Marilyn Wai
Lawyer

Marilyn practises primarily in the areas of property, commercial and family law.

Property

Marilyn has broad experience in all aspects of conveyancing and property matters including sale and purchase of residential and commercial properties, retail leases, planning permits, subdivisions and mortgages.

Commercial

Marilyn has acted for corporate and individual clients in a variety of commercial matters, including sale and purchase of businesses (assets or shares) and franchises, shareholder and unit-holder transactions and the establishment of trust and corporate structures. She has experience in drafting a wide range of commercial agreements, such as joint venture agreements, shareholders’ and unit-holder agreements and loan agreements.

Family Law

Marilyn has a particular interest in the division of assets in a property settlement (marriage and defacto relationship) and children matters. She has experience in drafting financial agreements and advising clients on spousal maintenance, parenting issues including child support and is an advocate for settlement by consent.

She is a strong believer in alternative dispute resolution and mediation as the preferred legal recourse to resolving family disputes as quickly as possible and in the most cost effective manner. She has a passion in wanting to protect her client’s interests and she will vigorously defend them in any court proceedings or negotiations. She has successfully negotiated settlements in the Federal Magistrates’ Court in the most cost efficient and mutually beneficial manner.

Marilyn has been an active volunteer at the Springvale-Monash Legal Service and Family Law Assistance Program at Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service where she gained considerable experience in a wide range of family law matters including divorce applications, family violence, intervention orders and children location orders.

Previous experience

Marilyn has previously lived in Singapore for 12 years where she completed a Bachelor of Business degree and worked in several large marketing and retail firms before moving to Melbourne. She is fluent in conversational Cantonese, Mandarin and Malay.

After being admitted to practice as a lawyer in 2006, Marilyn moved temporarily to live and work in Malaysia. She joined one of the “Big Four” accounting firms as an Associate Tax Consultant and was part of the team that won the ‘International Tax Review - Transfer Pricing Firm of the Year’ award in 2007. She has advised clients on international transfer pricing issues and legislation affecting multinational companies that owned or otherwise looking to set up off-shore subsidiaries in Malaysia. She has been involved in defending clients in several major transfer pricing audit and investigation matters and drafted submissions to the tax revenue authority in transfer pricing appeals.

Prior to joining MCI Lawyers & Consultants, Marilyn worked at a boutique law firm in Melbourne CBD where she gained considerable experience in a variety of general practice matters. She eventually developed her focus and interest in the areas of property, commercial and family law.

Qualifications/Education

• Bachelor of Business, Nanyang Technological University
• LLB, Monash University
• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Leo Cussen Institute

Admission

2006 – Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria

Languages

English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay

Ashley obtained her LLB (Hons) from University of Sheffield, England in 2003. She was called to the bar of the Supreme Court of England and Wales in 2004. Following her admission in England, she returned to Malaysia and was admitted to the Malaysian Bar as an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya in 2005.

Ashley commenced practice in one of the top three largest and oldest law firms in Malaysia, specializing in the area of Property and Coveyancing. She has experience with the legal aspects of purchases, sales, commercial leases, mortgage loans for both residential and commercial properties in West Malaysia. She represented various commercial clients including MNCs, real estate developers and financial institutions. She also had a broad range of individual clients.

In 2007, Ashley left legal practise to embark in business studies in Melbourne, Australia. She holds a double master in MBA and Master in Commerce from RMIT University. She joined MCI Lawyers and Consultants in early 2010 as a Legal Executive, with a principal focus on Australian Immigration Law.

Qualifications/Education

• LLB (Hons), University of Sheffield
• MBA, RMIT University
• Master of Commerce, RMIT University

Admission

2005 - Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya

2004 - Supreme Court of England & Wales (non-practising Barrister-at-law)

Languages

English, Mandarin, Malay

Angel completed her Bachelor of Law degree at Monash University in 2008 and her Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Australian National University in late 2010. She joined MCI Lawyers & Consultants after completing her placement as part of her Graduate Diploma course.

While undertaking her undergraduate law studies, Angel had worked part time as a Legal Assistant at Monash-Oakleigh Legal Service and Disability Discrimination Legal Service and this provided her with experience in family law and disability discrimination law.

Angel had also clerked at a boutique size law firm after she completed her law degree and this position gave her insight and experience in civil litigation and Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal Applications.

Angel enjoys the day-to-day challenges in a busy practice. She approaches her work with enthusiasm and an attention to detail.

Angel speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin as well as conversational Hokkien. She is also a member of Voiceless Animal Protection Institute.

Qualifications/Education

• LLB, Monash University
• Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Australian National University

Admission

2010 – Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Australian Capital Territory

Languages

English, Mandarin, Cantonese, conversational Hokkien