Preetha Pillai is a Partner and Head of SKRINE’s Tax and Customs Practice Group. Having joined Skrine in 1998 after completing a Masters’ degree in International Business Law at King’s College London as a Chevening – British High Commission scholar, she was made partner in 2007.
Preetha’s expertise is in commercial disputes. She is a constant presence at the High Court and Appellate Courts and her commercial practice also includes acting as counsel in local and international arbitration proceedings. She acts for clients in various industries and across multiple jurisdictions and in a broad range of commercial disputes involving joint-ventures, supply of services and good in the information technology sector, leasing and financing and land, to name a few.
Preetha has built considerable experience particularly in the area of asset recovery in fraud matters requiring involvement at the forensic investigation stage, providing strategic advice on evidence gathering, obtaining interlocutory orders for preservation of assets and evidence and on ultimately handling the litigation to recover the client’s assets.
As a natural extension to this commercial practice, she also handles insolvency related matters.
Preetha’s Tax and Customs practice includes having acted for a multitude of clients in relation to all types of fiscally-driven issues, from corporate income tax, goods and services tax, stamping duties, ratings to excise and customs duties. Her team comprises not just commercially minded lawyers but also a trained accountant enabling her team to provide corporate clients with a unique blend of legal and commercial solutions. The strength of the team is finding the most effective and efficient solution for the client.
Her other main area of interest and expertise is Administrative and Constitutional Law, where she has acted in land acquisition matters and in actions against the local government. This area of law is a natural fit for Preetha who has a strong interest in rights-based disputes.
Preetha also heads the firm’s Social Responsibility Unit. In this capacity, she co-ordinates and directs the pro-bono activities undertaken by Skrine’s lawyers. Skrine has formed collaborations with various organisations with particular focus on the rights of children to education, rights of stateless persons and refugees and reform of the criminal justice system for children.
Areas of Practice
Commercial Litigation & Arbitration, Tax & Customs, Fraud Investigation & Asset Recovery, Public and Administrative Law, Insolvency & Restructuring
Qualifications
- Advocate & Solicitor, High Court of Malaya
- LLB (Hons) University of London
- LLM, International Business Law, King’s College, University of London
Professional Affiliations
- Officer, International Bar Association - Asia Pacific Regional Forum
- Secretary, International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation – Malaysian Chapter