From left: Tan Norizan’s partners Vincent Ong Liang Jie and Khoo Boon Han, and W&H Law Firm’s senior partners Wang Keke and Liu Shuang
Kuala Lumpur-based firm Tan Norizan & Associates (Tanoriz) and Beijing’s W&H Law Firm have formed a cross-border partnership to strengthen collaboration in areas, including real estate transactions and dispute resolution.
“Through this partnership, we seek to enhance advisory and transactional support for clients engaged in cross-border investment, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and real estate transactions,” Tanoriz told Asia Business Law Journal.
Tanoriz also said this exclusive partnership would strengthen its regional footprint, positioning the firm as a key Malaysian partner for Chinese investors under initiatives such as the Belt and Road, an economic development strategy of the Chinese mainland government, and China-Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) co-operation frameworks.
“The goal is to jointly promote the facilitation of two-way investment and business activities between China and Malaysia, and to provide integrated cross-border legal services for enterprises and individuals in both countries,” Wang Keke, senior partner at W&H Law Firm, told ABLJ.
Wang said the co-operation between W&H Law Firm and Tanoriz was officially launched this year. Then, it was officially formalised on 18 November, said Tanoriz. Both parties planned to further refine the details of co-operation beyond the framework agreement, added Wang.
The partnership closely focused on clients’ practical needs, with an emphasis on key legal matters arising from Chinese enterprises’ investments in Malaysia, said Wang. He added that these include cross-border investment, real estate transactions, dispute resolution, company establishment and advisory, compliance review and labour law.
The collaboration would also allow Tanoriz and W&H Law Firm to provide end-to-end legal support, where clients could receive advice between both jurisdictions, Tanoriz told ABLJ.
“For example, W&H [Law Firm] can advise Chinese clients on outbound investment and due diligence requirements before capital deployment, while [Tanoriz] provides on-ground legal execution in Malaysia, including regulatory compliance, documentation and local authority liaison.”
Similarly, Tanoriz can rely on W&H’s expertise to assist Malaysian clients with entry into the Chinese market, said Tanoriz.
In terms of professional personnel deployment, Wang told ABLJ that mutual lawyer visits would be part of the medium- to long-term co-operation plan.
“To ensure efficient progress, both parties have established a liaison mechanism, with professional legal teams responsible for daily co-ordination and project advancement,” said Wang, adding that “preparations are underway for a dedicated lawyer secondment programme”.
There were currently no immediate plans to open a physical office in China, but the partnership provided a strong foundation for that possibility in the future, said Tanoriz.
