Major Japanese law firm TMI Associates has entered into an alliance with Malaysian law firm SY Teo & Co, set up by Sze Yi Teo (L), an associate in TMI’s Singapore office. The alliance will also establish an office in Kuala Lumpur under the name of SY Teo & Co in Association with TMI Associates.

This is TMI’s second alliance with a Malaysian law firm, as the Japanese firm is also in association with Chooi & Company (C&C). TMI said it aims to maintain that alliance as well.

“While continuing our business partnership with C&C to handle large-scale cases such as disputes and projects, we will provide more flexible and comprehensive legal services than ever before by establishing a new base as SY Teo & Co. in Association with TMI Associates,” TMI said in a statement.

TMI Singapore partner Hiroyasu Umeda (pictured right) and Teo will lead the new Malaysian office. M&A specialist Umeda joined TMI in 2011, and has previously done secondments in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Teo joined TMI in 2022 from Singapore’s Quadrant Law, having previously worked for local boutique Characterist and Malaysia’s Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong.

Among major Japanese law firms, Nishimura & Asahi is in alliance with WM Leong & Co in Kuala Lumpur, set up by Nishimura Singapore counsel (now partner) Wan May Leong.