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Yan Leong
Foo Leong Tan & Chan · Malaysia
Foo Leong Tan & Chan
Corporate · Malaysia
Yan Leong, Founding Partner at Foo Leong Tan & Chan, is a corporate and commercial lawyer, called to the Malaysian Bar in 2016. Her corporate practice focuses primarily on dispute resolution and advisory matters. Over the years, she has acted for clients across a diverse range of industries, including – but not limited to – construction, IT and e-commerce, food and beverage, education and training, printing and signage, beauty, as well as religious and charitable organisations.
Ms Leong’s work further includes handling complex shareholder disputes involving minority oppression, boardroom deadlocks and breaches of directors’ duties. She successfully resolved a shareholder dispute through a High Court action that resulted in a favourable buy-out at market value. In another matter, she acted for the minority shareholders of a company in resolving a boardroom deadlock via negotiated corporate restructuring and exit provisions.
She noted: “I regularly advise companies on internal governance, restructuring and compliance with Malaysian company law. Notably, I assisted a mid-sized company in establishing its presence in Malaysia, from structuring its shareholding with a foreign holding company to the issuance of preference shares and subscription of ordinary shares in the Malaysian entity, including drafting the shareholders’ agreement and subscription agreement. I also provide ongoing advisory services to several non-profit religious organisations on regulatory compliance, land-related matters and trustee responsibilities.”
In addition, Ms Leong is an active member of the Malaysian Bar, an affiliate of the Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators (MAICSA), as well as a legal adviser to several community organisations and temples. She was honoured to be recognised as one of The Elite by The Page in 2022 – and to be accepted as a member of British Publishing House Ltd’s Successful People in Malaysia & Singapore in July 2024.
One of her key strengths is her patience and attentiveness in understanding each client’s unique circumstances and ultimate goals. She takes the time to understand where the client is coming from, both commercially and personally, before proposing tailored legal solutions.
She explained: “I believe in offering practical options, explaining the pros and cons of each – and working closely with the client to determine the most effective course of action. This approach allows me to provide legal advice that is not only sound in law, but also aligned with the client’s long-term interests and business realities.
“Meanwhile, a recent challenge I faced in my practice was the perception of youth, which initially caused some clients to question my experience or authority. While I cannot change how young I appear, I’ve learned to overcome this by letting the quality of my work speak for itself. I focus on being well prepared, responsive and clear in my communication – making sure that clients feel heard and supported from the very first meeting. I also take the time to explain legal strategies in a way that builds trust and demonstrates competence. Over time, clients who were initially hesitant became my strongest advocates, referring others based on the results I delivered.”
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