Our People
Christina Lau Zhi Yan
PARTNER
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Christina obtained a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from Northumbria University, United Kingdom in
2010. She then undertook and completed the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and
became a member of the Middle Temple, Inns of Court and was called to the English Bar in
2011. She then chambered with a property & litigation law firm and was admitted to the
Malaysian Bar in January 2013.
Prior to joining MKP in May 2019, Christina practiced in the areas of civil and commercial
litigation, handling general litigation matters, professional negligence (under professional
indemnity insurance), banking litigation, medico-legal claims, tenancy disputes, insolvency and
debt recovery matters.
Since joining the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department of the firm, she has been handling civil and commercial litigation, construction litigation and arbitration, statutory adjudication, industrial relations and employment and dispute resolution matters on behalf of clients of the firm. She leads the firm’s employment and industrial relations practice, including advising on and handling disputes relating to disciplinary procedures, termination of employees, unfair dismissal matters, employment contracts, severance agreements, human resources handbooks and policies and labour relations.
Christina has appeared as junior or lead counsel in adjudications, arbitrations and at all levels of the Malaysian Court hierarchy.
Since joining the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department of the firm, she has been handling civil and commercial litigation, construction litigation and arbitration, statutory adjudication, industrial relations and employment and dispute resolution matters on behalf of clients of the firm. She leads the firm’s employment and industrial relations practice, including advising on and handling disputes relating to disciplinary procedures, termination of employees, unfair dismissal matters, employment contracts, severance agreements, human resources handbooks and policies and labour relations.
Christina has appeared as junior or lead counsel in adjudications, arbitrations and at all levels of the Malaysian Court hierarchy.
Christina was promoted to the position of Senior Associate on 1 April 2021 prior to her
admission as a Partner on 1 September 2024.
Areas of Practice
- Civil and Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
- Construction Litigation and Arbitration
- Corporate and Securities Regulation and Litigation
- Dispute Resolution
- Employment
- Property and Real Estate Litigation
Professional Affiliations:
- The Honourable Society of Middle Temple, 2011
- Malaysian Bar, 2013
Qualification
- Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Northumbria University, 2010
Personal Involvements:
- Defended a multinational telecommunication, information technology and consumer electronics corporation (Malaysia entity) in resisting an employee’s unfair dismissal claim.
- Advised on a retrenchment exercise for the operations in Malaysia of a multinational power management company.
- Recovery of debt for the executor of an estate.
- Resisting an application for judicial management at the High Court and Court of Appeal.
- Acted for the Chairman of a Malaysian-based corporation in a defamation claim.
- Acted for a property developer and multinational power management company in adjudication and arbitration claims.
Amongst the notable matters that Christina has acted as counsel / co-counsel are the following:
- Defended a multinational telecommunication, information technology and consumer electronics corporation (Malaysia entity) in resisting an employee’s unfair dismissal claim.
- Advised on a retrenchment exercise for the operations in Malaysia of a multinational power management company.
- Recovery of debt for the executor of an estate.
- Resisting an application for judicial management at the High Court and Court of Appeal.
- Acted for the Chairman of a Malaysian-based corporation in a defamation claim.
- Acted for a property developer and multinational power management company in adjudication and arbitration claims.