professional and highlight his commitment to excellence in the industry.
Ari’s expertise also extends to the hotel and leisure industries, reflecting a comprehensive understanding of the complexities within these sectors. With a proven track-record of navigating the intricate legal landscape, Ari stands as a trusted legal advisor, bringing strategic insights and a wealth of experience to his clients.
Senior Partner, HHP Law Firm
Andi is a Senior Partner and the Head of Dispute Resolution, Antitrust & Competition at HHP Law Firm. With more than 20 years of experience, he has in-depth experience in arbitration (domestic and international), litigation (including employment litigation), debt recovery (PKPU restructuring & insolvency), compliance & investigation, corporate crimes, insurance disputes, cybersecurity, administrative and judicial review proceedings.
Andi is a registered arbitrator at Badan Arbitrase Nasional Indonesia (BANI), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and Lembaga Alternatif Penyelesaian Sengketa Sektor Jasa Keuangan (LAPS-SJK). He is a co-chairman of the Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission of ICC Indonesia and also a member of the International Insolvency Institute (III).
Andi is consistently ranked as Band 1 for Dispute Resolution by Chambers Asia Pacific (2019 - 2025), Leading individual for Dispute Resolution by Legal 500 Asia (2021 - 2024) and Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2019 - 2024). Most recently, in 2025, he is also listed in the A-List of Indonesia's Top 100 Lawyers by the Asia Business Law Journal.
Lawyer and Director of International Legal Service Committee,
Capital Equity Legal Group (Shanghai Office)
Jing Lei specializes in cross-border commercial legal services for industries including internet/e-commerce, cross-border trade, manufacturing, food & health, and construction engineering. Expertise in handling complex and high-stakes matters in international investment & M&A, global trade, and foreign-related civil/commercial dispute resolution, with project experience spanning Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
Jing Lei obtained his Master of Laws degree at the Southwest University of Political Science and Law (China) and his Master of International Comparative Law from the University of Toulousel (France).
He is also a member of various professional organizations, such as the Corporate, Securities and Investment Law Committee of the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA), Deputy Secretary-General of Legal Branch at the Shanghai Overseas Returned Scholars Association (SORSA), Deputy Director, Liaison Office, Legal Service International (Cross-Regional) Mutual Recognition Cooperation & Partnership Xuhui Agreement (MTCCXH) and Deputy Director of Young Lawyers Association, Xuhui District Lawyer Working Committee, Shanghai.
Senior Associate, ATD Law in association with Mori Hamada & Matsumoto
Yoga has a strong passion in tech-related legal matters. While he handles a variety of areas of legal practice, Yoga mainly focuses his practice on mergers and acquisitions, personal data protection/data privacy, technology, fintech and payment system, e-commerce, and general corporate.
He has an in-depth understanding of regulatory frameworks as well as extensive industry best-practice knowledge in the field of personal data protection and tech industry.
He is a licensed lawyer to appear before the Indonesian courts as a registered member of the Indonesian Advocates Association (PERADI). He holds a Bachelor of Law (S.H.) degree from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia, and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from Tilburg University (majoring in Law and Technology, with focus on Personal Data Protection). He is a member of Association of Indonesian Personal Data Practitioner (APPDI) and International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Yoga co-wrote the Indonesian chapter of Getting the Deal Through - Data Protection and Privacy in 2021. Further, along with Abadi Abi Tisnadisastra, Yoga was also one of the key-note speakers in nationwide seminars of “Are you Data Breach Ready?” (organized by Hukumonline) and “Purposes and Legal Grounds for Processing Personal Data” (organized by ET Asia).
Managing Director, Omni Law LLC
Oommen has acted as lead counsel in dispute work and in particular, international arbitrations (both in Europe and Asia), litigation in the High Court and appellate levels and mediation for the last 30 years. He has been lauded for his incisive advocacy and client management skills. He has acted in a wide spectrum of disputes ranging in diverse areas from transport, media, energy (both oil and gas and renewables) to infrastructure and corporate shareholding. Oommen has represented sovereigns, state owned entities, multinational companies and high net worth individuals. He has also acted as sole legal advisor in national enquiries. Among his many mediation cases, he has even been involved in mediation between a sovereign and a commercial and professional firm in the Middle East. He also sits as an arbitrator in international arbitration cases, both as sole arbitrator and as a tribunal member and is well versed in different institutional rules. He is currently also the Deputy President of the Strata Titles Board in Singapore, a tribunal appointed by the Minister to handle contentious issues affecting strata title owners.
