Zi Li & Partners is a boutique law firm specialising in corporate and M&A. Despite being relatively new, the firm has quickly established a diverse client base, ranging from multinational companies to local SMEs. With strategic collaborations in Vietnam and Indonesia, Zi Li & Partners offers regional expertise. The firm's China desk practice, staffed by Mandarin-proficient lawyers, caters to Chinese enterprises operating in Malaysia and ASEAN. While still growing, Zi Li & Partners aims to provide comprehensive legal advice across various industries, including energy, mining and technology. The firm hired Yik Shien Yee from Adnan Sundra & Low in October 2023.
Client feedback
"Zi Li & Partners is extremely proactive and professional in all the services and advisory they have been providing. They constantly seek alternative solutions to fit our business purpose. They are extremely knowledgeable and super-responsive to all requests or queries we have regarding all matters." – Banking and finance
"I really appreciate their promptness in communications and how responsive they are. Furthermore, they have a deep understanding of the work and always take into account the requirements of all stakeholders – resulting in impactful outcomes." – Corporate and M&A
"Zi Li & Partners delivers prompt, succinct, and commercially driven legal advice to us. The team is easily contactable and reliable. They will go the extra mile to ensure that our legal needs are taken care of. The team is adaptable to different kinds of requests that we may have, especially in the start-up space, and is innovative in delivering their legal advice." – Corporate and M&A
"They provide good strategic advice as the team has a deep bench of experts in capital markets requirements and potentially advice on Islamic finance matters as well." – Corporate and M&A
"They are an accurate and reliable source of information; very responsive and quick to deliver." – Mining
Zi Li Tay
"Zi Li has been the best addition to our Malaysian venture. He is always present for any queries we have, behaves professionally and makes us understand difficult issues in simple language. He is very well-behaved, knows his job, and has great connections throughout Malaysia. Whenever we have any doubt, he is the first person we go to. I would give a solid 9 out of 10 to Zi Li & Partners."
"Extremely responsive and addresses key issues promptly."
"Zi Li works closely with us and around the clock to meet any tight timelines that we may have. His advice is usually succinct, on-point and easy to understand – this is particularly helpful since our team is not legally trained. Zi Li would tailor his advice in accordance with the deal parameters as well as the counterparty/investee company that we are dealing with; this ensures smooth deal execution."
"He is very responsive and committed to finding the right solutions, which we truly appreciate."
"Zi Li would go above and beyond in servicing us. His enthusiasm and professionalism are deeply appreciated."
"Reliable, fast response and good communication skills."
"He is always present and actively works with his clients. He offers additional general info about queries we might have. He behaves very well and is one of the best partners we have."
"Zi Li, the key partner that we liaise with, is quick to respond to our queries. The key positive attribute which we appreciate is that Zi Li is able to explain the law in plain language to us who have no legal background. Zi Li offers practical solutions to our queries too."
Yik Shien Yee
"Yik Shien is an extremely result-oriented lawyer and driven to provide the best solution for all situations. We could not recall any instances where she failed to meet our expectations and deadline."
Work highlights
Advised Igloo (Axinan), a full-stack insurtech startup in ASEAN, as external general counsel on their $36 million Series Pre-C funding round, potential acquisition of a Malaysian insurance brokerage company, and application for an insurance brokerage licence in the Philippines.
Advised Dcard, Taiwan's largest anonymous social media platform, on its proposed expansion into southeast Asia.
Advised Involve Asia, a Malaysian martech startup, on its Series C funding round of over $10 million, providing comprehensive legal counsel across multiple ASEAN jurisdictions and assisting with B Corp certification preparation.
