Southeast Asia’s largest economy also boasts a thriving legal industry that is becoming more sophisticated as it handles a growing variety of complex legal work. And one of the most exciting aspects of it is the younger generation of lawyers, driven and confident in nature, who are helping to shape the industry for the next few decades. ALB profiles ten of Indonesia’s legal industry’s rising stars.

DENDI ADISURYO, 38
Partner, ADCO Attorneys at Law

Adisuryo combines his legal expertise with business savvy; as managing partner of ADCO, he led the firm to reach $1 million revenue of 2018, apart from maintaining the size of the firm at 12-15 fee earners for the last three years. During his career, he has represented PAMA (Astra Group) in at least four major corporate actions since 2014, represented AKR Corporindo in acquiring seven coal assets in 2012, represented Oorja Holding in a dispute against a local partner, represented ANR Group (concession owners and IPP company in Jambi) in development of IPP Jambi 2. In the past year or so, Adisuryo has represented BKMS in the sealing of an EPC contract with Wartsila, represented Pama Persada in a proposed acquisition of an IPP company in Sumatera, and represented a local major equity company in acquiring Bulawan Daya Lestari, a gold mine company in Bolaang Mongondow. His roster of large Indonesian and also foreign clients, many of whom he has represented in significant corporate actions or disputes since 2012, include Pama Persada Nusantara, AKR Corporindo, Anugerah Petroindo Raya (a JV Co between British Petroleum and AKR Group), Oorja Group, ANR Group and Hwa Seung Networks. 

Says David Peng, CEO of Artha Nusantara Resources: “Dendi, a legal counsel at ADCO Attorneys at Law, has extensive yet solid legal knowledge in Indonesia’s mining and energy sector. With high dedication and a good understanding of the needs of our company, he and his team have always provided accurate advice and reliable work. Apart from that, this law firm regularly provides our company with updates pertaining to upcoming regulations, in-depth legal advice and innovative commercial advice to anticipate regulatory problems and possible losses that may negatively impact on the company’s operations. Dendi and his team at this law firm are very approachable, and that helps the two sides work effectively and efficiently.”

DIKI ANDIKUSUMAH, 38
Senior associate, Nurjadin Sumono Mulyadi & Partners

In the past year, Andikusumah has assisted an Indonesian company in the acquisition of a 67 percent stake in an office and residential developer company with the total transaction amount of $122 million, and also another client in the sale of their majority shares, representing 77.38 percent of total paid-up capital in Bank Dinar Indonesia with total transaction value of $48 million. Prior to that, he assisted an MNC as the buyer in the purchase of a parcel of land for warehouse and office building with total transaction value of $6 million, assisted a Chinese client as the buyer in the purchase of a parcel of land for residential and office building with total transaction value of $70 million, and assisting an Indonesian client as the buyer in the purchase of several parcels of land for residential and office buildings with total transaction value of $44 million. 

Says Tay Beng Chai, partner at Bird & Bird ATMD: "We have worked with Diki on Indonesian corporate matters in the last 2 years and found him very responsive and a delight to work together with. We will reach out to him on general FDI, corporate and regulatory matters and he is always able to contribute useful insights in addressing Indonesian issues of importance to foreign investors.”

MIRIAM ANDRETA, 37
Partner, Walalangi & Partners (in association with Nishimura & Asahi)

A former partner at ABNR, Andreta has more than 13 years of experience in the legal industry. A nominee in both the Young Lawyer of the Year and Woman Lawyer of the Year categories at the ALB Indonesia Law Awards 2018, she was also listed among ALB Magazine’s 40 Under 40 for 2018. Her most notable work included acting as Indonesian counsel to TIS Inc in the financing of an Indonesian publicly listed company through the issuance of convertible bonds in the total amount of 560 billion rupiah ($40 million). This deal involved a complicated structure of combination of issuance of debt securities and equity securities. She also represented and advised both Tokyo Tatemono Co and Tokyo Tatemono Asia in the acquisition/subscription of 50 percent shares in Dharma Tatemono Residences and Dharma Tatemono Real Property, from the Dharmawangsa Group, the total investment of which amounted to more than $300 million. This deal involved multiple layers and a mix between direct capital injection, debt-to-equity conversion, and land acquisition. Additionally, she acted for lenders in relation to $800 million to Newmont Nusa Tenggara (Batu Hijau). Clients have included organisations like Japan International Cooperation Agency, Bank Sahabat Sampoerna, Mitsui & Co. Financial Services (Asia), Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Osaka Steel Corporation, Gunosy, Ashiana Capital and more. 

“Ms. Miriam Andreta is one of the brightest lawyers in Indonesia, who are praised by her clients not only for her legal knowledge but also for her insight of practical solutions as well as diligent and swift response,” says Luky Walalangi, managing partner of Walalangi & Partners. “Spending some time in Japan also allows her to understand Japanese companies’ cultures, which in turn enable her to provide the expected quality to our Japanese clients.” 