He has been consistently cited and ranked in leading legal directories like Chambers, Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers USA and lauded as being “knowledgeable with the ability to reassure the client (Chambers 2014), “a good clear advocate” (Chambers 2015), “accurate in his assessment and displays good tactical awareness” (Chambers 2017), “well regarded for his broad commercial practice” (Chambers 2018), “helming an arbitration practice par excellence” (Legal 500) and “an excellent lawyer with a big-picture view of problems. He takes practical viewpoints and is able to offer solutions and a way forward." (Chambers 2022).
He currently runs his boutique dispute practice firm, Omni Law LLC, that has been globally recognized for its work. He also sits as a specialist mediator in the panel at the Singapore International Mediation Centre (“SIMC”). Oommen has been a member of the Strata Titles Board since 2008 and in 2020 was appointed Deputy President of the STB by the Minister for National Development. In 2023, in recognition of his services, Oommen was awarded the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM) as part of the National Day Awards.
Partner, Zul Rafique & Partners
WONG KEAT CHING is a Partner in the Employment & Industrial Relations, Litigation and the Legal Forensic Investigation & Compliance practice groups. She is also one of the Key Contacts for the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) practice group. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Law (Hons) from the University of Nottingham and a Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP). She was admitted as Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1998.
Keat Ching is an active litigator and has appeared at all levels of the Malaysian Courts, from the Industrial Court to the Federal Court. Apart from advising on cases involving workplace misconduct, sexual harassment, poor performance and fixed term contracts, Keat Ching also provides regular advice on corporate restructuring affecting employees, in particular M&A exercises, voluntary separation scheme (VSS), restructuring of senior management positions, establishment and closure of foreign companies in Malaysia as well as labour due diligence. Keat Ching has conducted legal forensic investigations on matters relating to mismanagement of projects, abuse of power, and breach of fiduciary duties. She also advised on legal actions arising from such investigations.
Keat Ching served a short stint in Melbourne law firm, Maddocks in 2004. In November 2013, Keat Ching was selected and sponsored by the China Law Society to attend the 7th China ASEAN Legal Training Course at the Southwest University of Political Science & Law, Chongqing. Keat Ching is an active trainer for the Bar Council Advocacy Training Course. She has also taught the advocacy course in Hong Kong and Mumbai. She serves as the Co-Chair on the Malaysian Bar Council’s Industrial & Employment Law Committee. At the same time, Keat Ching serves as the Chair of the LAWASIA Employment Law Committee.
She speaks regularly at local and international conferences notably at the 27th LAWASIA Conference in Bangkok in 2014, the LAWASIA Employment Law Forum in Fiji in 2019, the 35th LAWASIA Conference 2022 in Sydney and the ISLSSL World Congress in Rome in 2024. She is also a HRDF certified trainer. She has been recognised as a Distinguished Practitioner in Labour and Employment by Asialaw Profiles and ranked in Band 1 for Labour and Employment by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Hall of Fame by Legal 500 Asia-Pacific. Keat Ching has also been named Global Leader for Labour & Employment 2024 and National Leader for Labour, Employment & Benefits 2024 by Who's Who Legal.
Keat Ching is a mother of two. In her spare time, she plays netball for the Malaysian Bar and has also been accorded the Bar Council’s Sports Personality Award in 2008. In September 2021, Keat Ching and 6 others in her team famously known as “Aunties on the Run” completed the Malaysian Bar Fitness Challenge of running 300km within 30 days.
Managing Partner, JLPW Vinh An Legal
Tri has extensive experience as legal advisor for foreign investors doing business in manufacturing sector in Vietnam including establishment of company, factory construction, and employment.
Tri also has experience acting in cross-border merger and acquisition transactions, joint ventures, and foreign investment transactions. Tri is regularly requested to undertake legal due diligence work in mergers and acquisitions, investment and securities offering by foreign investors both private companies and State-Owned Enterprises.
His major transactions include, among others:
He obtained his Bachelor of Law from the University of Reading, United Kingdom and holds a Master of Law degree from the Southwest University of Political Science and Law, China. Additionally, Tri is a registered member of the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association, an associate of the Charted Institute of Arbitrator and a member of Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA).
