Charlaine has been a litigator since the inception of her practice, building on many years of experience in medico-legal and dento-legal work. In this connection, she has represented and continues to represent medical practitioners at all levels of the Malaysian Courts in claims alleging professional negligence and/or breach of other duties. She also appears before the Malaysian Medical Council and Malaysian Dental Council in defending medical practitioners and dental practitioners in disciplinary inquiries. 

In addition to medico-legal litigation, Charlaine is also involved in commercial dispute resolution. In recent years, she has been representing public-listed companies, multinational corporations and industry leaders across the oil and gas, automotive, healthcare, utilities and communications sectors in respect of commercial and corporate disputes. Her experience includes obtaining and setting aside urgent injunctive relief within tight timeframes, defending multi-million-ringgit claims through to final appeal and achieving favourable resolutions in complex disputes.

An example is an arbitration where Charlaine represented a corporation of a leading automotive brand in respect of a dispute arising out of the termination of a dealership agreement and a claim for over RM32 million. The claim for wrongful termination was successfully defended; moreover, she succeeded in the counter-claim for damages flowing from breach of contract on the part of the opponent.

Apart from her dispute resolution work, Charlaine often shares her knowledge and insights at medico-legal and healthcare conferences and webinars, contributes to legal articles on healthcare (some of which revolve around contemporary topics such as digital healthcare and the role of artificial intelligence) and delivers guest lectures at public and private universities.

She co-authored the chapter on “Medical Negligence in Malaysia” for the publication titled Medical Liability in Asia and Australasia.

Healthcare corporations have sought her advice in respect of issues arising from their business, such as the management and operations of healthcare facilities. Part of her practice also includes advising Allied Health professionals as well as Traditional and Complimentary Medicine professionals.

Charlaine is and has been the Treasurer of the Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia (MLSM) since 2023, having been a member of its Executive Committee from 2019-2022 and the Assistant Secretary (Legal) for 2017/2018. She is also the Secretary of the Malaysia Middle Temple Alumni Association.

Charlaine serves as an advocacy trainer in the Malaysian Bar Council Advocacy Training Committee’s Advocacy Training Courses.

TERTIARY QUALIFICATION

• Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (Cardiff University, United Kingdom)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION & MEMBERSHIP

• Barrister-at-Law (admitted as a member of the Honourable Society of Middle Temple)
• Admitted to the Bar of England and Wales: 22nd July 2010
• Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya
• Admitted to the Malaysian Bar: 2nd April 2012
• Treasurer of the Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia
• Trustee of the Tun Razak Foundation (since 2018)
• Member of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Yayasan Tun Razak (since 2017)
• Secretary of the Malaysia Middle Temple Alumni Association