Biography: Arbitration

Cecil, senior partner and head of dispute resolution in Zul Rafique & Partners, has more than 40 years of legal experience. He has an extensive practice and appears frequently as arbitrator and also as counsel in domestic and international arbitrations conducted under the UNCITRAL, ICC, SIAC, KLRCA, LCIA and ICSID Rules of Arbitration. He has been nominated to the ICSID panel by the government of Malaysia and presently sits in annulment and arbitration proceedings.

Cecil is a council member of the International Council of Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), and a past vice-president of the Asia Pacific Regional Arbitration Group (APRAG). He is an accredited mediator and is on the panel of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration (SCMA).

Cecil graduated with an LLB Honours from Queen Mary College, University of London and was called to the English Bar. Cecil was admitted to the Malaysian Bar in February 1970. He is a Fellow of Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK, Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators, the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators and the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration. He is also a chartered arbitrator.

In Chambers Asia Pacific 2011 edition, Cecil is described as 'an expert in alternative dispute resolution' and is described by clients as 'a voice of reason who people will listen to'.

Biography: Commercial Litigation

Cecil is the head of dispute resolution in Zul Rafique & Partners. He practises exclusively as an advocate in the Superior Courts of Malaysia in all areas of commercial law. He has an extensive appellate court practice. Cecil has acted as counsel in many landmark cases involving banks, finance companies and multi-nationals and also in defamation and judicial review cases. There are over 250 cases reported in the Malaysian Law Reports where he has appeared as counsel. He has appeared in five landmark cases in the then Privy Council when it was the final Court of Appeal for Malaysia. He is frequently instructed as leading counsel by other Malaysian law firms.

Cecil also has an extensive arbitration practice and has acted as counsel in international arbitrations conducted under the SIAC, ICC, KLRCA and ICSID Rules. He was counsel to the government of Malaysia in an ICSID arbitration.

Cecil has also given expert evidence on Malaysian law in a number of foreign courts.

The Asia Pacific Legal 500 2010/2011 edition has said: 'Zul Rafique & Partners features the outstanding Cecil Abraham, whose clients still regard him as 'one of the leading litigators in Malaysia', thanks to his 'sound judgement', 'knowledge', 'experience' and 'very modern approach to client services'. He is also a respected arbitrator.'