Executive Director, Centre for ESG Law and Practice
Matthew Baird has over 35 years experience in environmental and planning law in the Asia-Pacific Region. He was admitted to the Australian Bar in 1991 and practised for 25 years in environmental and planning law. Matthew is the Director of the Asian Research Institute for Environmental Law and in July 2025 was appointed the inaugural Executive Director of the Centre for ESG Law and Practice, an initiative of the College of Law (Australia).
Matthew has worked on environmental law and governance issues in Asia and the Pacific since 2010. He has written and spoken on environmental, social and governance laws and practice and provided advice to governments on incorporating ESG principles into national processes. Greening the BRI in ASEAN was published in China Journal of Environmental Law 4 (2020) 217-234.
From September 2016 to September 2020, he was a Visiting Scholar of the Myanmar Environmental Governance Program of Vermont Law School. He is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business and a Fellow of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand. He was appointed a Teaching Fellow of the College of Law (Australia) in 2021 and leads the ESG Law and Practice Group.
Immediate Past President, the Law Society of Hong Kong and ExCo Member, LAWASIA
Mr. C. M. Chan is the Immediate Past President of The Law Society of Hong Kong. He served as Vice-President of The Law Society of Hong Kong during 2018 to 2021 and was elected President from August 2021 to June 2024. Mr. Chan currently serves as Chairman of Anti-Money Laundering Committee and Family Office Practice Committee. He has also been involved in the Law Society's work on Belt and Road, RCEP, Sports Law and Greater China legal affairs.
Mr. Chan was an officer of the International Bar Association Corporate Social Responsibility Committee (2007 - 2012) and is a LAWASIA Executive Committee Member (since 2020). He also serves on a number of Hong Kong statutory bodies, including Member of Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong, Chairman of Legal Committee of Independent Police Complaints Council, and Chairman of Disciplinary Committee of The Football Association of Hong Kong, China. He was appointed as a Justice of the Peace, Hong Kong in 2025.
Mr. Chan is qualified to practise as a solicitor in Hong Kong (1997), England and Wales (2002) and as a Greater Bay Area Lawyer, China (2021).
Mr. Chan graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LLM), the University of Oxford (MBA) and Harvard University (MPA).
Mr. Chan is a commercial lawyer specialising in private client work. Mr. Chan has extensive experience in advising high networth clients and corporations in relation to their wealth management, investments, asset preservation, compliance, family philanthropic and Charitable and environmental issues. He was an in-house legal adviser to Family Offices representing prominent families in Hong Kong. Mr. Chan is now a consultant of a Hong Kong law firm, a London law firm and a Greater Bay Area law firm
Partner, Grandall Law Firm
Liu Yunfei holds a Doctor of Law degree, and he is a post-doctoral researcher at Chinese Academy of Social Science. Liu Yunfei is a former judge for ten years at the Higher Court of Guizhou Province and Associate professor at Guizhou University of Finance and Economics.
He currently holds several positions, as follows:
Partner, Chance Bridge Law Firm
Wang Rui specializes in cybersecurity and data protection, regulatory and compliance, as well as M&A and corporate governance. Her industry expertise spans across artificial intelligence, technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT), information and intelligence technology, healthcare, civil aviation, and more.
Wang Rui is a forward-thinking expert in the field of cybersecurity and data protection, being one of the early professionals to enter this area. She holds the Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) certification. Wang Rui provides legal services to top internet companies, new generation information technology enterprises (such as IoT, industrial internet, cloud computing, artificial intelligence), and a number of well-known foreign enterprises. Her services include algorithms & LLMs filing, cybersecurity and data protection compliance audits, compliance system construction, content management, implementation of cybersecurity multi-level protection scheme (MLPS), privacy-by-design integration, business process optimization, data export and server deployment strategies, compliance remediation, data export security assessments, personal information export standard contract filing, personal information protection impact assessments, and support in responding to regulatory and law enforcement actions.
In the field of investment and mergers and acquisitions, Wang Rui provides legal services to well-known companies in areas such as greenfield investments, industry chain acquisitions, and overseas investments. Her work covers data centers, AI solutions, energy, pharmaceuticals, civil aviation information infrastructure, and more.
She holds a Bachelor of Law Degree from East China University of Political Science and Law and a Master of Law Degree from the University of Edinburgh School of Law. She is fluent in Mandarin and English.
