Leading full-service Southeast Asian law firm Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce the promotion of two outstanding lawyers to the firm’s partnership. Nopparat Lalitkomon leads the firm’s data privacy and cybersecurity practice in Thailand and Vietnam. His expertise in technology, media, and telecommunications has earned him recognition as a “Rising Star” by The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific and as an “Up and Coming” lawyer by Chambers Asia-Pacific. Nopparat is a trusted advisor to domestic and multinational companies alike, advising clients across industries on a wide range of tech-focused matters in Southeast Asia, including cybersecurity, data protection, e-commerce, e-payments, e-transactions, fintech, gaming, and insurtech. He also advises clients on general corporate and commercial matters, including banking, direct marketing, foreign direct investment, investment incentives, labor and employment, M&A, and joint ventures. Nopparat hold degrees from Thammasat University and the University of Glasgow, and is a member of the Thai Bar Association. Wongrat Ratanaprayul is the director of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Indonesia operations, based in Jakarta. Wongrat is recognized as a leading practitioner in Indonesia by IAM Patent 1000 and WTR 1000, and in 2023 she was named to Managing Intellectual Property’s list of the Top 250 Women in IP globally. She advises clients on all aspects of IP prosecution in Indonesia, as well as in multiple jurisdictions throughout Southeast Asia, to ensure efficient and effective IP portfolio management. Wongrat’s practice benefits from her exceptional breadth of expertise and her international reach. Wongrat is a particularly adept patent practitioner, and is much sought-after in highly technical fields including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, automotive, electronics, and computer-related technology. She is also a leader in regional pharmaceutical patent litigation. Furthermore, Wongrat oversees the firm’s regulatory affairs practice in Indonesia, serving clients in pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and related industries with respect to product registration and compliance. Wongrat

Jay Cohen, partner and director of Tilleke & Gibbins in Cambodia, is quoted extensively in a recent Asian Legal Business (ALB) article on Cambodia’s plans to establish a commercial court to adjudicate business disputes. As the article explains, this new judicial body will help relieve pressure on Cambodia’s court system by handling all business disputes, which currently add to the docket of the country’s criminal courts. In the article, Jay provides some context for the planned development, outlines some of the most notable changes that will result from the move, and explains how the establishment of the court will likely strengthen investor confidence by adding a measure of predictability. The article also includes Jay’s thoughts on how the new judicial structure will relate to the use of commercial arbitration, as well as the possibility of procedural changes that will make dispute resolution easier for foreign investors, such as submission of documents in English. ALB, owned by Thomson Reuters, is a leading source of information on commercial law in Asia for businesses and professionals. To read more about Cambodia’s planned establishment of a commercial court, as well as Jay’s comments on this, please see the December 2023 issue of ALB.

Attorneys from Tilleke & Gibbins in Thailand have contributed to Model Clauses for Contracting in Asia, which was released recently by the Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) under its Contract Laws in Asia project. The publication provides a neutral framework for parties entering into cross-border contracts, regardless of the governing law or subject matter of the contract. In today’s increasingly globalized economy, parties to commercial contracts are often based in different jurisdictions, with varying contract laws, legal labels, and languages. This often results in one of the parties entering into a contract governed by the laws of an unfamiliar jurisdiction. Similarly, if the parties opt for a neutral governing law, they may both be unfamiliar with the laws that govern their contract. To address these challenges, Model Clauses for Contracting in Asia provides enforceable model clauses that are jurisdiction-neutral and applicable to any contract subject matter. Each model clause is designed to be enforceable irrespective of which jurisdiction is selected as the governing law and irrespective of the subject matter of the contract. Tilleke & Gibbins has also contributed to earlier publications released by ABLI under the project, including insights on contract breaches and administrative and tax requirements. Model Clauses for Contracting in Asia is available for purchase here, or a free preview version can be downloaded here.

Tilleke & Gibbins is proud to be one of the founding member firms for the newly launched Sino International Professional Advisory Council (SIPAC) platform. SIPAC is a global network of law firms that offer legal services tailored to the Chinese legal market. Legal advisors partnering with SIPAC provide Chinese companies with expert advice and guidance that enable them to conduct business in key jurisdictions around the world. SIPAC aims to create a platform that connects in-house counsel at Chinese companies with a wide range of legal services, to ensure that Chinese companies can conduct business overseas with maximum efficiency. By bringing together leading firms from different countries and industries, SIPAC offers a comprehensive solution for businesses seeking expert advice on doing business in different regions of the world. As a founding member firm of SIPAC, Tilleke & Gibbins brings a wealth of expertise and experience advising clients on complex legal matters across the region. The firm has been operating in Southeast Asia for over 130 years and has a team of over 220 lawyers, making it one of the largest in the region. With the launch of SIPAC, Tilleke & Gibbins and its fellow founding member firms are well-positioned to offer customized legal and regulatory recommendations that provide Chinese businesses with increased access to overseas markets.