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Startup Legal Clinic - How to avoid expensive legal mistakes and PDPA compliance

Understanding Legal/Judicial Process and amended PDPA in Malaysia

Between 2021 to 2024, HomeCrowd was engaged in a landmark court case, setting a groundbreaking precedent in the field of cybersecurity. After a long trial, we emerged victorious at the High Court, but the matter is now on appeal at the Court of Appeal. From the ashes, the phoenix rises, and so we offer to you a practical introduction to the legal process in Malaysia, based on our real learnings and experience where I wasn't fully prepared as a 1st time founder (I'll share how we wasted more than RM20k on legal fees alone). In this 1st half training, we cover not only the legal process, but also, how to work with your lawyers, legal proceedings, and proactive measures you can take to avoid litigation or understand your rights if you are being sued. Participants will gain knowledge of legal proceedings from the perspective of a startup founder. I recently wrote a blog on my personal view that adequate legislation is important to safeguard our cybersecurity and tech ecosystem 

The trainer for Part 1 will be Dave Chew, the founder of HomeCrowd - tokenized mortgage crowdlending startup (Web3 project)

In 2024, new amendments were introduced to the PDPA, including the establishment of the DPO, data breach notification, and other matters of interest. The amendments will come into effect in phases, with the last phase taking place in June 2025. Startups which deal with customers' personal data, and/or customer's sensitive personal data, will benefit from this training. Participants will gain knowledge of the latest PDPA 2024 Amendments. This training will enhance your startup's compliance efforts.

The trainer for Part 2 will be Kevin Koo, a qualified lawyer who runs a boutique firm in Kuala Lumpur. He is also a trademarks agent and digital asset lawyer.

We understand everyone time is valuable, we are committed to specially curate the relevant topics, contents and from real life cases to avoid and learning from our own costly mistake and pitfalls to benefit you guys. 

Program Duration:
6 hours (1 day)

Date:
6/6 (Friday) – 10am to 5.30pm

Target Audience:
Startup founders, Web3 builders, entrepreneurs, C-level startup executives or aspiring entrepreneurs.

Target pax:
15 to 25 people

Contribution:
All the funds raised goes to our legal fees for HomeCrowd (estimated RM20k)

Post training support
If you encountered any legal issue or cases for your company, happy to support you with our experiences and network

Outline/Itinerary:

9.30am – 10.00am Registration, Morning Coffee

10.00am – 11.30am Session 1: Overview of Malaysia's Legal & Judicial System

Topics Covered:
- Structure of Courts (Small claim, Session, High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court)
- How cases move through courts (process map)
- Legal paperwork/pleading
- Legal proceeding and respective party’s rights
- Case studies of selected tech companies

11.30am – 11.45am Coffee/break

11.45am – 1.00pm Session 2: Appointment of Solicitor and Legal Proceeding Preparation

Topics Covered:
- Tips to identify the right lawyer for your case
- What to do/know your rights if you engaged an incompetent lawyer
- Tips to prepare for your testimony in the Court
- My valuable lesson learnt for my case

1.00pm – 2.30pm Lunch break, continue with your work/Friday prayer 
Lunch is provided or if u wanna lunch outside do let us know

2.30pm – 3.30pm Session 3: Amended PDPA
- Introduction, principles and standards of personal data protection law in Malaysia
- The Data Protection Officer (DPO)

3.30pm – 3.45pm Coffee/break

3.45pm – 4.45pm Session 4: Amended PDPA (continued)
- Data Breach Notification (DBN)
- Other aspects of the Amendments
- Q&A

4.45pm – 5.30pm Session 5: Ask Us Anything for your Startup/Business (optional)
- Dispute/legal case advise
- Good AI tools for startup
- Pitch deck review (plz share to me in advance)
- Fundraising tips

5.30pm End or TGIF

Trainers Profile 

1) Dave Chew (LinkedIn) is a Big 4-trained chartered accountant with over 15 years of experience across banking, asset management, and fintech in Malaysia and Singapore markets. His career spans in external audit, financial accounting & reporting, compliance, and most recently, fintech entrepreneurship, where he and his team is trying to disrupt the mortgage industry with innovative financial solutions.