Partner, Shanghai LANBAI Law Firm
Attorney Tang has nearly 15 years of experience providing legal services to various companies, particularly Fortune 500 multinational corporations, as both an external and in-house counsel. She has extensive expertise in human resources, the F&B chain industry, and the retail sector. Additionally, Attorney Tang serves as the lead lawyer for the firm's corporate overseas expansion services.
She holds a Bachelor of Law Degree (LL.B.) from East China Normal University and a Master of Law Degree (LL.M.) from Fordham University. She is admitted to the PRC Bar and the New York State Bar.
Her primary practice areas include:
Senior Associate, Messrs, Steven Thiru
Adrienne practices civil and general litigation, with a focus on employment law.
Adrienne has represented clients as junior counsel in various disputes such as employment law matters, judicial review against public decisions, contempt of court proceedings and defamation claims.
Outside of court, Adrienne provides legal advice to individuals and corporations involving employment law disputes which include drafting and reviewing employment contracts and workplace policies and procedures.
Adrienne has also conducted webinars to private and government-linked corporations on employment law and industrial relations matters.
A person seeking to give back to society, Adrienne was involved in organizing a fundraising campaign with a local non-governmental organisation to promote gender equality and combat gender-based violence.
Recently, Adrienne contributed a chapter on “Domestic Inquiry in Malaysia” to “Law and Practice of Employment Law in Malaysia” (Sweet & Maxwell, 2021).
Adrienne obtained her LL.B (Hons) from University of Manchester with First Class Honours and is a Member of the Honourable Society of Middle Temple. She has been an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya since October 2020.
Managing Partner of Shanghai YaoWang Law Offices
May is the Managing Partner of Shanghai YaoWang Law Offices. She has practised law in mainland China for almost 20 years. May is admitted as an attorney in China and in the State of New York, United States. She is fluent in English and Mandarin and prior to YaoWang being established, she was a partner in the Asia employment team at Simmons & Simmons.
May has extensive experience, especially in the areas of employment and investigations as well as corporate and contract law. She understands international commercial practices and has a wealth of experience in labour arbitrations and litigation in China. She works closely with multinationals as well as Chinese companies in advising on employment, regulatory compliance & foreign direct investment in mainland China matters.
Her recent experience includes, among others:
Co-Managing Partner, GHP Law Firm
Naufal Fileindi, is a co-managing Partner at GHP Law Firm and leads the Digital Transactions & Finance, Data Privacy and IP practice group. He has been recognised by multiple legal publications and directories, internationally and locally, for his contributions in the legal sector.
He has acted for leading global and multinational companies on their corporate restructuring, transactions, and advisory work relating to e-commerce, technology and media, data protection, and privacy. In addition to his work in these areas, Naufal handles plantation and forestry, renewable energy, real estate, and employment matters, and has represented several real estate and major plantation companies.
Some of the significant work Naufal has done in recent years includes matters on personal data compliance and reporting, data protection impact assessment, digital and privacy agreements, corporate restructuring, and other legal and regulatory compliance issues.
Naufal handles a vast client base in social media platforms, digital payment companies, games development, online marketplace, telecom companies, financial institutions, and businesses in conventional sectors, including Noice, OLX, Baidu, Monk’s Hill Venture, and PT Astra Digital Internasional.
Naufal is a frequent guest speaker at off-air forums and on radios, and until recently a partner of HukumOnline, Indonesia's largest law media. He graduated from Universitas Indonesia and was honored as the Best Outstanding Student. He is a licensed Indonesian lawyer, a member of Peradi, a certified Data Protection Officer, and a Qualified Risk Governance Professional (QRGP).
One of Naufal’s clients says that “Naufal is very passionate about providing solutions that are pragmatic which is very important in an ever-changing regulatory and business environment.” Another adds, “I see him more as a partner in exchanging ideas and clearly he does want to spend time knowing your business, so he is able to provide something that is more cutting edge and closer to the business leads.
Partner, Shanghai LANGBAI Law Firm
Lawyer Sherry (QINYUN) XI graduated from Shanghai University of Political Science and Law with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) majored in Civil and Commercial Law, and a Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Edinburgh School of Law. She joined Shanghai Baohua Law Firm in 2017 until currentl. She has extensive experience in handling arbitration and litigation cases, participating in multiple compliance investigations and redundancy projects. She possesses particular expertise in drafting and revising labor-related legal documents (including employment contracts, employee handbooks, company policies, and mutual termination agreements), as well as providing advisory services on non-competition matters and personal information processing within employment law. Her working languages are Chinese and English.
