Sook Kwan’s work encompasses a variety of debt transactions including direct and syndicated corporate loans, conventional and Islamic private debt securities, project finance transactions, aircraft and ship financing. Sook Kwan also advises clients on asset securitisation and other structured financing transactions. She was legal counsel for a number of securitisation transactions in Malaysia including the first of such transactions approved under the Securities Commission guidelines.
Sook Kwan has been named as a leading lawyer in banking and finance and debt capital markets in many notable publications including Chambers, Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and IFLR. She was one of only six lawyers from Malaysia included in the IFLR1000 Women Leaders Guide 2018, 2019, 2020 and most recently in 2021. She has also won multiple awards for her role in capital market transactions from, among others, Islamic Finance News, Asian Legal Business, Malaysia Law Awards and nominated for leading deals at the Financial Times Asia Pacific Innovative Lawyers Awards. In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Sook Kwan was listed in Malaysia’s Top 100 Lawyers by Asia Business Law Journal.
Sook Kwan began her legal career at Russell McVeagh Mckenzie Bartleet & Co, one of the largest commercial law firms in New Zealand. In 1996, Sook Kwan returned to Malaysia and joined Zaid Ibrahim & Co. as an Associate. Sook Kwan was made a Partner of the firm in 2000.
Areas of expertise
Areas of expertise
Recognition
Recognition
- Top 100 Lawyers in Malaysia | Malaysia
Asia Business Law Journal, 2020 and 2021 - Distinguished Practitioner | Capital Markets, Banking & Finance | Malaysia
Asialaw Leading Lawyers, 2019, 2020, 2021 - Leading Lawyer | Capital Markets, Banking & Finance | Malaysia
Asialaw Leading Lawyers, 2016, 2017, 2018 - Band 2 | Banking & Finance | Malaysia
Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific, 2020, 2021 - Band 1 | Banking & Finance | Malaysia
Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 - IFLR Women Leaders | Malaysia
IFLR 1000 Women Leaders, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 - Highly Regarded | Banking, Capital Markets : Debt, Capital Markets : Structured finance and securitasation | Malaysia
IFLR 1000, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 - Leading Lawyer | Banking, Capital Markets : Debt, Capital Markets : Structured finance and securitasation | Malaysia
IFLR 1000, 2015, 2016 - Leading Individuals | Banking & Finance, Capital Markets | Malaysia
Legal 500, 2019, 2020, 2021 - Highlighted Lawyer | Banking & Finance, Capital Markets | Malaysia
Legal 500, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 - Global Expert | Capital Markets | Malaysia
Euromoney’s Expert Guides, 2016 - Global Expert | Women in Business Law | Malaysia
Euromoney’s Expert Guides, 2016
Publications
Publications
Qualifications
Qualifications
- Advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya (1996)
- Barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand (1993)
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from Victoria University, New Zealand