Esther Lee Zhi Qian

Associate

Esther Lee is an Associate in the Kuala Lumpur office with a primary focus in restructuring and insolvency, corporate and shareholder disputes, and real estate litigation. She is actively involved in complex restructuring exercises, including in Malaysia’s first pre-packed scheme of arrangement, a significant milestone in the country’s corporate rescue landscape.

Esther also acts in restructuring-related proceedings, including contested receiverships and winding-up matters, shareholder disputes and land-related litigation. She is committed to achieving commercially sound resolutions while upholding the highest standards of professionalism.

Key Practice Areas

  • Restructuring and Insolvency
  • Company & Shareholder Disputes
  • Civil & Commercial Litigation
  • Land & Real Estate
  • Debt recovery

Key Expertise

  • Advise creditors, debtors, and liquidators in restructuring, receivership, and winding-up matters.
  • Experienced in shareholder disputes involving oppression actions, derivative actions, and breaches of fiduciary duties.
  • Strategic approach and responsiveness under urgent timelines.
  • Strong focus on enforceable outcomes and early risk containment for complex commercial disputes.

Work Highlights

  • Assisted in proposed pre-packaged scheme of arrangement pursuant to Section 369C of the Companies Act, involving 126 purchasers with RM70 million claim for a developer based in Malaysia.
  • Assisted in a high-value shareholder dispute concerning oppression, breaches of directors’ duties and misappropriation of company funds.
  • Resisted a Mareva injunction application for a claim over RM 3 million.
  • Acted for creditors in the appointment of private liquidator and post-winding up disputes.
  • Assisted in corporate recovery strategies including judicial management and schemes of arrangement.
  • Represented clients in real estate and land disputes involving Guaranteed Rental Return Scheme.
  • Acted for landlord in disputes arising from tenancy agreements.

Publications/Talks

  • “Garnishee Order to Show Cause” Does Not Affect / Freeze Monies Paid After Service of Order (Chambers and Partners) 28 February 2024
  • Constructive Dismissal: The Applicable Test – “Contract Test” vs “The Reasonableness Test” – HHQ Empower April 2024
  • Are Oppression Claims Arbitrable? (Chambers and Partners) 18 September 2024
  • Low Cheng Teik v. Low Ean Nee: Oppression or Derivative Actions? – HHQ Empower September 2024
  • Overview of Key Amendments to Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 – HHQ Empower October 2024
  • The Without Prejudice Shield in Civil Litigation – HHQ Empower April 2025
  • The Rights of Unsecured Creditors to Intervene in Judicial Management Proceedings – The Legal Industry Review (LIR) Edition 3, April 2025
  • Employees Resignations: Is it too late to change your mind? – HHQ Empower July 2025
  • Pre-pack Scheme of Arrangements under Section 369C Companies Act 2016 (Legal Industry Reviews, Edition 4, August 2025)
  • Employees Resignations: Is It Too Late to Change Your Mind (Lexology, 12 September 2025)

Reported Decisions

  • Brandon Yeoh Phee Liang v Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara, Malaysia [2025] MLJU 2779; [2025] CLJU 2211
  • Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd v Lim Yaw Boon [2025] MLJU 4733

Qualifications & Professional Affiliations

  • Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya (2024)
  • LB (Hons), Multimedia University (2023)
  • Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya

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