Partner, Mayer Brown
Clients turn to Jennifer Chih, who draws on over a quarter of a century's experience in representing corporate and commercial clients in M&A, private equity fund-raising, franchising, real estate transactions and joint ventures.
Jennifer assists companies with employment and immigration law matters, including wrongful termination disputes, complex work pass applications and appeals, non-compete agreements, workplace discrimination, drafting employee share option plans, Fair Consideration Framework watchlist matters, the Central Provident Fund, and Ministry of Manpower audits. Clients trust Jennifer to resolve employment disputes through mediation and other alternative dispute resolution methods, including the Employment Claims Tribunal.
Her recent experience includes, among others:
Partner, DKMS Lawyers
Mr. Donke Kahfi is one of the founding partners of DKMS Lawyers. He obtained a Bachelor degree from Trisakti University majoring in International and Business Law. He continued his study at Aston University in the United Kingdom where he obtained an MSc in Business Management. After years of practicing, he was awarded Chevening Scholarship from British Government allowing him to pursue another master's degree at Queen Mary University of London and awarded LLM in International Economic Law.
Prior to forming DKMS Lawyers he worked for a tier law firm in Jakarta and a number of international organizations such as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the World Bank. One of his noble assignments is when he involved in tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction activities through Badan Rehabilitas Rekonstruksi Aceh dan Nias (BRR) where he worked as a technical advisor for its legal unit. BRR is the government agency at ministry level established to perform post tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction in Aceh and Nias island. During his tenure, he advised the head of BRR on the legal aspects to numerous regulations and decrees he produced. Besides, he assisted in mediating numerous disputes between International NGOs and their contractors.
Founder and Partner, Pisut & Partners
Mr. Pisut Rakwong, the Founder and Managing Partner. With an impressive range of expertise, Pisut’s practice areas include dispute resolution, corporate law, insolvency and restructuring, trade competition, labour and employment matters, insurance, administrative cases, and even white-collar criminal affairs. His wealth of experience extends to Thai court proceedings, as well as arbitrations conducted under the prestigious ICC, THAC, and TAI rules.
Pisut's legal prowess encompasses a broad spectrum of commercial law, with notable focus on civil fraud, white-collar crime, shareholders’ and joint venture disputes, international trade, and employment matters. He is also renowned for his knack in obtaining emergency and interim injunctions, including the formidable freezing orders. Many of Pisut’s high-profile cases involve multiple jurisdictions, making him a sought-after expert witness in foreign courts, particularly for multi-jurisdictional claims relating to Thailand
Pisut has also earned a spot on the THAC Panels of Arbitrators, specifically recognised as an arbitrator panellist for Corporate, International Trade, Information Technology, Shareholders, and Joint Venture Disputes, as well as the general commercial panel.
Before establishing Pisut & Partners, Pisut served as the Litigation Partner at Silk Legal, an esteemed international law firm nestled in the bustling streets of Bangkok. His remarkable ability to attract new business was pivotal to the firm's success. Prior to that, he excelled as the Managing Partner of Jus Laws & Consult, an independent Bangkok law firm, where he honed his skills in building a robust litigation department and enhancing overall firm management.
Between 2010 and 2015, Pisut's legal prowess reached new heights as the Chief Litigator at Price Sanond Prabhas & Wynne (formerly known as “Deacons”). He masterfully handled major litigation and arbitration cases while providing invaluable legal counsel across various fields for his esteemed domestic and international corporate clientele.
During his tenure at Rapeepat Public Law Office from 2003 to 2010, Pisut assumed a partnership role and emerged as a formidable force in civil and commercial disputes within the Thai courts, in addition to skillfully handling a myriad of arbitration matters.
Pisut Rakwong's exceptional legal acumen and unparalleled track record have solidified his reputation as a legal dynamo. At Pisut & Partners, he continues to lead the way, ensuring that clients receive unrivalled representation and unparalleled results.
Pisut is also recognized in Asialaw and Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific for his expertise in Dispute Resolution & Litigation. He is also listed in the A-List of Thailand’s top 100 Lawyers (2018-2020).
