PETALING JAYA: Malaysian lawyer Joanne Jayanti Vengadesan, who has built her career in the United Kingdom, has been elected to lead one of the world’s prominent law firm networks.
Joanne, 52, a partner at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP, was elected Chair-Elect of Multilaw at the network’s Global Conference in Prague this month.
She was called to the Malaysian Bar as an advocate and solicitor in 1997 and began her career as an intellectual property lawyer in Kuala Lumpur.
She later moved to the UK, where she has practised law for about 25 years.
Joanne will succeed current chair Paul Kirton of Australian firm Macpherson Kelley, with her term due to begin in September 2027.
Multilaw is often ranked among the leading law firm networks. It brings together independent firms with about 300 offices across more than 100 countries, enabling members to draw on local expertise and collaborate closely to serve clients with cross-border needs.
At Penningtons Manches Cooper, a City of London firm with offices elsewhere in the UK and branches in Spain, France, Greece and Singapore, Joanne heads the Technology Sector group.
She specialises in artificial intelligence, technology and data, and her work is regularly recognised by independent legal directories.
She has also maintained ties with Malaysia, speaking on digital transformation and AI at the Malaysian Bar on several occasions at the invitation of its Legal Tech, AI and Sandbox Committee.
Her international outlook began early. Her father, Datuk R. Vengadesan, was a Malaysian diplomat who served as ambassador to several countries, including Italy and Namibia.
Her childhood took her to Belgium and Thailand before she moved to the UK to study. Her family also lived in Japan, Mali and Senegal.
Joanne said being Malaysian while practising in the UK gave her a valuable perspective, as growing up in a multicultural society made people comfortable interacting across communities.
She said her upbringing had also fuelled her interest in global legal networks, adding that Multilaw had played a significant role in shaping her career.
“It’s a real honour to have been named Chair-Elect,” she said, praising the trust between member firms and noting that it benefited their clients.
Penningtons Manches Cooper chief executive officer Helen Drayton described the appointment as a testament to Joanne’s talent and dedication, as well as the teamwork within the firm and network.
Multilaw chief executive officer Adam Cooke, who has known her for nearly 20 years, said she brought energy, insight and warmth to the network and understood the strong relationships and mutual trust that defined it.
Andrew Chiew, a partner at Malaysian member firm Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill who also sits on the Multilaw Board alongside Joanne, welcomed the appointment.
He said it was gratifying that the network’s future leadership would once again be in good hands, “and with a fellow Malaysian no less”.