IT was a joyous occasion for CBE (Chan Ban Eng & Co) after it was named the Winner of ‘Dispute Resolution Boutique Law Firm of the Year’, the first Penang law firm to do so, at the Thomson Reuters Asian Legal Business Malaysia Law Awards 2026, held at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The celebration was made even more memorable when its managing partner, JJ Chan, was announced runner-up for ‘Managing Partner of the Year’ as well as ‘Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year’.
Expressing his gratitude, Chan credited the firm’s success to his team, namely, Datuk Chan Ban Eng, Fazleeza Azli, Jael Ho and Phoebe Ng, as well as the wider CBE family for their dedication, excellence and hard work.
“This recognition by Thomson Reuters is deeply meaningful to us. It belongs to the entire CBE team and to Penang, where our professional roots were shaped over five decades ago. We remain committed to contributing to governance, education and healthcare, not just as lawyers, but as members of a community and a nation,” Chan told Buletin Mutiara.
“We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to our clients, friends and supporters for their trust, confidence and continued support.”
Chan, who read law at the Inns of Court School of Law (formerly known as the Council of Legal Education) with notable alumni such as Tunku Abdul Rahman and Lee Kuan Yew, was called to the Bar at the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London.
It has also been a remarkable period for Chan, who last year became the first Malaysian lawyer to be recognised across six major professional accolades.
These included being named among Asia’s Top 30 Litigators and Super 50 Disputes Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, recognition at the Malaysia and South-East Asia Law Awards 2025, inclusion in Asia Business Law Journal’s A-List: Malaysia’s Top Lawyers 2025, and the Lexology Index Client Choice Awards 2026 in London, where he was named the No. 1 Professional Negligence Lawyer in Malaysia.
Beyond accolades, Chan has also been appointed as a Subject Matter Expert for Financial Lines, including medical negligence, corporate, directors’ and officers’ liability, and insurance/reinsurance, by the Asian Institute of Insurance and the Singapore College of Insurance, both leading professional education bodies in the insurance and financial services sector.
Among his milestone achievements is the publication of the book, Directors & Officers Liability Insurance: Selected Articles, Cases and Materials, co-authored with international D&O expert Kevin LaCroix, with a foreword by Tan Sri Datuk Zainun Ali, Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Malaya and former Federal Court Judge.
The publication, the first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific, has been distributed to key stakeholders, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Chief Justice Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, Cabinet ministers, regulators and leading universities, as part of efforts to strengthen governance, accountability and risk management.
A significant focus of Chan’s work has been the healthcare sector, with CBE advising more than 100 hospitals on medico-legal issues, governance frameworks and regulatory compliance. He also serves as legal adviser to and sits on the board of several charitable and not-for-profit hospitals, reflecting a commitment to improving healthcare outcomes beyond commercial engagement.
CBE was also the sole Gold Partner of the inaugural Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) Conference 2026: Lawyering 2030, jointly organised with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Insolvency Department of Malaysia, held on April 2 and 3 at the Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
A defining hallmark of Chan and CBE is their commitment to pro bono education and sharing legal knowledge. The firm has consistently made its insights, commentaries and publications, particularly on corporate governance, healthcare, insurance and regulatory developments, freely accessible to the public.
They have conducted more than 200 pro bono briefings and training sessions across Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom, and JJ Chan has authored over 50 articles spanning financial lines, medical negligence, corporate law, directors’ and officers’ liability, insurance/reinsurance, constitutional law and broader governance and regulatory practice.
This underscores their conviction that making knowledge widely and responsibly accessible can help reinforce institutions and broaden public understanding beyond professional circles.
Alongside professional and educational efforts, JJ Chan continues to support a wide range of non-governmental organisations, leading universities, welfare initiatives and public causes in Penang and nationally. These include contributing to, holding positions in, and regularly donating to NGOs, education funds, healthcare institutions, and the state government, supporting the underprivileged and vulnerable community, as well as causes related to culture, education and community development. He is also the Legal Counsel of the Penang Chinese Clan Council and a long-time supporter of the annual Penang Miaohui festival.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix courtesy of CBE (Chan Ban Eng & Co)