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Part II of 1988: Reunion of the Advocates explores the critical days following the Supreme Court’s order of 2 July 1988. In this episode, the lawyers who were directly involved share their experiences of the aftermath — including the suspension of five Supreme Court judges, the legal consequences, and the eventual disbanding of the team that defended Tun Salleh Abas. Their reflections offer a candid and thoughtful perspective on the strain placed on the legal system — and on those who sought to uphold its integrity. 🎧 Featuring: Tan Sri Dato’ Cecil Abraham, Dato’ Loh Siew Cheang, Tan Sri Ariff Yusof, Wilfred Abraham, Robert Lazar, Philip Koh, and Wong Chong Wah reflect on the cases, the climate, and the cost of speaking up – interviewed by Alex De Silva and Razlan Hadri Zulkifli.  Special thanks to the sponsors and organisers for bringing this special episode to life!  

A notable chapter in Malaysian legal history, and one of the most meaningful episodes we’ve recorded.    1988: Reunion of the Advocates (Part I) brings together the lawyers who represented Tun Salleh Abas during the constitutional crisis that tested the judiciary. In this special episode, they revisit the challenges, collaboration, and decisions that marked that period – offering reflections that continue to resonate nearly four decades later.    This is more than a recounting of legal proceedings; it is a reflection on principle, professionalism, and the often-unseen weight of standing firm in difficult times.  🎙️ Featuring: Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, Datuk Darryl Goon, Dato’ Cyrus Das, Dato’ Varghese George, and Porres Royan (answers only) – interviewed by Gopal Sreenevasan and Kwan Will Sen.     Special thanks to the sponsors and organisers for bringing this special episode to life!  

Brenda Hale, Rt Hon the Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE, is a highly accomplished legal figure with a remarkable career in academia, law practice, and judiciary. Baroness Hale made history in 1984 as the first woman and youngest person appointed to the Law Commission, where she spearheaded crucial reforms in family and mental disability law. Her judicial journey saw her ascend as a part-time judge, eventually becoming a QC in 1989 and a full-time judge in the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales in 1994. Lady Hale achieved numerous groundbreaking milestones, becoming the first and only woman to be appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 2004 and the first woman to serve on the newly established Supreme Court. Her dedication and expertise led to her appointment as Deputy President in 2013 and subsequently as President from 2017 to 2020, cementing her status as an influential legal figure in the United Kingdom.

Datuk Darryl Goon is a retired Court of Appeal Judge. He is a consultant at the firm of Raja Darryl & Loh. Prior to joining the bench, he was heading the dispute resolution practice at Raja Darryl & Loh. At the bar he was widely regarded as one of the foremost litigators in Malaysia. 35 years of experience is a lot to squeeze in one episode, but we must try! Catch Gopal, Razlan and Datuk Darryl in this episode of Advocates the Podcast!

In this episode, we sit down with Clive Grossman KC, SC, a highly accomplished lawyer with extensive experience in criminal litigation, commercial and white-collar crime, money-laundering, corruption, and human rights issues. Clive graduated from the University of Cape Town and was called to the Rhodesian Bar in 1967, later becoming Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in Hong Kong before leaving the public sector in 1994. He has been involved in many high-profile cases and has advised several governments on international criminal practice. In addition to his legal expertise, Clive has also served as Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association and has experience in public law and civil practice. Join us for an insightful conversation with Clive Grossman SC.

Professor Leslie Thomas KC is a highly acclaimed human rights and civil liberties barrister in the UK, with expertise in claims against the police and other public authorities, as well as claims against corporate bodies. He has represented many bereaved families in inquests and public inquiries where there has been abuse of state or corporate power. Professor Thomas has won numerous awards for his work, including Legal Aid Barrister of the Year in 2012 and 2016, and Outstanding Contribution to D&I in the UK Chambers Bar Awards in 2020. He was appointed Gresham Professor of Law in 2020, and is also a visiting Professor of Law at Goldsmith College, University of London. His autobiography, "Do Right and Fear No One", will be released in April 2022.

Robert Richter KC is an Australian Barrister based in Melbourne who has handled a wide array of high profile cases some of which involved Defendants unpopular in the public opinion. He is the former chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, former President of Victorian Council for Civil Liberties, former part-time Law Reform Commissioner for Victoria and former member of Bar Council. Professor Richter was admitted to practice as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1970 and appointed Queen's Counsel in 1985. He has a full time practice, specialising in criminal law and associated fields and is formerly a part-time tutor in Torts and Evidence at the University of Melbourne.

