Services
Three services,
each with a clear scope
Each service is described in full below. Where a matter does not fit neatly into one of the three, the firm will say so plainly and indicate what alternatives exist.
← Back to HomeThe Firm's Approach
How Chaiadvo Legal
structures its work
The firm's three services are designed to cover the principal ways in which a business or individual comes to need legal assistance: a question requiring a considered written answer; a document requiring careful reading and attention before it is signed; and the ongoing need to have a legal adviser available through the year.
Each service is defined in scope and priced at the outset. Where a matter proves more complex than anticipated, the firm discusses an adjustment before proceeding. The client is never presented with a bill that was not foreseeable at the time the work was commissioned.
The firm's preferred mode of communication is in writing. Telephone calls are welcomed for initial enquiries and short clarifications, but substantive legal positions are set out on paper so that the client has a record that can be read, shared, and returned to.
All work is conducted in accordance with the Bar Council of Malaysia's professional rules and the firm's own internal standards of care, which are described in the Company section of this site.
Service 01
Counsel Letter
A counsel letter is prepared on a defined legal question the client has asked the firm to consider. The letter sets out the question, the applicable legal framework in Malaysia, and the firm's considered reading of how that framework applies to the client's facts. It is offered as written counsel for the client's own use.
Delivery is typically within four working weeks of receipt of complete materials from the client. Where this is not achievable for any reason, the firm communicates the revised timeline in advance.
What the service includes
- Initial discussion to define the precise question to be addressed
- Review of materials provided by the client
- Research on applicable Malaysian law
- A draft for the client's review before finalisation
- Final written letter delivered within agreed timeline
- One round of clarification questions included in the fee
Fixed Fee
RM 1,460
Delivery
Within 4 working weeks
Service 02
Documentary Engagement
Engagement on a documentary matter covers the review, redrafting, or written support required to bring a commercial document to a state the client is comfortable signing. The work attends to commercial terms, the allocation of risk between the parties, and any provisions warranting particular attention before the document becomes binding.
The firm provides written status updates at agreed intervals and discusses any material issues with the client before responding to the other party. Where the documentary engagement involves negotiations conducted in writing, the firm drafts the client's communications for review before they are sent.
Process steps
- 1 Initial call to understand the document and the client's position
- 2 Full review of the document with written notes on key issues
- 3 Redrafted document or proposed amendments presented to client
- 4 Client review and discussion of firm's recommendations
- 5 Final engrossed document and close-out summary
Indicative Fee
RM 2,540 per matter
Service 03
Standing Counsel Year
A twelve-month standing counsel arrangement provides small and medium-sized businesses with a defined volume of consultation time each month, an open written channel for short questions, and a quarterly review meeting. Suitable for organisations that would value the steady company of legal counsel as their operations progress through the year.
The arrangement is formalised in a standing engagement letter renewed annually. Either party may give notice of termination at the end of any quarter with four weeks' written notice. The firm does not carry forward unused consultation hours from month to month.
What is included each quarter
- Defined monthly consultation hours (agreed at outset)
- Open email channel for short written questions
- One quarterly review meeting (in person or by video call)
- Written quarterly summary of matters arising
- Preferential scheduling for documentary matters
Quarterly Fee
RM 4,460 per quarter
Commitment
12 months, quarterly invoiced
Choosing a Service
Which service is
right for the matter?
The table below gives a quick reference. If a matter does not map clearly to any of the three, an initial enquiry will help the firm indicate whether and how it can assist.
| Feature | Counsel Letter | Documentary | Standing Counsel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed or stated fee | RM 1,460 | RM 2,540 indicative | RM 4,460 / qtr |
| Written output produced | |||
| Suitable for a single defined question | — | — | |
| Suitable for a document to be reviewed | — | ||
| Ongoing availability through the year | — | — | |
| Quarterly review meeting | — | — |
Best for a single question: Counsel Letter · Best for a document: Documentary Engagement · Best for ongoing operations: Standing Counsel Year
Professional Standards
Standards that apply
across all three services
Written engagement terms
Scope and fee are confirmed in writing before any work begins. No work is done outside the agreed scope without prior written consent.
Client confidentiality
All matters are confidential. No information about any client is shared with any third party without written authority from that client.
Professional indemnity
The firm maintains professional indemnity insurance as required by the Bar Council. Details are available to any client on written request.
Conflict checking
Conflicts with existing clients are checked before any new matter is accepted. The firm declines matters where a conflict cannot be appropriately managed.
Communication in writing
Substantive legal positions are always set out in writing. Verbal discussions are followed by written summaries where they bear on the legal matter.
Timelines communicated
Delivery timelines are set at the outset of each engagement. Where they need to change, the firm communicates the revised timeline in advance.
Begin an Enquiry
Uncertain which service
fits the matter?
The firm is happy to receive an initial enquiry describing the situation. There is no charge for this, and the firm will indicate plainly which service — if any — is appropriate.
Write to the Firm