The Firm acts for individuals, private companies, State Governments and NGOs in challenging administrative decisions by public and statutory bodies, administrative tribunals, and governmental and executive agencies.

The Firm has been involved in challenging inter alia the following:

• decisions of city councils, such as DBKL, in relation to planning approval;
 
• land acquisition notices;
 
• a decision by the Malaysian Highway Authority, namely LLM, and the Ministry of Works in relation to the approval of the construction of a highway situated close to residential properties;
 
• a decision of the Minister of Home Affairs and the Registrar of Societies refusing to register a political party;
 
• a decision of the Election Commission in relation to a re-delineation exercise carried out in the State of Selangor;
 
• the refusal by the Malaysian Government to bring into force the constitutional amendment lowering the legal voting age to 18 and enabling automatic voter registration; and
 
• a decision of a public university refusing to confer a PhD degree on a candidate.

At Sreenevasan, we represent employers, employees, and trade unions in a variety of employment disputes from the Industrial Court to the Federal Court. Ground breaking cases the Firm has been involved in include:

• having acted in a landmark decision in the Federal Court relating to the issue of service charge used for the payment of minimum wages;
 
• representing a trade union in the interpretation of collective agreements;
 
• successfully challenging the retrenchment exercise undertaken by a well-known hotel following the sale of the hotel; and
 
• having re-argued the principles of judicial review in relation to findings of facts by an Industrial Court.

Our firm also provides comprehensive advisory services to all stakeholders. We pride ourselves in having honed our ability to delicately balance the competing interests of employees and employers when managing their business affairs. 

We are frequently engaged to assist companies navigate employment issues ranging from employee misconduct, sexual harassment, termination of employment and retrenchment exercises.  

We have also earned a reputation for effectively handling trade union matters. We are regularly engaged to provide advice on trade union registration, trade union recognition and to handle collective bargaining negotiations. Additionally, we assist companies and organisations with the drafting and implementation of human resource policies.

The team has vast experience in handling all aspects of intellectual property disputes and in providing enforcement and advisory assistance. Both Ambiga and Janini enjoy stellar reputations as intellectual property litigators and are known for handling the most complex of disputes in Court and for providing innovative solutions to clients. 

The team has worked with both local and global clients, from a wide range of industry sectors including clothing, construction, electronics, entertainment and streaming services, food and beverage, gloves, healthcare (medical equipment and pharmaceuticals), hotels, lubricants, luxury products, merchandise, oil and gas, palm oil, publishing, retail services and convenience stores, tobacco, toys and traditional medicine. This has allowed the Firm to bring to the table valuable insights and practical experience in strategising to protect intellectual property in Malaysia. 

Sreenevasan has a proven record of effective representation and has argued intellectual property matters at all tiers of the courts of Malaysia including the apex Federal Court. The Firm has been involved in a number of high profile and ground breaking intellectual property decisions in Malaysia and has been ranked as one of the notable IP Firms by leading intellectual property publications. 

Some of the matters the Firm has handled include the following:

• acted in the first reported patent infringement and invalidation matter before the Federal Court;
 
• acted in patent infringement and invalidation matters relating to inter alia patents in the field of oil and gas, gloves, palm oil, pharmaceutical and medical devices; 
 
• acted in the first reported passing off matter before the Federal Court relating to personality merchandising;
 
• acted to restrain or expunge numerous copycat / similar marks of various well-known foreign trademarks;
 
• acted for a multi-national oil and gas company in respect of the use of a near identical trademark by the purchaser of its assets within the jurisdiction;
 
• represented a well-known Japanese manufacturer in a trademark infringement matter in respect of the use of a transliteration of the trademark;
 
• acted for an established public listed jeweller against a prior user operating within a limited jurisdiction; 
 
• acting for a UK based foreign exchange financial technology company in a non-use action to revoke the registration of a trademark by amending down the specification of services;
 
• acted for a US based multinational lubricant manufacturer in a breach of confidentiality matter involving its ex-distributor;
 
• acted in a design infringement matter relating to motor vehicle spare parts; and
 
• acted for an international society in respect of content on YouTube.

The Firm has a burgeoning competition law practice. We have advised and acted in respect of market sharing and price fixing issues and were involved in the first competition matter argued before the Court of Appeal. Our skills as litigators are, we believe, an asset in arguing against infringement decisions before the Competition Commission and the Competition Appeals Tribunal.

Sreenevasan is unique in that we have acted both for and against some of the major banks in the country. Through our extensive experience, we have developed a comprehensive knowledge base of the banking industry and the complex legal issues that arise in banking litigation cases. This has enabled us to provide our clients with strategic and effective legal representation, tailored to their specific needs and goals.

We have:

• represented a major investment bank acting as lead arranger / lead manager and a trust company against a claim by a group of bondholders for over RM200 million;
 
• successfully acted for a cooperative society against an investment bank for breaches of duties against a party alleged to be a non-customer; and
 
• successfully litigated to establish liability against a commercial bank for payment on forged cheques.

We advise on a variety of corporate disputes with a special focus on shareholder disputes, minority oppression claims and breach of director duties including those involving fraud issues.  

We have:

• acted on behalf of a public listed company to apply for a scheme of arrangement;
 
• acted for a company to intervene in proceedings involving an application for a scheme of arrangement; and
 
• represented a liquidator in a contentious winding up matter.

Our practice initially involved challenging land acquisition notices and representing landowners in land inquiries for adequate compensation. The Firm was involved in a landmark decision of the Federal Court which struck down parts of the Land Acquisition Act 1960. 

Our land law practice has evolved to include matters related to land fraud. We have represented landowners to trace and recover land fraudulently transferred to third parties. Land fraud cases can be complex, often involving multiple parties and intricate legal processes. We employ a multifaceted approach, drawing upon our extensive knowledge and experience to secure the best possible outcome for our clients.

We provide high-net-worth clients with estate planning advice including the drafting of wills and the setting up of trusts. 

As part of our probate practice, we advise on both contentious and non-contentious probate matters including: 

• representing clients in disputes that involve the applications of grants, interpretation of wills, validity of wills and other issues related to succession; 
 
• assisting executors, administrators, trustees, and beneficiaries in the administration of estates;
 
• status and rights of illegitimate children and adopted children in the context of inheritance law; and
 
• represented a beneficiary in a legal tussle involving an alleged public charitable trust and the applicability of the principles of cy-près.

The Firm has advised and acted for clients on distribution of trust assets and validity of trusts.

Sreenevasan has a developing family law practice where we offer advice and representation to clients involved in divorce proceedings, disputes over matrimonial assets, and matters concerning child custody and spousal maintenance. We take a personalised and empathetic approach to each case, recognising the intricacies and sensitivities involved. Our priority is to ensure that our clients receive the support and legal assistance they require.

The Firm has earned a reputation for being a “lawyer's lawyer”. We have represented a number of law firms against negligence claims. We recently represented a large multinational law firm facing a negligence claim for a sum exceeding USD 1 billion involving a multi-jurisdictional transaction. We have also represented and defended lawyers in contempt proceedings and defamation actions.

Our firm has a growing practice in clinical negligence matters and recently represented a private hospital against the largest damages claim to date. Our firm also advises private hospitals on issues relating to the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 and pharmaceutical companies in respect of regulatory requirements in Malaysia.

We have acted for both the ‘defamed’ and the ‘defamer’. We have in the past represented:

• politicians;
 
• newspapers;
 
• high-net-worth individuals;
 
• senior government officials;
 
• online publication companies; and
 
• whistle-blowers.