Cecil Abraham & Partners

Senior Partner: Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil W.M. Abraham

Partners: Rishwant Singh, Dato’ Sunil Abraham, Aniz Ahmad Amirudin, Noor Muzalifah Shabudin

Number of associates: 8

Firm Overview:

Established in 2015, Cecil Abraham & Partners is a focused set of disputes practitioners and is the only Malaysian law firm involved in Investment Treaty Disputes with significant appearance in ICSID cases both as counsel and as arbitrator. The team has successfully arbitrated some of Malaysia’s most intricate and high-profile disputes covering commercial law, public administrative law, environment law and constitutional law. Partners of the firm have also argued some of the seminal cases before the apex courts in Malaysia in so far as contractual claims, fraud litigation, defamation claims, public and administrative law as well as constitutional law, to name a few.

A disputes resolution firm offering a full range of legal services – advisory, strategic, preventive and dispute resolution, Cecil Abraham & Partners regularly advises and acts for Fortune 500 companies, media conglomerates, government-linked companies and high net worth individuals to not-for-profit entities, charities, private individuals, and private limited companies.

Cecil Abraham & Partners remains sought after for its expertise in arbitration and the firm is involved in a number of notable cases spanning construction and hospitality industries, oil and gas, financial and investment sectors with amounts ranging from USD7.5 million to USD2.4 billion. In litigation, the firm represented multinational corporations in disputes relating to building and construction, engineering, agriculture, and telecommunications valued between MYR40 million to MYR1 billion. The firm also continues to act in high-profile disputes concerning rare earth mining, banking, and finance, as well as public and administrative law.

The firm has consistently ranked in the top tiers on Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific, Benchmark Litigation, and Asia Law Profiles. The firm’s lawyers are also ranked favourably by directories including Who’s Who Legal, Asian Legal Business, Benchmark Litigation, Global Arbitration Review, Asia Law Profiles, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. Some of the firm’s latest awards are as follows:

Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham

• Asia Business Law Journal Malaysia – Top Lawyers 2025
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2025 – Recommended for Commercial Litigation
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2025 – Hall of Fame, Dispute Resolution
• Lexology Index Arbitration 2025 – “Mr Abraham is a doyen of arbitration”
• Lexology Index Commercial Litigation 2025 – “Tan Sri Cecil Abraham enjoys a distinguished career with over 50 years of experience at the Malaysian bar and is highly sought after thanks to his outstanding reputation for dealing with complex disputes”
• Lexology Index – Recommended on Southeast Asia Arbitration 2025 Guide
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2025, Dispute Resolution, Malaysia (Band 1) – “He is without a doubt the best senior counsel in Malaysia by a mile”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – Hall of Fame, Dispute Resolution
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – “Cecil Abraham is without doubt the leading commercial litigator in Malaysia with an international reputation. He works very hard and is a superb and measured advocate, who ensures that he knows his case backwards.”
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2024 – “He is the Rolls-Royce of all counsel. The courts listen to his arguments. He is persuasive, well prepared and has the ability to read the court and his opposing counsel like no other.”
• Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2024 – “Mr Abraham is one of Asia’s Finest”
• Who’s Who Legal Southeast Asia Commercial Litigation 2023 – National Leader
• Who’s Who Legal Southeast Asia Commercial Litigation 2023 – “Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham is one of the best-known dispute resolution specialist in the region, where he excels in high-value disputes across a diverge range of sectors.”
• Who’s Who Legal Southeast Asia Commercial Mediation 2023 – “With over 50 years of experience, Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham is held in high regard by peers and client alike for being “a top lawyer” in the commercial litigation market.”
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2023 – “Best civil lawyer, including arbitration, in the region.”
• The Legal 500 Private Practice Powerlist 2023 for Arbitration – Southeast Asia
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022 – Top Advocate, Hall of Fame
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022: “Cecil Abraham is a strong advocate, with great experience and an effectively court presence. In any hearing he dominates the room and is carefully listened to by the judges.”
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2022 – Band 1, Dispute Resolution (Malaysia)
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2022 – "Cecil Abraham is devastatingly effective in dealing with commercial disputes before the courts. He is very much the doyen of the legal profession in Malaysia. The standout litigator in Malaysia by far."
• Asia Law 2022 – Elite Practitioner, Dispute Resolution (Malaysia)
• Global Arbitration Review 2022: ‘Kuang Hong Lim of Ireka commends the firm for its “outstanding ability to turn around difficult cases”. In addition to securing a win, he says the firm was able to “identify key issues, refine them and present them . . . in a clear and polished manner”. The client adds that Cecil Abraham is “pre-eminent” and that his services are “outstanding”.’
• Who’s Who Legal – Commercial Litigation 2022 – ‘Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham is deemed a top litigator thanks to his ability to "dig deep into the problems that arise in all matters.’
• Who’s Who Legal – Arbitration 2022 – ‘Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham is "a well-respected and polished senior practitioner" who maintains a strong reputation thanks to his handling of high-profile commercial arbitrations, particularly those with an international component.’
• Who’s Who Legal – Commercial Mediation 2022
• Who’s Who Legal – National Leader – Southeast Asia – Arbitration 2022 to 2023, Commercial Litigation 2022 to 2023, Commercial Mediation 2022 to 2023
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific – Litigation Star (2015 to 2024)

