Steven Thiruneelakandan

Steven Thiru's main areas of practice are General Litigation (Contract and Tort), Constitutional & Administrative Law, Corporate Law, Employment Law, Energy Law and Native Title Law.

He was recognized as a highly recommended lawyer by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2017 and as a market-leading lawyer (Labour & Employment law) by Asialaw 2017. He specially handles administrative and employment cases. He is highly experienced in relation to employment litigation, often acting for GLCs and international clients. He was recently categorised as a “Leading Individual for Dispute Resolution" by Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2019 and as a "Distinguished Practitioner" by Asialaw 2020.

2015 – 2017 : 31st President of the Malaysian Bar.

2017 – current : Council Member (Malaysia), Commonwealth Lawyers Association.

2017 – current : Exco Member, Lawasia.

2022-2023 : one of the three Vice-Presidents of LAWASIA

2006 – 2023 : Member, Bar Council Malaysia.

Steven read law at the University of Leicester and graduated (LL.B (Hons) in 1990. He was admitted to the Bar of England and Wales at Middle Temple in 1991, and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 1992. Steven also holds a Masters of Law (LL.M) degree from University of Malaya (2000).

Steven's client base includes corporations from the public utilities, infrastructure and project development, aviation and airlines, banks, charities, financial services, education, media, oil & gas, real estate and telecommunications sectors.

In recent years, Steven has successfully represented and advised clients in:

a RM579 million dispute involving the evaluation and accreditation of the local medical programs and the termination of the offshore medical programs.

several landmark decisions involving meter-tampering, power theft and fraud.

cases involving breach of fiduciary duty by high level employees.

land acquisition matters involving the methodology of calculation for severance damage caused by an acquisition exercise.