MELISSA BUTARBUTAR, 31
Partner, Tjajo & Partners 

Melissa was nominated as a finalist for the Young Lawyer of the Year category at the ALB Indonesia Law Awards 2018. During her career, she has advised and assisting Semen Indonesia (Persero) as the buyer in the acquisition of 80.6 percent interest in Holcim Indonesia held by Holderfin. The transaction was carried out under the basis of the enterprise value of $1.75 billion (including debt). She was also involved in the restructuring of $325 million senior secured notes due 2020 issued by the group of Centra Proteina Prima, and she additionally representing Danareksa (Persero) on the acquisition of Danareksa Sekuritas and Danareksa Investment Management by Bank Rakyat Indonesia. 

Says Ahmad Fajar, CEO of Bank Victoria: “I know and have been assisted by her for more than six years. Very attentive and able to provide explanations for various legal matters and solutions. Always provides practical approach and help.  She is among the key persons which enable the completion of Bank Mutiara’s famous acquisition deal. Never intimidated by her young age, instead capable to lead the transaction and advise people far more senior and mostly twice her age.”   

MUHAMMAD IKHSAN, 33
Partner, Dwipo Lubis Baskoro & Partners

A key deal done by Ikhsan includes acted for Standard Chartered Bank and Bank Mandiri as mandated lead arrangers on the $260 million syndicated reserve-based financing to Medco E&P Tomori Sulawesi for the development of the Senoro gas field in Indonesia,  which is critical to the Dongi Senoro LNG Project – this was a deal that received multiple awards. He also acted for Indo-Rama Synthetics. in its acquisition of Polyprima Karyareksa. Additionally, he acting for ING Bank, ABN AMRO, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi and the Indonesian arm of Sumitomo Mitsui Bank Corporation (BSMI) as mandated lead arrangers and BSMI as issuing bank in relation to a $250 million term loan facility and $34 million guarantee facility to an Indonesian subsidiary of BW Offshore in respect of the financing of a floating production unit BW Joko Tole operated by a joint-venture between Mitsubishi Corporation and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. for operation in the TSB field, offshore Indonesia. Ikhsan also acted for Finders Resources Limited in relation to a $165 million senior secured project finance facility involving BNP Paribas, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Societe Generale Asia, the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Jakarta Branch, Batutua Tembaga Raya (a Finders Resources subsidiary in Indonesia) and other companies within the Finders Resources group. 

RIO LASSATRIO, 33
Managing partner, LHBM Counsel

With more than a decade of practice experience, Lassatrio specialises in projects and infrastructure, healthcare, M&A and commercial litigation. During his career, he has acted as Indonesian counsel for Medco Power Indonesia and Medco Geothermal power Sarulla in relation to the entry of syndicated financing documents on Sarulla Geothermal Power Project, worth in a maximum aggregate amount of $1.12 billion. He has also represented an Indonesian EPC company in relation to the construction of 150 kV/20 kV transmission lines and substations facility at Kota Bukit Indah Industrial Estate, Karawang with consideration amount of more than $22 million. Additionally, he has represented an Indonesian construction company as a sub-contractor in relation to the construction of 500kV transmission line from Cilamaya, West Java to the Cibatu Baru as part of the Jawa-1 Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant (1,760 MW) project. He has also represented Krakatau Osaka Steel (a joint-venture company between state-owned company Krakatau Steel (persero) and Osaka Steel Co.) in the construction of New Steel Bar and Steel Section Mill, with consideration amount of approximately $1.9 billion. Lassatrio has also represented a listed trading company based in Japan acquisition of shares in an Indonesian trading company, and a listed financial services company based in Japan, in its proposed acquisition of shares of an Indonesian financial services company. 

“I am the lead international outside counsel for a corporation that has used Mr. Lassatrio and his firms' services for years,” says H Jay Kallman, a U.S.-based attorney. “I have hired and supervised numerous Indonesian law firms on behalf of my client, and have found Mr. Lassatrio and his firms far and away the best, on par in terms of quality of work with the most elite law firms in my home country of the United States.  I provide them with my unqualified recommendation to those seeking legal representation in Indonesia.”  

YOHANES MASENGI, 35
Partner, Makarim & Taira S

Masengi started his career at Makarim & Taira S in 2005; today he is a partner in the firm’s corporate and commercial group. He was a finalist in the Young Lawyer of the Year category at the ALB Indonesia Law Awards 2018. Masengi has extensive experience in investment, infrastructure, power projects, ports, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, employment and corporate restructuring, and has represented prominent companies in a variety of proceedings and transactions, including merger and acquisitions, land acquisitions, project financing, and natural resources and energy. These include, among others, representing independent power producers in the development of various large-scale power projects in Indonesia, representing the employer in the settlement of labour disputes and mass terminations due to redundancy and closure involving more than 300 employees on one occasion, representing a state-owned enterprise-related to Arbitration in the Badan Arbitrase Nasional Indonesia (BANI) in a dispute over a construction insurance claim with one of the local insurance companies, providing legal assistance in the renegotiation of concessions and contracts with state-owned enterprises, providing legal assistance in the acquisition of land with an area of approximately 85 hectares for infrastructure projects, providing legal assistance in various joint ventures and the establishment of companies in Indonesia, and advising on various matters related to their concession and business activities. 