Dato’ Sunil Abraham

• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2025 – Malaysia Lawyer of the Year
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2025 – Recommended for Commercial Litigation
• Asia Business Law Journal, Malaysia Law Firm Awards 2025 – “Sunil Abraham is wise and composed beyond his years”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2025 – Leading Partner (Malaysia)
• Lexology Index Commercial Litigation 2025 – “Dato’ Sunil Abraham is a “go-to lawyer” who is applauded by peers and clients alike for his “sharp, intelligent and meticulous work” as a commercial litigation practitioner in Malaysia”
• Lexology Index Arbitration 2025 – “Sunil is a true thought leader in the Malaysian and Southeast Asian arbitration market”
• Lexology Index Commercial Litigation 2025 – “Dato’ Sunil Abraham enjoys a stellar reputation as an accomplished commercial litigator with “gravitas and an energetic approach”
• Lexology Index – Recommended on Southeast Asia Arbitration 2025 Guide
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2025, Dispute Resolution, Malaysia (Band 4) – “Sunil is extremely commercially savvy and has excellent attention to detail. He understands the client’s needs and is extremely impressive in court and in arbitration.”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – “Sunil Abraham is a good lawyer, advocate and has built up a wealth of experience.”
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2024, Dispute Resolution, Malaysia (Band 5) – "Sunil Abraham is well prepared, diligent, meticulous and highly persuasive. He is excellent in technically difficult cases when the stakes are high."
• Who’s Who Legal Arbitration 2024 – “Dato’ Sunil Abraham has a solid legal background and very effective communication skills”
• Who’sWho Legal Arbitration 2024 – “He is brilliant at building legal strategy.”
• Who’s Who Legal Commercial Litigation 2023 – “Dato’ Sunil Abraham is a prominent name in the Malaysian market thanks to his “brilliant legal strategy’ and “effective client management skills”.”
• The Legal 500 Private Practice Powerlist 2023 for Arbitration – Southeast Asia
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022 & 2023 – Leading Individual
• Who’s Who Legal – Arbitration Future Leaders 2023 – Partners: “Dato' Sunil is one of the best in the business” and “He and his team are very thorough in their advice and have great practical knowledge about the judicial landscape in Malaysia."
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2022 – Up and Coming, Dispute Resolution (Malaysia)
• Global Arbitration Review 2022 – ‘Nick Powell, founder of disputes consultancy Axiom, says the firm’s lawyers are able to grasp “interrelated technical and legal issues and develop a big picture strategy to navigate through an aggressive dispute landscape”. He regards partners Sunil Abraham and Ahmad Amirudin as “seriously impressive”.’
• Who’s Who Legal – Commercial Litigation – Future Leaders – Partners 2022
• Who’s Who Legal – National Leader – Southeast Asia – Arbitration 2022, 2023, Commercial Litigation 2022, 2023
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific – Litigation Star (2022 to 2025)
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific – Future Star (2015 to 2021)
• Asia Legal Business Top 40 under 40

