Two US lawyers seek to take part in Mh370 suit

KUALA LUMPUR: Two foreign lawyers are applying to a High Court to jointly appear for the biggest legal proceedings initiated by 76 next-of-kin against Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) and four others for damages over the disappearance of Flight MH370.

However, the Bar Council, MAS, Malaysia Airline Bhd (MAB), Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general, Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Government are objecting to the application by the lawyers for admission to appear in the case.

The plaintiffs’ lawyer Michael Yap said they were applying for two attorneys from the United States – Steven C. Marks and Roy Kalman Altman – to jointly appear for the civil suit hearing due to their expertise and experience in aviation matters.

“There are no other lawyers in Malaysia with such expertise and experience in handling aviation matters,” Yap told reporters here after the parties met deputy registrar Norazlin Othman in chambers.

Farez Mohd Ali Jinnah, who represented the Bar Council and Kuala Lumpur Bar, said they were objecting to the ad hoc admission by both attorneys under Section 18 of the Legal Profession Act 1976 to appear in a special case.

MAS lawyer Hoe Mei Lei and MAB’s counsel P. Rutharakumaran said they were objecting to the application on grounds that Malaysian lawyers had enough expertise and were qualified to handle the case.

The application is fixed for case management on Sept 9.