Additionally, he serves as members in various professional societies, such as the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, International Bar Association, Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA), American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand, Thai Bar Association (as Barrister at Law) and Lawyers Council of Thailand (as Notarial Services Attorney and Litigation Attorney).
Partner, Chooi & Company
Karen's practice areas include mergers & acquisition, regulatory compliance, corporate & commercial, banking and finance, real estate, aircraft financing, information technology / data privacy and non-contentious tax advisory. Her extensive experience in contentious matters adds to her abilities in her corporate and commercial practice in varying industrial sectors.
Karen joined Chooi & Company as a partner on 1 March 2016. Karen has advised on many notable corporate transactions and merger & acquisition transactions over the years, including, among others:
Karen is passionate in her quest for knowledge, commitment to clients, the betterment of the Bar and the legal profession, and has an ardent interest in public interest issues. She is a current Malaysian Bar Council member and was the past Honorary Secretary and Treasurer of the Malaysian Bar. She was awarded the ATC Outstanding Alumni Award in 2016.
Karen is also the Chairperson of the Constitutional Law Committee, the International Practice Services Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee for Conditional Fee Rules of the Malaysian Bar Council.
She formerly chaired the Bar Council's AMLA Committee and the Legal Profession Committee. Karen regularly speaks at seminars, forums and conferences domestically and on international platforms such as:
She was recognised in the Asia Pacific Legal 500 as a name to note for Corporate and Mergers & Acquisition in 2019, with a definitive mention for aircraft financing.
Karen graduated with a degree in law from the University of London in 1993, and thereafter obtained the Malaysian Certificate in Legal Practice in 1994. She was admitted as an advocate & solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in October 1995.
Advocate, Michael Dias & Associates
Mayank Francis Dias completed his Bachelor's of Commerce (Hons.) and pursued his LLB from Faculty of Law (CLC), Delhi University. During his LLB studies, he also received a Diploma in Corporate Law from the Indian Law Institute in 2013-14 and he worked as a Legal Assistant to Hon'ble Justice Reva Khetrapal at the High Court of Delhi in 2014-15. Subsequently, after his graduation in 2015 he did his Clerkship with Hon'ble Justice Vikramajit Sen at the Supreme Court of India. During this period, he worked closely with the Hon’ble Judge on various Commercial, Constitutional & Labour matters. After completing his Clerkship at the Supreme Court, he started practicing as a lawyer at the firm Garg & Garg, where he handled several criminal and civil law matters before the Delhi High Court as well as the District Courts.
In 2017, he joined Michael Dias & Associates, where he specialises in Employment Laws. At the firm, he is servicing Clients from Multi-National Corporations, NGO’s, Airlines, Schools, PSU's, MSME's, Fashion Houses, Start-Ups and the like. He is adept at handling all matters emanating from an Employer-Employee relationship. He represents a large number of Managements before the various Courts including Labour Courts, Industrial Tribunals, Labour Offices and Adjudicating Authorities pan-India. He is actively engaged in providing legal advisory services to Employers on various facets of Employment laws and more particularly on the four Labour Codes. He has conducted several Domestic Enquiries for MNCs, Hotels, Hospitals and Clubs.
He is also associated with several Employer Organisations and is the Assistant Secretary of The Employers’ Association, Delhi, that was established in 1986. He is a Life Member of the National Labour Law Association. He also works actively in the field of Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace, conducts training and capacity building sessions and is a part of several Internal Committees constituted under the POSH Act.
He presented his research paper at the National Law University, Delhi on the ‘Future of Work, Labour Policy and Employer-Employee Relationship. He presented his paper at the LAWASIA conference on Employment laws in Fiji in 2019. He participated in the BRICS program on 'Promoting Better Labour Outcomes for Youth'. His contribution to Labour Laws was acknowledged by the World Bank in their Ease of Doing Business Reports of 2019 & 2020. He attended the International Labour Organisation Training for Safety & Hygiene at the Workplace in 2021 and is qualified as an ILO Health & Hygiene Ambassador. He peer reviewed and contributed to the ILO’s Report on ‘Good Employee Relation practices in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and lessons learnt: India’ in 2022. He represented India at LAWASIA Annual Conference in Sydney in November 2022 and presented his paper on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. He also judged the International Moot Competition on Employment Laws organised at the College of Law, Sydney, Australia.