As a HRDC-certified trainer, he is passionate in equipping working professionals with the knowledge and tools to navigate organization’s digital transformation especially in the AI or blockchain domains.

Core Competencies & Training Focus:

• Digital Transformation : Design thinking, mapping business process for efficiency or automation
• Blockchain & Digital Assets: Underlying technology for business use cases, regulatory implications/compliance, strategic implementation.
• AI Adoption: GenAI tools for workflow efficiency, business process optimization/greater business values
• Financial Accounting, Reporting & Risk Management: Specialized in banking and funds management accounting, reporting and its business processes and internal controls
• Financial Analytics : analysis on financial statement, business model/metrics measurement  
• Strategic Digital Business Development: Product development, business model formation, OKR setting, market research, fundraising

Professional Experience & Training Relevance:

• UHY Malaysia (12/24 - 1/25) : Delivered a comprehensive 12-hour AI transformation training program for their 200 audit, tax, and advisory professionals.
• Malaysia Digital Economic Corporation - MDEC (12/24 - present) : Serving as a Grant Recommendation Committee member to evaluate tech/AI companies pitches for their grant funding application 
• Training facilitators - freelance (2023) : Supported OCBC Bank and IOI Property Internal Team Training sessions
• HomeCrowd Sdn Bhd (2017 - 2022) : Pitched and engaged with various regulators, investor and business partners, delivered training to internal staffs 
• Orbit Startups (Sep-Nov 2019) : Alumni of one of world’s top startup accelerators in Shanghai - covered pitching, lean startup model, growth hacking, fundraising, startup biz metrics/OKR and several tech companies in China visit
• Ernst & Young Malaysia (2009-2012) : Audited Financial Services and asset management firms, conducted exit/post audit meeting with clients to recommend their business process/internal control improvements delivered internal training on bank’s branch audit (from Maybank)
• PwC Singapore (2014-15) : Audited asset management firms like mutual funds, hedge fund and private equity firms
• Toastmasters, EY KL Club (2012-2013) : Participated in the speaking sessions and Toastmasters International Conference in KL

Certifications/professional qualifications - which includes but is not limited to: 

• A member of CPA Australia
• A member of Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA) 
• Lead AI Engineering Masterclass by Dr. Lau Cher Han
• Alipay’s 10x1000 Tech for Inclusion : Completed 4 courses of Fintech Foundation, Fintech Expert, Digital Finance Services & AI Miniseries  
• Singapore Fintech Association - Fintech Talent Programme (3 months classroom workshop)
• HRDC-certified Train-the Trainer, Knowledge Evolution Sdn Bhd
• Bachelor of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia

2) Kevin Koo (LinkedIn) is a lawyer and partner at Koo Chin Nam & Co with 22 years experience in legal practice, trademark agent, and HRDF-accredited trainer, with a strong interest in digital assets, art, and AI. He has experience delivering bespoke training programs, tailored to clients’ requests.

Training Focus:

• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: AML/CFT frameworks, trademark law, intellectual property rights
• Entrepreneurship Development: Business guidance, team building, leadership coaching
• Emerging Technologies: Cryptocurrency fundamentals, AI in business, digital innovation
• Professional Skills Training: HRDF-certified training delivery, workshop facilitation, adult learning methodologies

 Professional Experience:

• HRDF-accredited Trainer: Delivering training programs certified under the HRDF scheme.
• Legal Professional: Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya and trademark agent, supporting businesses in intellectual property and legal compliance. Also notary public and commissioner for oaths.
• Digital Assets Advisory: Supporting Web3 business owners, through legal advice, drafting, and regulatory engagement.

Past Training Topics:

1. Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption
2. AML / CFT
3. Digital Assets – AML/CFT
4. Digital Assets – IP law
5. Trademark law for business executives
6. Trade Descriptions Act for manufacturers and retailers
7. Personal Data Protection Act 2024 Amendments

Education and Certification:

1. Master of Law, Universiti Malaya
2. Master of Management, Universiti Tun Abdul Razak
3. Diploma in Shariah Law and Practice, IIUM
4. Bachelor of Laws, IIUM 
5. Professional Certificate for Blockchain in Business, Linux Foundation
6. HRDF Trainer Accreditation (Valid until 13.3.2027)