Six reasons clients engage kencanapad
Senior counsel at every stage
From first document review to closing, engagements are led and managed by a practitioner of at least ten years' experience in banking and finance law.
Exclusively focused practice
The firm handles only banking and finance law. There is no general commercial department, no litigation group, and no employment team sharing resources with the transactional practice.
Malaysian market fluency
Counsel who have negotiated Malaysian facility documentation across market cycles understand the local conventions that generic template advice does not capture.
Islamic finance depth
A dedicated Islamic finance practitioner with INCEIF credentials and direct experience of Malaysian and Labuan transaction documentation.
Transparent fee arrangements
Fee scope and amount are agreed at the outset and set out in writing. Clients are not presented with revisions after scope has been agreed unless a material change in work scope is agreed in writing first.
Direct communication
Clients communicate directly with the counsel responsible for their matter. Queries are not relayed through assistants or managed through ticketing systems.
Professional expertise in banking law
The practitioners at kencanapad came from banking and finance groups at Malaysian commercial firms where they advised on large facility and Islamic finance transactions. That background means they carry institutional familiarity with how lenders approach documentation negotiations, which is directly useful when advising borrowers.
It also means the firm does not need to re-acquaint itself with Malaysian market conventions at each new engagement — knowledge of how a particular clause has been treated across recent transactions is current and accessible.
- Combined 20+ years of banking law experience across the team
- Familiarity with BNM regulatory requirements and SC guidelines
- Direct experience with Malaysian and regional syndication practices
Bilateral and syndicated facility documentation, from term sheet through to closing
Security interests under the National Land Code, Companies Act 2016, and general law
Islamic finance structures including Sukuk, Murabahah, Ijarah, and Musharakah arrangements
Enforcement and recovery including receiver appointments and winding-up
A staged, document-centred process
Each engagement follows a clear sequence, communicated to the client at the outset: what is being reviewed first, what decisions are needed and when, and what will be attended to at closing. This mirrors the way the transaction itself is structured — as a set of documents in a deliberate order.
- 01 Engagement letter issued and agreed, scope and fee confirmed
- 02 Term sheet or mandate letter review and comment delivered
- 03 Facility agreement and security documentation review and negotiation
- 04 Conditions precedent checklist managed and signed documents coordinated
- 05 Closing attendance, completion meeting, and post-closing registration matters
"Knowing what happens at each stage removes a significant source of uncertainty for borrowers who are managing the transaction alongside their own business responsibilities."
The firm provides a written transaction timeline at the engagement outset, updated if circumstances change, so clients are not left guessing at the stage of their transaction.
Client communication as a professional standard
The firm sets an internal standard: clients receive a response to any communication within one business day. This is not a marketing commitment but an operating expectation that all practitioners are held to.
Clients also receive copies of all document markups and correspondence with opposing counsel as the transaction progresses, rather than receiving edited summaries. Transparency in the documentation process allows clients to make informed decisions at each negotiation point.
One business day response standard on all client communications
Direct access to the senior practitioner managing the engagement
Document markups shared with clients at each revision, not just at execution
Written closing bible prepared and delivered at transaction completion
How our approach differs from the alternatives
| FEATURE | TYPICAL LARGER FIRMS | kencanapad |
|---|---|---|
| Who leads the engagement | Partner-supervised associate team | Senior practitioner, personal involvement |
| Practice scope | Broad multi-department firm | Banking and finance only |
| Fee transparency | Time-based billing, variable | Agreed at outset, confirmed in writing |
| Islamic finance capability | Varies by firm and availability | Dedicated practitioner with INCEIF background |
| Client communication | Routed through team members | Direct access to lead counsel |
| Borrower-protective posture | Depends on instruction source | Default starting position on MAC/covenant terms |
What sets kencanapad apart
The Kencana Vault approach
Every engagement is treated as a sequence of documents — term sheet, facility agreement, security package, closing bible. This staged approach mirrors how transactions are actually structured, so nothing is reviewed out of context and no document is signed without the others being understood.
Shariah-integrated documentation
Islamic finance documentation at kencanapad is not adapted from conventional precedents. It is drafted from Shariah-compatible structures, coordinated with the client's Shariah adviser from the outset rather than reviewed for compliance after the fact.
Enforcement experience informing transaction work
Having handled enforcement proceedings — receiver appointments, winding-up, statutory demands — the firm's transactional practitioners draft security documents with an understanding of what actually matters when enforcement becomes necessary.
No volume targets
The firm does not set transaction volume targets. The number of engagements accepted at any time is limited by the capacity of the senior practitioners available to lead them. This is a structural feature of the firm's model, not a service commitment subject to change.
Recognition and professional standing
Years of Malaysian banking law practice across the senior team
Facility and Islamic finance transactions attended to closing
Dedicated practice areas covering the full transaction lifecycle
Engagements led to closing by senior practitioners under direct supervision
Malaysian Bar Council
All practitioners hold valid practising certificates and meet annual CPD requirements
INCEIF Qualification
Lead Islamic finance practitioner holds qualification from the Global University of Islamic Finance
AIBIM Affiliate
Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia — professional participation in industry developments
Ready to discuss your transaction?
A brief conversation about the nature and timing of your transaction costs nothing. We are happy to indicate whether the firm is likely to be a good fit before any engagement is formalised.
Contact the Firm