Dr Syed Adam began his legal career as a Judicial Officer between 2007 and 2011 serving as a Magistrate and a Senior Assistant Registrar in the Muamalat Division and the Commercial Division of the High Court, both in Kuala Lumpur. He also served as the Special Officer to the Chief Justice of Malaysia. 

Prior to joining Raja, Darryl & Loh, Dr. Syed Adam was the Manager of the Shariah Secretariat under the Group Secretarial & Legal Department of a Malaysian financial institution and subsequently a partner in another large firm in Kuala Lumpur from 2018 to 2022.

With a Ph.D in Islamic Finance and qualified as a Fellow Chartered Professional in Islamic Finance (CPIF) (among various other credentials), his focus has been on Islamic finance from the inception of his practice. He has wide experience in advising financial institutions on multiple aspects of Islamic finance (including banking and security documentation), regulatory compliance, Islamic capital markets and Takaful. Among the many briefs he has been handling is the responsibility of advising both the awardees of the new digital banking licences issued by Bank Negara Malaysia under the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013.

Beyond the hustle and bustle of Islamic Finance law practice, Dr. Syed Adam is also passionately involved in the education sector of Islamic Finance. He has obtained an exemption from Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad (PSMB) to attend the “Train The Trainer” (TTT) programme. He is also an external trainer with the Islamic Banking and Finance Institute Malaysia (IBFIM) and the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance (ASAS). IBFIM is a talent development institution which specialises in Islamic Finance industry technical certifications whilst ASAS provides certification for Shariah Advisors. Dr. Syed Adam was involved in the review of one of ASAS’ modules i.e. “Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct” and he delivers the training for this module.

Dr Syed Adam is currently a member of the Executive Committee and an Associate Member of the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance Malaysia. He previously served as the Honorary Secretary and a Grand Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Islamic Finance from 2015 to 2023. 

Recently appointed as a member of the Shariah Committee of Bank Simpanan Nasional, Dr Syed Adam is also the Co-Chairperson of the Islamic Finance Committee of Bar Council Malaysia. 

With Prof. Dr. Abbas Mirakhor (former Professor of Economics), the Rt. Hon. Dato’ Dr. Hj. Mohd. Na’im Hj. Mokhtar (the Chief Judge as well as Director General of Department of Syariah and Judiciary Malaysia) and Prof. Datuk Dr. Syed Othman Alhabshi (former Professor of Islamic Economics & Econometrics, Dr Syed Adam co-authored a book titled “The Shariah Investment Agreement: The Legal Tool for Risk-Sharing in Islamic Finance” which was published by De Gruyter Studies in Islamic Economics, Finance and Business in 2021. 

In 2022, when Dr. Syed Adam was still a partner in another large firm in Kuala Lumpur, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific quoted clients saying the following about Dr. Syed Adam:

• “Dr Syed Adam Al-Habshi is a convincing lawyer who has deep knowledge of Islamic Finance. He demonstrated his articulateness in describing and advising the features of Islamic finance products.”
• “In our onerous journey of having to put in place a Shariah rectification plan to correct a non-compliant event, practice partner Dr Syed Adam Al-Habshi stood out as a highly capable and competent counsel. Dr Syed held his professional posture by giving his legal opinions and meticulously explaining their basis as well as those of Shariah units and scholars.”
• “I feel Dr Syed is intellectual, witty and practices with the highest integrity. He used to serve the government as a Court Registrar and was even the direct assistant to a former Chief Justice. He knows his stuff. I am pleased to be of acquaintance with him.”

In the 2023 and 2024 editions of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Dr Syed Adam was listed as a Recommended Lawyer and as a Key Lawyer for Banking & Finance and Islamic Finance, whilst in the 2023-2024 edition of asialaw, clients were quoted as saying:

• “The partner advising me is highly professional, knowledgeable in the area of shariah financing and documentation.” 
• “Young, innovative, responsive and industrious.” 
• “He is an expert and has vast experience in Islamic finance. He is very detailed in his analysis and takes into account various angles (from macro and micro points of view) in providing advice and opinions.” 

Dr Syed Adam was recognized recently as a Rising Star Partner by IFLR 1000, a publication that surveys and ranks the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms and lawyers, for his work in Islamic Finance and Banking & Finance.

TERTIARY QUALIFICATION

• Ph.D Islamic Finance, International Centre for Islamic Finance Education (INCEIF)
• Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP), INCEIF
• Bachelor of Laws (Hons) (International Islamic University Malaysia)

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS & MEMBERSHIP

• Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya
• Admitted to the Malaysian Bar: 7th May 2010
• Fellow Chartered Professional in Islamic Finance (F.CPIF)
• Member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Shariah Advisors in Islamic Finance Malaysia 
• Co-Chair of the Malaysian Bar Council Islamic Finance Committee
• Member of the Ethics and Compliance Board of the Malaysian Financial Planning Council
• Member of the Shariah Committee of Bank Simpanan Nasional