Rishwant Singh

• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2025 – Recommended for Commercial Litigation
• Lexology Index 2025 – Recommended for Commercial Litigation
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2025, Dispute Resolution, Malaysia (Band 5) – “He is an excellent trial advocate and amazing at cross-examination”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – “...Rishwant Singh appears regularly before Malaysian courts in shareholder disputes.”
• Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific 2024, Dispute Resolution, Malaysia (Band 5) – “Rishwant is known for his strong reputation and eloquence when advancing arguments in court."
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022 – “Rishwant Singh is persuasive advocate who is not afraid to take on tough lines of argument. He is a formidable advocate.”
• Asialaw Profiles 2022 – “Able to offer professional and optimum solutions; excellent communication skills; accurate and precise.”
• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific – Litigation Star (2021 – 2024)

Aniz Ahmad Amirudin

• Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2025 – Recommended for Construction
• Asia Business Law Journal, Malaysia Law Firm Awards 2025 – “Aniz Ahmad Amirudin provides prompt and detailed responses.”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – “Aniz Ahmad Amirudin is very good with clients and is hard working. He is good at injunctions and cross border disputes.”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – “...Aniz Ahmad Amirudin has particular expertise in the infrastructure and construction fields.”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2022: “Without a doubt the market leader for commercial litigation in Malaysia is Cecil Abraham & Partners, led by the top advocate Cecil Abraham. I have worked a lot with him, Sunil Abraham and Aniz Amirudin, and they are all first rate and can cover cases for each other. Thus the firm has depth in high quality advocates.”
• Asialaw Profiles 2022: “He is a construction law guru, and his construction law knowledge is second to none. He is detailed, patient and thorough and his court craft is excellent. He has successfully won three big ticket construction disputes for us. He is a leader in the area of high value and complex construction disputes.”
• Benchmark Litigation Asia Pacific – Litigation Star (2022 – 2024)
• Benchmark Litigation – Future Star in Construction (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
• Global Arbitration Review 2022: ‘Nick Powell, founder of disputes consultancy Axiom, says the firm’s lawyers are able to grasp “interrelated technical and legal issues and develop a big picture strategy to navigate through an aggressive dispute landscape”. He regards partners Sunil Abraham and Ahmad Amirudin as “seriously impressive”.’

Noor Muzalifah Binti Shabudin

• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2025 – Next Generation Partner
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – “Noor Muzalifah Binti Shabudin is a notable practitioner in the department.”
• Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2024 – Next Generation Partner
• Asialaw Profiles 2022: “One thing worth mentioning about Muzalifah is that her drafts are organised, can tell she put in efforts in preparing them in a way that is easy for client to work on.”

Cecil Abraham & Partners has been recognised as a distinguished law firm in dispute resolution for more than a decade, both domestically and abroad, with highly respected partners at its helm.

Main Areas of Practice:

■ Antitrust & Competition

■ Arbitration (Commercial, Construction & Investment Treaty)

■ Capital Markets & Securities Disputes

■ Civil claims - Contracts, Torts including Defamation & Media; Privacy; Breach of Confidence

■ Clubs & Unincorporated Associations

■ Commercial Law

■ Construction & Infrastructure

■ Energy & Telecommunications

■ Insurance & Banking

■ Land & General Property

■ Public & Administrative Law

■ Probate & Administration Law

■ White-Collar Crime, Blue-Collar Crime & Corporate Governance

Office:

Suite 12.01, Level 12 Menara 1MK, 1 Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia.

Tel: +603 2726 3700

Fax: +603 2726 3733

Email: general@cecilabraham.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/cecilabraham