Rabinder Budiman & Associates
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About Us
Rabinder Budiman & Associates was founded in 2003 with a clear intention: to build a practice centred on advocacy and going to court, not on volume work or a broad service menu. Two decades and five lawyers later, that intention has not changed.
This page is for those who want to understand the firm properly before getting in touch. The homepage tells you what we do. This page tells you who we are and how we got here.
How The Firm Was Built
Dato’ Rabinder Singh was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn, London, before returning to Malaysia to practise. His early career was not incidental. He underwent pupillage at Messrs Karpal Singh & Co. under the late YB Karpal Singh, one of the most consequential advocates in Malaysian legal history and the former Leader of the Opposition. He then joined Messrs Shafee & Co. as a Legal Assistant. Both were the kind of chambers where advocacy was treated as a discipline, not a department
He founded Rabinder Budiman & Associates in 2003 alongside Budiman Lutfi, graced by YM Tan Sri Dato’ Paduka Tengku Noor Zakiah Binti Tengku Ismail, Founder Emeritus of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, reflecting the confidence and esteem accorded to the Firm at its inception. The firm’s founding position was simple: do fewer things well rather than everything at a standard level. Civil disputes, commercial matters, construction claims, contract disputes, criminal proceedings, employment and industrial relations, family, probate — the work has always been built around going to court and resolving what cannot be resolved any other way.
In April 2026, Budiman Lutfi was elevated to Judicial Commissioner at the High Court of Malaya. Nik Habri, a former member of the firm, is now a Sessions Court Judge. The fact that two lawyers who came out of RBA now sit on the bench is not incidental. It reflects what two decades of practice at this level produces.
24 Years
Expertise in Legal
The Record
Dato’ Rabinder Singh was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn, London, before returning to Malaysia to practise. His early career was not incidental. He underwent pupillage at Messrs Karpal Singh & Co. under the late YB Karpal Singh, one of the most consequential advocates in Malaysian legal history and the former Leader of the Opposition. He then joined Messrs Shafee & Co. as a Legal Assistant. Both were the kind of chambers where advocacy was treated as a discipline, not a department
Beyond individual cases, Dato’ Rabinder acts as Counsel at the British High Commission, Kuala Lumpur. The British High Commission is the UK government’s diplomatic mission in Malaysia. An institutional appointment of that kind requires the British government to place considerable trust in the judgment and discretion of the lawyer it appoints. It is a different kind of credential signal from a case result: it reflects how external institutions assess counsel’s standing, not just individual clients.
The People
The firm has five lawyers in active practice. Each has a distinct background. Together they cover a broader range of matters than the firm’s founding scope, without losing the discipline that comes from treating court work seriously.
Dato' Rabinder Singh
leads on high-profile civil and criminal litigation, complex commercial disputes, construction and contract matters, M&A advisory, debt restructuring, and strata management. After 24 years at the Malaysian Bar, his practice is simultaneously the firm's anchor and its ceiling for complex matters.
Nabilah Jasmine
spent time as in-house counsel before returning to private practice. That background — advising on corporate risk from inside a business — gives her a perspective most litigators only develop after years of working with corporate clients. She handles civil and commercial disputes, family and matrimonial matters, employment and industrial relations, probate, and debt recovery.
Wong Chee Wing
known as Kel, has developed a broad litigation practice through his experience at several established law firms. During his tenure at Othman Hashim, he acted as panel counsel for Allianz Malaysia Berhad and Zurich General Insurance Malaysia Berhad. His practice spans commercial disputes, insurance litigation, construction, maritime, criminal law, strata management, family law, and industrial relations, enabling him to advise clients across a wide range of contentious matters.
Cheang Angel
holds a Master of Commercial Law from the University of Malaya, reflecting her commitment to academic excellence and the continued development of her legal expertise. Her practice focuses on civil litigation, construction disputes, probate, and debt recovery. She is particularly experienced in the preparation of cause papers, pleadings, and legal opinions, recognising that meticulous legal drafting and sound legal analysis often form the foundation of successful litigation.
Nurul Fatihah binti Mohamad Arof
graduated with First Class Honours from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and subsequently obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Syariah Law and Practice from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). Prior to joining RBA in March 2026, she gained extensive litigation experience in high-value disputes, handling matters with claims exceeding RM180 million. Within her first four years of practice, she appeared before courts at every level of the Malaysian superior and subordinate court system, reflecting the breadth of her advocacy experience.
What Our Clients Say
Construction
Successfully representing client in recovery processes for outstanding payment above a million in various projects.
Corporate
Assisted client in obtaining a Fortuna Injunction to avoid a winding-up petition being abused as duress against client.
Shipping & Maritime
Acted for a vessel owner in admiralty and arbitration proceedings, securing a favourable settlement.
Corporate & Commercial
Assisted client to enforce specific performance against a Receiver & Manager of a company.
Get in Touch
Most people contact us before they are certain they need a lawyer. That is the right time to call.
Tell us what is happening. We will tell you honestly whether we can help and what the next step looks like.