We are always privileged here at Advocates the Podcast to be able to speak to top advocates with fascinating stories from their time at the bar. Dato Sitham is no exception. His is a name many in Malaysia would be familiar with having acted as counsel in numerous cases of national interest. He is well sought after as a criminal and civil trial lawyer and his skillset as an advocate is highly rated. Dato Sitham is the past Chairman of the Penang Bar Committee and a past member of the Malaysian Bar Council. Currently, he is the Co-Chairman of the Criminal Law Sub-Committee of the Malaysian Bar Council. 

Steven Thompson KC, who took silk in 2005, has a commercial chancery practice in the UK with a particular emphasis on civil fraud actions, company/joint venture disputes, insolvency issues and aviation disputes. He regularly appears in all tiers of Courts in the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands having been called to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the Eastern Caribbean. Steven is regularly instructed on international arbitrations from London to Dubai and is one of a very few English barristers who has conducted a full trial in the Court of First Instance in Dubai. Steven also has very interesting roots in Malaysia that are explored in this episode. Catch Gopal and Razlan as they host Steven on this episode of Advocates the Podcast.

Geoff Budlender SC is a human rights advocate, with clients ranging from the government to social justice organizations. In 1979, he co-founded the Legal Resources Centre, a public interest and human rights legal service for marginalized populations in South Africa. During his time there, he undertook cases involving the forced removal of communities, freedom of movement, detention without trial, citizenship, labour rights and consumer abuse.  From 1996-2000, he was director general of the Department of Land Affairs in the administration of President Nelson Mandela. Over the course of a 45-year career in the law, Mr Budlender’s legal work has helped millions of people in the country, including victims of apartheid-era law, babies born to HIV positive mothers and children affected by school closures during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was the recipient of International Bar Association Pro Bono Award in 2021.

In this special episode of Advocates the Podcast, we speak to the late Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who passed away in January 2023. Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram wore many hats in his illustrious career, a teacher, an advocate, a Federal Court Judge and a prosecutor. He holds the distinction of being the first member of the bar to be directly elevated to the Court of Appeal bench. He will be remembered for his excellent advocacy and landmark judgments. Our hosts Razlan and Michelle got a unique opportunity to speak to him about his life and the law on 29 December 2022. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode.

Toby Landau KC is an exceptional barrister and advocate who is also respected universally for his arbitration skills. He is frequently called on for high-value and complex cases involving commercial entities and sovereign states. He has argued hundreds of major international commercial, investor-State and inter-state arbitrations, as well as ground-breaking cases in the highest courts of England, Singapore, Hong Kong, Pakistan and the Caribbean. Toby Landau KC is above all, a gentleman whose story will be a meaningful listen for anyone tuning in. Join our hosts Gopal and Razlan as they speak to Toby Landau KC.

Few advocates can say that their advocacy kept the United Kingdom in the European Union, albeit momentarily. In this episode we speak to someone who did just that; Lord Pannick KC, who led the Supreme Court Article 50 case against the government of the UK and argued against the prorogation of the parliament in the Supreme Court. Lord Pannick KC, who took silk in 1992, is one of the UK’s most highly regarded advocates. He has appeared in 100 cases in the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords (before it was replaced by the Supreme Court), more than 25 cases in the Supreme Court since its creation in 2009, more than 25 cases in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and over 30 cases in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Join our hosts Gopal and Razlan as they speak to Lord Pannick KC on his illustrious career. 

Interested in going on a 3 month mountain climbing expedition, despite a busy schedule as a lawyer? Seremban-born, Francis Xavier SC gives you a step by step guide. We trek through Francis' early years handling criminal matters, maintaining a busy commerical practice in one of Singapore's largest law firms and the inspiration behind his rock band. Francis is ranked among Asia's Top 15 Litigators by Asian Legal Business in 2021. 

Advocates the Podcast looks to Palestine in this episode. We speak to Diana Buttu, a Canadian-Palestinian lawyer and advocate of Palestinian rights. Diana takes us through her experience working in the Negotiations Support Unit of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and describes the legal battles she faces in an occupied Palestine.