Indonesia

Fernandes Partnership is a Jakarta-based boutique that has quickly built a strong reputation in high-stakes dispute resolution. Founded in 2015 by managing partner Fernandes Raja Saor, the firm specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration, supported by a team of advocates who are also certified receivers and mediators. In the past year, Fernandes Partnership has been one of Indonesia’s fastest-growing practices, expanding to two Jakarta offices plus a representative office in Singapore and forging alliances with foreign firms, enabling it to handle cross-border disputes seamlessly. The practice covers the full spectrum of disputes – corporate and shareholder litigation, insolvency and debt restructurings, fraud and investigations, enforcement of arbitral awards, domestic and international arbitration, and high-profile white-collar matters. Clients from diverse turn to the firm’s strong commercial litigation team. Drawing on a wealth of past successes, including several landmark decisions in Indonesian courts, the firm is well equipped to manage complex, multi-forum disputes and deliver practical, business-focused outcomes for its clients.  

The firm’s success is driven by its experienced team. Saor is a highly regarded litigator with nearly 30 years of practice. A licensed advocate and registered legal consultant, he brings multifaceted expertise that benefits clients facing complex disputes. He is supported by partners Glenn Dio Haeckal and Ahmad Firdaus Syahrul, who bolster the firm’s capabilities in corporate, insolvency, and regulatory disputes, along with a team of senior associates skilled in areas like commercial litigation, debt recovery, and employment conflicts.  

Over the last 12 months, the firm has been involved in some of the country’s most high-profile contentious matters. Notably, the firm played a lead role in the “Crazy Rich Surabaya” gold fraud litigation, a long-running saga concerning Indonesia’s state-owned gold miner PT Antam. Last year, Saor and Syahrul successfully represented Antam in the Supreme Court, which granted Antam’s final appeal and overturned a lower court ruling that had ordered the company to deliver 1.1 tons of gold to a private investor. It set a national precedent that fraudulent claims would not be allowed to stand, reinforcing judicial scrutiny in cases involving alleged corporate malfeasance. In parallel, the firm’s litigators defended five former Antam executives against related criminal allegations, ensuring that their clients were cleared of wrongdoing in the gold trading scandal.  

Fernandes Partnership also distinguishes itself in arbitration. The firm has represented clients in complex cases before the Indonesian National Arbitration Board (BANI) and in international arbitrations, covering sectors such as construction, intellectual property, and trade. Last year, it advised on sensitive cross-border arbitrations involving regional parties and technical industry issues, leveraging its bilingual advocacy skills and understanding of Indonesian law to achieve favourable outcomes.  

The firm’s broader disputes expertise also extends to bankruptcy and restructuring. For example, the firm regularly represents both debtors and creditors in debt moratorium (PKPU) proceedings and liquidation cases. In one recent engagement, the firm acted for a large state-owned construction company in defending against a creditor’s PKPU petition, successfully persuading judges to dismiss the petition and allowing the company to proceed with its national projects uninterrupted. The firm has also tackled challenging economic offenses cases and government-related disputes. For instance, its lawyers have advised state-owned enterprises in regulatory investigations and litigation involving energy and resources, reflecting their ability to handle matters with significant public and commercial implications.