RDS Partnership Expands With Five New Partners

RDS Partnership Expands With Five New Partners

Malaysia’s RDS Partnership has strengthened its legal team with the addition of five distinguished partners-Michael Soo, Wai Ming Yap, David Lee Lai Huat, Rajeswari Karupiah, and Chee Khoon Tan. Their expertise spans Intellectual Property, corporate finance, fintech, employment law, and dispute resolution, further enhancing the firm’s capabilities.

Michael Soo, a seasoned intellectual property expert with over 40 years of experience, will lead RDS’s IP practice. Having recently retired as managing partner of Shook Lin & Bok, he brings extensive experience in IP enforcement and civil litigation, having served as lead counsel in high-profile cases before Malaysia’s High Court, Court of Appeal, and Federal Court.

Wai Ming Yap joins the firm’s corporate finance and fintech practice. Dual-qualified in Malaysia and Singapore, he was previously the managing director of Morgan Lewis Stamford in Singapore. His expertise includes corporate finance, fintech, digital assets, securities, and debt restructuring. Describing his move to RDS as a "homecoming" to his native Kuala Lumpur, Yap continues to serve as a consultant at Harry Elias Partnership.

David Lee Lai Huat, a corporate lawyer with nearly 30 years of experience, brings his knowledge of corporate transactions, capital markets, and general corporate advisory to RDS. He has previously held partner roles at Zul Rafique & Partners and Tay & Partners.

Rajeswari Karupiah, with over two decades of experience, is a former chair of Malaysia’s Industrial Court. She specializes in compliance due diligence for publicly listed companies and fraud investigations for financial institutions. Her involvement in Industrial Court committees has contributed to significant advancements in Malaysian employment law.

Chee Khoon Tan enhances RDS’s dispute resolution practice with his expertise in restructuring and insolvency, fraud, and asset recovery. Called to the Bar of England & Wales and admitted as an advocate and solicitor of the High Court in Malaya, he is also an accredited mediator with the Singapore International Mediation Institute.

These strategic appointments reinforce RDS Partnership’s position as a leading firm in Malaysia, offering comprehensive legal solutions across key practice areas.