Dato’ Mohamed Ridza Abdulla, Managing Partner of Malaysian law firm Mohamed Ridza & Co, has been appointed as the Global Chair of LAWorld, an international network of independent law firms with representation across major commercial centres worldwide. This elected appointment marks the first time a Malaysian has been chosen to lead the global network since its establishment 30 years ago.
LAWorld is a non-exclusive international legal network comprising nearly 70 independent mid-sized law firms, with more than 1,500 lawyers practising across over 100 cities globally. The network was established to provide clients with direct and immediate access to high-quality local legal advice across jurisdictions, while preserving the independence and partner-led service culture of each member firm.
Dato’ Mohamed Ridza’s appointment follows nearly two decades of involvement with LAWorld. Mohamed Ridza & Co joined the network in 2007 as the Malaysian member firm and later hosted the LAWorld Annual General Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 2019, bringing together member firms from Asia, Europe, the Americas and other regions. Within LAWorld’s leadership structure, he has previously served as Treasurer and subsequently as Chair of the Asia Pacific region, a role he held until his elevation to Global Chair. His appointment was formally approved on 8 May 2026, following a unanimous vote by members at the LAWorld Annual General Meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal.
In a related development, Muhammad Akhlil, a senior associate of Mohamed Ridza & Co, has been appointed Director of LAWorld’s NextGen Programme for the Asia Pacific region. The NextGen Programme is the organisation’s initiative focused on developing the next generation of lawyers within member firms, with an emphasis on leadership development, cross-border exposure and nurturing emerging legal talent across jurisdictions.
As Global Chair, Dato’ Mohamed Ridza has outlined plans to further strengthen LAWorld’s position as a global legal network. His priorities include expanding membership in underrepresented jurisdictions, particularly in Africa and the Gulf, enhancing regional collaboration, and scaling up the NextGen Programme through structured training, leadership tracks and international secondments. He also emphasised the importance of raising global visibility and quality benchmarks for member firms, strengthening digital governance and connectivity across the network, and building a broader professional ecosystem to better support clients’ cross-border needs.
LAWorld’s relationship-driven structure enables member firms to collaborate closely across borders through established professional connections, facilitating efficient coordination on cross-border transactions, disputes and international investments. Through this network, Malaysian clients gain structured access to overseas legal expertise, while international clients and law firms are able to engage Malaysian counsel through a recognised local gateway.
Commenting on his appointment, Dato’ Mohamed Ridza said that he is honoured by the trust placed in him by LAWorld members and acknowledged the responsibility of ensuring the network continues to advance legal excellence. He expressed his commitment to working closely with the LAWorld Executive Committee across multiple jurisdictions and highlighted the network’s alignment with Malaysia’s long-standing trading heritage. He added that LAWorld enables seamless access to global markets for Malaysian and international clients, while also supporting member firms worldwide in advising on Malaysian investments. He further noted that, unlike many global networks, LAWorld’s membership is personal in nature, enabling faster and more direct access to legal advice across jurisdictions.
