Teja Penesar

Teja Penesar, the founding partner of the firm graduated with a (B.A.)(Honours) in Economics from University Malaya in 1975. He then decided to pursue legal studies and was called to the English Bar in August 1978. He was admitted to the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London. Upon his return to Malaysia, he commenced pupilage under Mr. Goh Lim Eam of Ms. Goh Lim Eam & Company and received instructions primarily in Civil Law. Mr. Penesar was called to the Malaysian Bar on 11th October, 1979, and thereafter was employed by his master as a legal assistant.

In or about 1983, Mr. Penesar, together with G. Sutherson, commenced the practice of Ms. G. Sutherson & Teja. In or about the year 1996, Yahaya Hashim joined the practice and the name of the firm was changed to M/. Yahaya, Sutherson & Teja. The new firm expanded its practice and successfully obtained a position on the panel of legal advisers for several banks and financial institutions including Ban Hin Lee Bank Bhd, Asia Commercial Finance and UDA. The scope of his work was enlarged to include banking, criminal law and civil litigation.

In or about 1996, Mr. Penesar commenced the practice of M/s. Teja Singh Penesar & Company. In his 30 years of legal experience, Mr. Penesar has been involved in a plethora of defining cases, most notably the Supreme Court decision of Thow Chow Goon & Anor v. Khor Kar Chooi & Anor which is the current leading case on adoption and infant welfare as well as the case of Abu Bakar Jaafar & Anor V Malayan Banking Berhad, the current leading case which fortified the principles applicable to the doctrine of ‘relating back’ and more importantly, the crucial issue of whether or not the bank is justified in freezing accounts soon after it has notice of a bankruptcy notice.

Currently, Mr. Penesar assumes the role of a consultant in the Firm and only takes on briefs in relation to land disputes, his specialised area of practice.

Practice Areas

- Bankruptcy

- Family

- Probate & Administration

- Land

Qualification

- (B.A.)(Honours) in Economics, University Malaya,(1975)

- B (Honours), London (1978)

- Barrister-at-Law, Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, London (1978)

- Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya (1979)

Richelle Tan Li Xian

Qualifications:

• LLB (Honours) Multimedia University, Melaka 2021
• Admission to the Malaysian Bar, 2022

Years in practice:

• 2022 – Present

Richelle graduated from Multimedia University, Meaka with a LLB (Honours) degree. She was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor in the High Court of Malaya in 2022. Having completed her pupillage at Messrs. Ong & Raymond Hor, she joined Teja Singh Penesar & Co as an associate in 2022.

Esvine Saganathan

Qualifications:

• LLB (Honours) University of Hertfordshire, 2014
• Admission to the Bar of England & Wales (Lincoln's Inn), 2018
• Admission to the Malaysian Bar, 2020

Years in practice:

• 2020 – Present

Esvine graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a LLB (Honours) degree.

She was awarded the Vice-Chancellor International Scholarship to pursue the Bar Professional Training Course at Manchester Metropolitan University and thereafter, she was called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in 2018. She also holds a Civil & Commercial Mediator Accreditation obtained from the ADR Group UK. Esvine was admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 2020.

Esvine commenced her pupillage at Messrs Harold & Lam Partnership in the Dispute Resolution unit. She has mainly been involved in litigation and arbitration matters in the areas of practice dealing with disputes related to construction, contractual and probate. She then joined Teja Singh Penesar & Co in June 2021 where her practice primarily involved civil litigation.