By:
Nathan Hew
Established in May 2018, Messrs Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership ("STSP") comprises a dynamic and well-regarded group of practitioners. The two Senior Partners, for example, are experienced in dispute resolution and are well-known practitioners.
Steven Thiru was the 31st President of the Malaysian Bar from 2015 to 2017 and is currently one of the Vice-Presidents of LAWASIA. Sudharsanan Thillainathan, on the other hand, is the past President of the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators.
"The firm has a practice focused on dispute resolution. Members of the firm practice in a wide array of dispute resolution areas and regularly appear at all levels of the courts in Malaysia as well as in alternative dispute resolution centres," Steven Thiru, the Managing Partner, explains.
"The firm is also committed to serving clients' requirements in advisory work and other pre-action matters that ensure an effective result in disputes."
Most recently, the firm established a corporate law team, with Dato' Sreesanthan Eliathamby joining the firm as a Consultant in January 2024. This team handles a wide spectrum of corporate and commercial advisory work.
At the heart of STSP are three common yet important values anchored within the legal profession — integrity, professionalism, and accountability — which define the firm.
"We believe in being honest, transparent, and ethical in all our dealings as we act in the best interest of our clients. We also understand they expect the highest level of professionalism from us, and we strive to exceed their expectations always," Steven shares.
"Thus, we always maintain the utmost respect, confidentiality, and ethical standards in all our interactions. Plus, our lawyers are held to the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct, ensuring that they take responsibility for their actions and decisions."
And the results speak for themselves.
STSP's recent achievements include being listed in several guides and publications, such as the Legal 500 Asia-Pacific Rankings 2024, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific Rankings 2024, and Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2024. To top it off, the firm celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2023.
That's not all.
Being defined by a set of values is one thing, but having the right strategy to deliver positive results towards the business is another core factor to STSP's success.
"We practice strategic advocacy, assessing every facet of a dispute and devising strategies to best advocate for our clients with tenacity and integrity. We adopt a client-centred approach and assess how dispute impacts our clients' businesses' overall operations and profitability, covering both actual and potential conflicts," Steven explains.
"We emphasise continuing professional development and are connected with our members of the legal industry in Malaysia and beyond, which enables us to stay updated on developments in the legal industry and continuously refine our skills."
STSP practices a flat organisational structure to ensure that any matter it handles will be under the purview of an experienced Partner. (Image by Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership)
Legal expertise at STSP
While STSP specialises in dispute resolution and corporate and commercial advisory, the firm has 15 practice areas. STSP's flat organisational structure ensures that any matter it handles will be under the purview of an experienced Partner with considerable experience in the field and a track record of handling matters at all levels of court.
"In our dispute resolution practice, we have active portfolios in the areas of employment law, competition and anti-trust law, corporate & securities litigation, insurance and reinsurance matters, regulatory and compliance including disciplinary proceedings, revenue and tax, real estate & property and utilities, infrastructure, and construction," Steven shares.
"Our corporate law team handles a range of corporate and commercial advisory work, including mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications and digital projects, and corporate governance regulation."
STSP's diverse client base includes Malaysia's state-owned entities, blue-chip corporations, major foreign corporations, prominent individuals, and special interest groups.
A big part of STSP's practice that drives success towards the firm is the experience and expertise of its lawyers — one of many factors that Steven describes on what makes for an effective law firm.
The Managing Partner adds: "Other factors that make for an effective law firm include ethical standards and integrity, client-focused services, and continuing professional development of its lawyers."
Technology has allowed the firm to achieve new heights and exceed expectations. (Image by Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership)
Technology is a catalyst for growth
In a world where technology has riled up the legal profession in certain regions, technology is already a catalyst for STSP's growth in many ways.
"Technology has helped our lawyers to work more effectively and efficiently. With increased productivity, our lawyers are able to handle a higher volume of cases. Technology has enabled us to connect with a wide range of international clients and lawyers, allowing the firm to start strategic partnerships with law firms in different countries, including Vietnam, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea," Steven shares.
Recently, the firm started using a document management system which enables lawyers to store documents safely and work more productively.
Furthermore, STSP has invested in technology to allow members to conduct online hearings from the office, which covers the purchase of laptops, cameras, speakers, and screens.
"At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the court system moved to conduct hearings online — something which was unprecedented at the time and a shift from the firm," Steven recalls.
"We overcame this challenge by purchasing the necessary equipment to enable our lawyers to conduct online hearings effectively from our office."
Lawyers at the firm has provide positive feedback on how solutions like Lexis Advance have helped them to reduce the time it takes to conduct research. (Image by Steven Thiru & Sudhar Partnership)
Lexis Advance: For effective and efficient lawyers
Several aspects of LexisNexis's online solutions stood out to the lawyers at the firm.
Take Lexis Advance, for example. This research platform is familiar among lawyers in the country — and STSP is no different.
"I like the availability of and access to law reports from various jurisdictions, with the choice to read other legal publications like Halsbury's Laws of Malaysia," Steven enthuses.
"The interface of Lexis Advance is user-friendly and the search functions paired with the available features that assist in legal research makes Lexis Advance an attractive solution."
He adds "The Case Analysis feature on Lexis Advance provides indicators of whether a case has been affirmed or overruled by a superior court."
These aspects and features assist lawyers at STSP to ensure that the cases cited in legal submissions and advice to clients are up-to-date. The interface and search functions also make legal research more efficient, saving members of the firm valuable time and enabling them to do more.
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