“Sengi has been with the firm for more than a decade and has honed his legal knowledge particularly on corporate and commercial related matters. He is talented and reliable and is always responsive to our clients. He is our youngest partner in the firm and has proven himself to be adept in developing strategies and case management. He learns the ropes with ease, and quickly comes up to speed with the matters we handle and the legal updates, enabling him to provide cutting-edge advice to our clients,” says Lia Alizia, managing partner of Makarim & Taira S.

DANIEL PARDEDE, 37
Partner, HHP Law Firm, member of Baker & McKenzie International

Pardede has assisted multinational clients in cross-border transactions and has been involved in handling various legal corporate/commercial issues, varying from day-to-day corporate/licensing work to assisting in providing advisory services to clients in relation to corporate/commercial issues. He has also been involved in merger and acquisition work, as well as corporate restructurings and asset disposals, assisted major clients in a number of high-profile transactions, and dealt with government authorities such as the Indonesian Investment Coordinating Board (Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal – BKPM), National Land Office (BPN), Ministry of Agriculture. Pardede has advised a wide range of domestic and international clients across various industry sectors, including TMT, real estate, plantation, manufacturing and trading. In 2016, at the age of 34, Pardede was promoted to partner of HHP’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group.

Says Mark Innis, foreign legal consultant at HHP: “Daniel’s ability to provide clarity and commercial advice on complex transactions is particularly appreciated by clients, as they strive with doing business in an emerging market (Indonesia); and indeed internally by others within the Firm. Daniel is methodological, get commercially pragmatic, and this is appreciated by those he deals with (whether clients, internally or other advisers on the transactions). We see Daniel as a future leader within the firm’s M&A practice.”

JOEL SHEN, 38
Foreign counsel, Christian Teo & Partners

Shen, who specialises in corporate/M&A and technology and growth capital, was earlier with Shook Lin & Book and Stephenson Harwood in Singapore. Among his clients, Shen acts for Vickers Venture Partners on an ongoing basis, in relation to its investments within and outside Indonesia. Recent matters include acting for the client on its investment in Everledger, a company providing distributed ledger services for diamond ownership and transaction history verification, and its Series B investment in the RWDC group of companies, a Singapore and US-based manufacturer of biodegradable plastic. Another of his clients is Bank Central Asia (BCA), Indonesia’s largest bank. Recent matters include acting for BCA affiliates Central Capital Ventura and Dwimuria Investama Andalan in their acquisition of a collective controlling interest in Alto Network, acting for BCA affiliates Central Capital Ventura and Dwimuria Investama Andalan in their acquisition of a controlling interest in Indonesian financial products aggregator Dwi Cermat Indonesia, and acting for BCA subsidiary Central Capital Ventura in its investment in Airwallex, an Australian fintech startup focused on international payments for SMEs. 

Says Michelle Sutedja, partner at Central Capital Ventura: “Joel is knowledgeable and responsive, and is able to analyse and explain complex legal issues in ways that are easy to understand, and provide practical advice and solutions.”

NIEN RAFLES SIREGAR, 35
Managing partner, Siregar Setiawan Manalu Partnership

Nien Rafles Siregar co-founded Siregar Setiawan Manalu Partnership (SSMP) about three years ago. Prior to that, he was a partner in a well- acknowledged bankruptcy litigation law firm in Indonesia. Siregar focuses most of his work in the fields of bankruptcy and suspension
of debt payment, commercial litigation and industrial relations litigation. In the past year alone, he has represented one of Southeast Asia’s well-known financial institutions as the creditor against one of Bali’s large-scale retail businesses, as the plaintiff in a lawsuit to claim bankruptcy assets amounting to upwards of $6 million, which arose from misconduct related to the sale of assets. He also represented several of Southeast Asia’s biggest telecommunication companies, as the creditor in the process of the suspension of debt payment obligations of Internux, one of Indonesia’s most well-known telecommunication company, in the Commercial Court of the District Court of Central Jakarta. In representing clients, the firm proposed a claim in the approximate amount of $225 million to Internux from a total claim of $399 million. Additionally, he is representing one of the world’s biggest banks as the creditor in the process of the suspension of debt payment obligation of Wijaya Indonesian Makmur Bicycle Industries in the Commercial Court of the District Court of Central Jakarta. In representing the client, the proposed a claim in the amount of approximately upwards of $10 million to Wijaya Indonesian Makmur Bicycle Industries. 

“Having much sense on responsibilities, Nien Rafles Siregar is a legal practitioner who is always able to manage large numbers of legal works at different levels of difficulties, still ensuring to reach the best legal outcomes for reputable clients,” says Bobby Rahman Manalu, a partner of SSMP. “As a managing partner of SSMP, he masters the art of dealing with bankruptcy and insolvency cases with full excellence. In person, Nien Rafles Siregar is an open-minded and negotiable person.”