He has conducted recruitment exercises for large multi-national organisations. He presented his paper on Flexible Work Arrangements in India at the Malaysian Society for Labour and Social Security Law Conference in March 2023 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The said paper was also published by AIOEFICCI in their journal released at the First Global Industrial Relations Summit at New Delhi. He participated at the International Malaysian Law Conference in July 2023 and presented the Indian labour and employment legislations pertaining to contemporary work arrangements. He represented Indian Employers at the ITCILO at Turin & Geneva, in the Future of Work Program in August 2024 and is on AIOE-ILO Taskforce for Gig & Platform economy. He represented Indian Employers at the United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum held at Bangkok, Thailand in September 2024. He represented Indian Employers at the Global Summit of Economic Formalisation at Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in February 2025. He is a member of the Ethics Committee of The Leprosy Mission Trust India. He is a member of the Global Task Force of the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) on the Platform Economy. He was nominated by the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India as an Advisor to the Employer’s Delegation to the 113th International Labour Conference held at Geneva in June 2025 regarding the Standard Setting Process for Decent Work in the Platform Economy. He regularly conducts training and capacity building programs regarding Labour & Employment Laws and Compliances for Employers.
Founding Partner, AKSET Law Firm
Johannes is one of the founders of AKSET, a firm with 20 lawyers. AKSET was founded in 2010. Before AKSET, Johannes was a partner at another prominent law firm in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Johannes advises clients in various industries on mergers and acquisitions, financing, and complex transactions. To complement his other practice, Johannes is also widely recognized for his expertise in labor and employment matters, and commercial dispute resolution.
Johannes started his practice in 1995. He then practiced in Singapore as an international lawyer between 1996 and 2002. He was one of the first Indonesian lawyers to work on major cross border transactions in the region, including major restructurings and reorganizations triggered by the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.
Johannes graduated from Universitas Airlangga in 1994 (Sarjana Hukum degree), and he holds a Magister Hukum degree (Master of Laws) from Universitas Gadjah Mada. He is an advocate licensed to practice in Indonesia and is a certified mediator. He regularly teaches at law schools or law faculties in universities in Indonesia. He also speaks at seminars and webinars on topics related to Indonesian laws and regulations.
Johannes is active in the Indonesia Advocates Association (Perhimpunan Advokat Indonesia or PERADI). In PERADI, he heads the International Relations Section of PERADI.
In the international legal community, Johannes is a member of the International Bar Association (IBA) and the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific (LAWASIA).
Senior Partner, Trinaya Legal
Paurush Kumar is a Senior Partner and Head of the International Practice at Trinaya Legal. He has over a decade of experience in arbitration, commercial litigation, inbound-outbound investments, and trade law. He has advised clients from more than 30 countries and is among the few lawyers in India proficient in Mandarin Chinese, with limited working proficiency in Russian. Dividing his time between New Delhi, India, and Lugano, Switzerland where he has co-founded a professional training academy.
He actively participates in and speaks at international conferences and seminars organized by prestigious institutions such as Law Asia, the International Bar Association (IBA), the Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA), the BRICS Legal Forum, the China-ASEAN Legal Forum, the China-South Asia Legal Forum, and the One Belt One Road Legal Forum. Additionally, he has delivered guest lectures at leading universities across the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Europe, and India.
Paurush holds an LL.M. in International Economic Law from East China University of Political Science and Law (ECUPL), Shanghai.
Professional Affiliations & Roles:
Founder and Managing Partner, Gracia Law Firm
Nixon DH Sipahutar, S.H., M.B.A., is the Founder and Managing Partner of Gracia Law Firm, a position he has held since 2002. He is also the Founder and Head of the Non-Litigation Division at LBH Healing Movement (since 2012), as well as the Founder and Member of the Supervisory Board at Koperasi Lima Roti Dua Ikan (since 2017). His previous business roles include serving as Founder and Commissioner at PT IP Teknologi Komunikasi (EZ NET) from 2002 to 2011 and PT Anugerah Realty Property from 2003 to 2005. In the corporate legal field, he was Head of Legal at PT Sejahtera Globalindo (2000–2002), Associate Lawyer at Makes & Partners Law Firm (1998–2000), Foreign Counsel at Udink & De Jong in The Hague (2000), and Trainee Lawyer at Hil & Hil Law Firm in Brisbane (1997).
