Malaysia Bar Council details foreign licence rules

The Bar Council of Malaysia has given details of the licence system which it will run and regulate for foreign law firms and lawyers.

Malaysia is liberalising the legal profession Soren Egeberg photography

The doors were opened to foreigners on 3 June. Three types of long-term licences will be regulated through the Bar Council. These will cover international partnerships working with a local firm, international firms working alone and cases of individual foreign lawyers who become employees of local firms. A fourth category will allow ‘fly-in, fly-out’ lawyers to come in to advise on arbitration or non-Malaysian laws for up to 60 days in a calendar year. 

Christopher Leong, president of the Malaysian Bar, talking of the employment of foreign lawyers by local firms, said: ‘Licenses may be granted subject to terms and conditions, and if approved the law firm will be granted a three-year license to employ a foreign lawyer.’ Source: Free Malaysia Today

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