The Firm
A small firm,by design.
AUREL & TAN was founded in 2011 on a simple idea: that clients with consequential matters deserve senior attention throughout, clear written advice and an honest account of cost. We have stayed small so that we can keep that promise.
- Founded
- 2011
- Office
- Kuala Lumpur
- Lawyers
- 06
- Practices
- 05
01Approach
What clients can expect
Senior attention,throughout.
Many firms win work with partners and do it with juniors. We are organised the other way round. A partner leads every matter and remains the person you speak to; associates prepare and check, so that partner time goes where judgement is needed.
That shapes everything else: how many matters we take on, how we write, and how we charge.
- 1.1
Partner-led, start to finish
The partner you speak to first is the partner responsible for the advice. They do not hand the matter on once it is won.
- 1.2
Advice you can act on
We write conclusions first and reasons second, in plain language, with a clear recommendation where one is possible.
- 1.3
Candour about merits and cost
We tell clients early what we think their position is worth, what it will cost to pursue, and when it is time to stop.
02Values
Four words we hold ourselves to
Values
- 01
Clarity
Short documents where short will do. A summary at the top of every piece of advice.
- 02
Candour
An honest view, given early and in writing, even when it is not the one the client hoped for.
- 03
Care
Matters handled as if they were our own, because to the client they are the only matter.
- 04
Continuity
Relationships measured in decades: the same lawyers, the same standard, matter after matter.
03How an engagement works
Six steps, all in writing
From first requestto closing letter.
Nothing chargeable happens until you have the engagement letter. Nothing changes in scope or cost without you hearing about it first.
- 01
Request
You describe the matter briefly — what it concerns, not the confidential detail. A partner reads every request.
- 02
Conflict check
We confirm that we are free to act for you and that no one else we act for is on the other side.
- 03
First conversation
Around forty-five minutes, by video or in person, without charge. You leave with a view of the options and the next step.
- 04
Engagement letter
Scope, the team by name, the fee basis and estimate, billing intervals and how to raise a concern — in writing, before chargeable work.
- 05
The work
Updates at the intervals agreed. If the scope changes, we say so and revise the estimate before going further.
- 06
Closing
A closing letter confirming what was done, what remains your responsibility and how your file is kept.
04Fees
Set out before work begins
How feesare worked out.
The basis depends on the work. Whichever applies, it is agreed in the engagement letter, with an estimate, before any chargeable work begins.
| Basis | Usually for | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed fee | ForDefined pieces of work: a shareholders’ agreement, a handbook review, a will. | One agreed figure for an agreed scope. Anything outside the scope is quoted before it is done. |
| Phased estimate | ForTransactions and projects that move in stages. | An estimate for each phase, reviewed with you at the end of each one. |
| Time-based, with estimate | ForDisputes and matters whose course depends on others. | Hourly rates by seniority, a written estimate, and notice before the estimate is reached — never after. |
| Prescribed scale | ForConveyancing work where a statutory scale applies. | Fees follow the scale. We set out separately anything that falls outside it. |
| Retainer | ForOngoing advice for companies and families. | A monthly fee for an agreed range of advice, reviewed annually. |
You will always know
- 1.Who is working on your matter, by name, and who to call.
- 2.The fee basis and the estimate, before chargeable work begins.
- 3.Itemised bills with a description of the work, at agreed intervals.
- 4.Advance notice if the estimate is likely to be exceeded, and why.
Illustrative. AUREL & TAN is a fictional firm: it offers no services and quotes no fees. This section shows how a real firm can explain its engagement terms clearly.
05Responsible practice
The obligationsbehind the work.
- Confidentiality
- What clients tell us stays with the people working on their matter. Files are restricted to the named team.
- Conflicts of interest
- Every new matter is checked before we discuss its substance. If we cannot act, we say so promptly and do not use what we have been told.
- Personal data
- Personal information is handled in line with Malaysia’s Personal Data Protection Act 2010, kept no longer than necessary and never sold or shared for marketing.
- Concerns
- Every engagement letter names a partner, other than the one handling the matter, to whom a client can raise a concern about our service or our bills.
About this concept: concept notice, privacy & credits.
Consultation
Begin with ashort request.
Four short steps: the kind of matter, a brief outline, when you are free to talk, and a review. A partner reads every request.
- 01Matter
- 02Outline
- 03Availability
- 04Review
Concept site: the request is a working demonstration and nothing is sent. Read the notice.