Principal Partner

James is the principal partner of Messrs James Monteiro, Advocates & Solicitors. James specialises in civil & commercial litigation, construction & engineering risk management and dispute resolution. James has over 14 years of experience as a litigator in a variety of areas in both court and alternative dispute resolution. James has also advised clients in non-contentious commercial matters including joint ventures, shareholding, M&As and other general contractual matters.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor of Law (LLB Hons) from the University of Hertfordshire - 1994
• Barrister at Law – BPP College London / Lincoln’s Inn – 1995
• Admitted as an Advocate & Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya – 1996
• Legal Assistant at Messrs Shearn Delamore & Co. – 1996 to 2002
• Senior Associate at Messrs Zaid Ibrahim & Co. – 2002 to 2003
• Partner at Messrs Zaid Ibrahim & Co. – 2004 to 2009
• Principal Partner at Messrs James Monteiro – since 2009

Practice Areas

James advises both local and foreign clients; including individuals, professionals, and private and public listed companies, in a variety of areas including :

 
• Construction & Engineering
• Oil & Gas
• Commercial Litigation
• Civil Litigation
• Arbitration

Recent engagements

Contentious

• Acting for a sub-sub contractor who supplied and installed pipe installations and materials in a power station project in arbitration, and in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court;
• Acting for a large construction company in an arbitral dispute with the main contractor on delay and termination issues;
• Acting for the main contractor in a dispute with the superintending officer of the project in respect of certificate and payments issues;
• Acting for a main contractor against a specialist sub-contractor in respect of water-proofing failures;
• Acting for a management contractor against a developer on payment issues including set off of property in lieu of payment.

Non Contentious

• Acting for a Malaysian entity in a cross-border transaction including the M&A, Heads of Agreement, Joint Venture Agreement, and Shareholders Agreement.
• Acting for an international firm of specialist architects & designers to revamp their standard form contract.
• Acting for the white knight in the rehabilitation of an abandoned housing development project.

Other Areas

• Founding Member and Treasurer of the Society of Construction Law Malaysia;
• Member of the Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators;
• Sub-Committee Member of the Construction Law Sub-Committee of the Malaysian Bar Council;
• Past-President of the University of Hertfordshire Alumni Association of Malaysia;
• Deputy-President of the Selangor & Federal Territory Eurasian Association;
• James often speaks at and attends seminars and conferences on construction and alternative dispute resolution.