Sharmini Natalie Durai

Sharmini Natalie Durai is a Partner at Zain & Co., practicing in the Dispute Resolution department. Her primary areas of practice include civil and corporate litigation, employment matters, and related advisory work.

Sharmini has been on retainer with a Nasdaq‑listed semiconductor manufacturer for four years, advising on employment policies, salary reductions, voluntary separation schemes, retrenchment exercises, and employee disciplinary issues. She advised a multinational plastic piping systems manufacturer and a multinational fiberglass manufacturer on retrenchment and business closure exercises respectively, both concluding with no ensuing litigation. She successfully defended a multinational real estate services provider at the Industrial Court against a constructive dismissal claim, with the decision not appealed. She acted for former directors and shareholders in three related suits involving allegations of breach of directors' duties and breach of contract, successfully striking out two suits and securing dismissal of the second—with appeals unanimously dismissed. She is currently acting in a family dispute valued in excess of AUD$5.5 million, a shipping dispute concerning temperature‑sensitive medical products, and representing a hospital in a multimillion‑dollar breach of contract claim. She also successfully represented a highway concessionaire in a judicial review application, a public‑listed company in a judicial review of an Industrial Court decision, and is currently acting for another public‑listed company and a major real estate agent in ongoing employment disputes.

Sharmini holds an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Sheffield (2004). She was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2005, admitted as a Barrister‑at‑Law of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, and called to the Malaysian Bar in 2006. She is an Advocate and Solicitor of the High Court of Malaya.

Sharmini has been recognised in The Legal 500 Asia‑Pacific as a Leading Lawyer in Labour and Employment (2024) and recommended in Labour & Employment (2017–2024) and Dispute Resolution (2020–2024). Asialaw has described her as providing "very practical legal advice" with "strong knowledge of the law, industry and the client's business." She is a member of the Bar Council's Industrial & Employment Law Committee.