About the Firm
A Purposeful Practice in Financial Law
tabulaxxes was formed to serve clients who need clear, unhurried legal analysis of financing matters — without the overhead of a large full-service firm.
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How tabulaxxes Came to Be
tabulaxxes was established at KL Sentral in 2019 by a group of lawyers who had spent several years in the banking and capital markets teams of larger firms. The work was substantive, but the format — large teams, divided responsibilities, and billing structures that rewarded complexity — left them wanting something different.
The name refers to a clean slate: a practice structured from the ground up around focused engagements, written outputs that clients can actually use, and fees that reflect the defined scope of work rather than the open-ended accumulation of hours. From the beginning, the practice has handled loan documentation, corporate financing transactions, and banking regulatory advisory under Malaysian law.
The KL Sentral location was chosen deliberately. Positioned at the intersection of the financial and governmental districts, the office is accessible to clients from both the banking community and the corporate sector — and from individuals who need careful legal review of a financing arrangement before they sign.
tabulaxxes does not handle litigation, general commercial work, or property conveyancing. The practice has remained within its defined scope since founding, which allows the team to go deeper into financing matters than a generalist practice typically can.
The Team
People Behind the Practice
Ahmad Riza Ibrahim
Founding Partner
Ahmad Riza leads the corporate financing and banking regulatory practice. He spent seven years in the banking law group of a major KL firm before establishing tabulaxxes in 2019. His work covers syndicated lending, project finance, and regulatory advisory for Malaysian financial institutions.
Sharifah Liana Azhar
Partner
Sharifah Liana's work focuses on documentation for individual and small business borrowers — home financing, term loans, and refinancing. She joined tabulaxxes in 2020 after several years in the retail banking legal team of a domestic bank. She writes the plain-language advisory notes that accompany each engagement.
Krishnan Mahadevan
Senior Associate
Krishnan handles conditions precedent management, closing logistics, and ongoing regulatory briefings for institutional clients. He joined tabulaxxes in 2022 from the structured finance team of a regional bank, bringing experience in securitisation and note issuance programme documentation.
Standards
How the Practice Operates
Malaysian Bar Membership
All practising members of tabulaxxes hold valid practising certificates issued by the Malaysian Bar. The firm is registered under the Legal Profession Act 1976 and maintains professional indemnity insurance.
Defined Scope Engagements
Every engagement begins with a written scope of work. Fees are agreed at the outset and tied to that scope. If additional work becomes necessary, this is discussed before it is undertaken — no unexpected additions to the invoice.
Legal Privilege and Confidentiality
All client information is handled under legal professional privilege. The practice adheres to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and maintains appropriate data handling protocols for both individual and corporate clients.
Written Outputs as Standard
tabulaxxes's engagements produce written records — advisory notes, closing memoranda, and correspondence files — so clients have a clear account of advice received and decisions made, for future reference.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
The practice complies with its reporting obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) and conducts client due diligence in line with Malaysian Bar guidelines.
Response Time Commitment
Enquiries received during office hours receive an acknowledgement the same day. For active engagements, client queries are addressed within one working day as a matter of practice — not a formal service level, but a consistent habit.
Banking and Finance Law Advisory in Kuala Lumpur
tabulaxxes operates at the intersection of Malaysian banking law and practical transactional work. The practice covers loan documentation review for personal and small business borrowers, the full documentation suite for corporate financing transactions, and ongoing regulatory advisory for institutions navigating the frameworks administered by Bank Negara Malaysia and the Securities Commission.
The location at Plaza Sentral, KL Sentral places the office within the financial centre of Kuala Lumpur, accessible to clients across the city and the Klang Valley. For individuals reviewing a home financing facility letter, or for a corporate borrower closing a term loan, proximity to the banking district matters.
The practice's focus on banking and finance law — to the exclusion of general commercial work — means that the team spends its working time entirely within this field. Regulatory developments under BAFIA and IFSA, BNM policy documents on responsible financing and product transparency, and developments in Islamic finance documentation are tracked as a matter of course, not as occasional research projects.
Work with tabulaxxes
Speak with the Team
For a preliminary conversation about how the practice can assist with your financing matter, the team is available by phone or email on working days.
Get in Touch