In academics, Mr. Sipahutar has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Tarumanagara since 2006, and previously taught at Universitas Sahid (2006–2009) and Universitas Atmajaya’s Faculty of Administrative Sciences (1998–2010). He has also been an active speaker and moderator at numerous regional legal events. Notably, he spoke at the 32nd, 33rd, and 34th Presidents of Law Associations in Asia (POLA) Conferences held in Singapore (2023), Kuala Lumpur (2023), and Hong Kong (2024), respectively. He also served as a speaker at the Annual Seminar on Defending Digital Privacy in Southeast Asia in Taiwan (2024), and as Chair and Trainer in Entry-Level Data Protection Officer (DPO) Trainings organized for Kejaksaan Republik Indonesia and PT Bank Mandiri (2024).
In 2025, Mr. Sipahutar moderated several legal seminars organized by DPC PERADI Jakarta Utara, covering topics such as responsible digital borrowing, labor protection under BPJS Law, and challenges in addressing online gambling. He also chaired and spoke at three additional batches of DPO trainings for Kejaksaan Republik Indonesia and Pertamina held in Palembang, Cirebon, and Bali between June and July 2025.
He is actively involved in various professional organizations, currently serving in the legal division of the Indonesian Cyber Security Forum (ICSF) since 2016. He has been a member of APJII (2004–2006), The Financial Club (since 2011), Rotary Club Daerah Gambir (since 2018), Indonesian Lawyers Club (since 2009), and IKAMA (since 1998). Within the Indonesian bar associations, he held leadership roles including Vice Chair of Foreign Advocate Oversight and Recommendation (2015–2020) and Vice Chair of Research and Development (2010–2015) at DPN PERADI, and Head of Organizational Development at DPP IKADIN (2015–2020). He also served as Deputy Secretary General of HKHPM (2006–2008, 2009–2012), and as a board member in inter-agency relations for AKHKI (2016–2020) and ILUNI UI (2012–2019), where he was also active in anti-corruption and law enforcement working groups. From 2008 to 2012, he chaired the Weekly Discussion Division of Kongres Indonesia Abad 21.
Mr. Saurabh Prakash is a fourth-generation lawyer from New Delhi, India, with 37 years of practice. He specializes in employment (labour and service) laws, and practices mainly before the Supreme Court and High Courts.
He has a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering (I.I.T. Kanpur) and has worked as a software engineer (with what is now Tata Consultancy Services) on projects with the World Bank in Washington D.C. and Yale Corporation, NJ. He has acted both as a lawyer, and as an arbitrator, in disputes involving engineering contracts.
Indonesian Legal Advisor, Topwe Law Firm
Mr. Tubagus graduated from Pancasila University in Indonesia and has more than five years of practice experience, with rich experience in real estate, construction engineering, corporate mergers and acquisitions, labor relations, litigation, and arbitration. He has served PT Sunny Garden Property and PT Risland Sutera Property, subsidiaries of Country Garden Group in Indonesia. Before joining Topwe, Tubagus was a Senior Lawyer at Leks & Co Lawyers in Jakarta. Leks & Co Lawyers is a well-known local law firm specializing in real estate law, also providing general corporate affairs and dispute resolution legal services.
Mr. Tubagus has rich practical experience in Indonesian law. His joining has played an important role in promoting Topwe’s legal services for Chinese enterprises in Indonesia. Together with other Indonesian lawyers and employees who joined Topwe earlier, Tubagus has promoted the diversification and internationalization of Topwe Law Firm.
Director of Dispute Resolution at Drew & Napier, Singapore
Desmond practices commercial and corporate dispute resolution. He represents clients in international and domestic arbitration, litigation, and mediation.
He handles a broad range of matters including commercial contracts, employment, insurance, landlord and tenant, sale of goods, and shareholder disputes. He advises and acts for multinational corporations, government-linked entities, financial institutions, senior executives, and high-profile individuals in a wide variety of sectors, including insurance, banking and finance, real estate, manufacturing, fast-moving consumer goods, technology and e-commerce, sports, entertainment and hospitality, aviation and transportation, power and energy, healthcare and pharmaceutical, media, marketing and corporate communications.
He also volunteers with the Ministry of Law Legal Aid Bureau and the Law Society Pro Bono Services.