Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H., Founder and Principal
About the Office

An independent, research-driven legal practice

Putu Simbolon Law Office focuses on complex legal issues at the intersection of international economic law, Indonesian regulatory law, international trade, environmental regulation, and commercial disputes.

Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H. in advocate robes at the Jakarta High Court, holding a court folder
Jakarta High CourtNovember 2025, the month the Office opened.

§ 1The Office

The Office

The Office combines legal practice, doctrinal research, regulatory analysis, and strategic legal reasoning to assist individuals, businesses, institutions, researchers, and other stakeholders dealing with legally complex and cross-border matters.

Our approach is grounded in rigorous legal research, careful interpretation of legislation and international instruments, and an understanding of how legal rules operate within broader economic, regulatory, and institutional systems. Putu Simbolon Law Office is founded on the proposition that complex legal problems require more than procedural legal advice. The Office therefore adopts a research-oriented approach to legal practice, particularly for matters involving multiple legal regimes, regulatory interaction, international obligations, or unsettled questions of law.

Our work combines

  • Indonesian civil and commercial law
  • International economic law
  • WTO law
  • International investment law
  • International environmental law
  • Commercial and regulatory law
  • Administrative and governmental regulation
  • Customs and trade regulation
  • Competition law
  • Comparative legal research

The Office is particularly interested in matters where domestic regulation intersects with international economic relations and environmental objectives.

Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H., seated with hands clasped
Matthew SimbolonFounder and Principal.

§ 2Founder

Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H.

Founder & Principal · Doctoral Candidate, Universitas Indonesia (joint doctorate with Maastricht University) · Advocate, PERADI

Matthew Simbolon is an Indonesian advocate and legal researcher specializing in international trade and investment law, environmental regulation, and regulatory and commercial law. He is a Doctor of Law candidate at the Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia, in a joint doctoral program with Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and a doctoral researcher at the Faculty's Center for Environmental Law and Climate Justice.

He earned his Master of Law (M.H.) in International Trade Law from Universitas Indonesia summa cum laude with a perfect GPA of 4.00/4.00, the first law student to do so in the 100-year history of the Universitas Indonesia Faculty of Law. The achievement earned him the inaugural Sudargo Goutama Award and recognition as the University's Master of Law Best Graduate (2024). He earned his Bachelor of Law (S.H.) from Universitas Kristen Indonesia, also summa cum laude (GPA 3.96/4.00), where he was twice named the University's Most Outstanding Student (2020 and 2021) and won more than 15 legal writing competition awards.

Before founding the Office in November 2025, he spent two years as an associate in WTO and international trade law at Bundjamin & Partners Law Office, representing exporters, domestic industries, and the Government of Indonesia in 15 trade-remedy investigations in Indonesia, the United States, and India. He began his practice in commercial litigation at Hendri Jayadi Pandiangan & Partners Law Office.

His expertise and research interests span the World Trade Organization, international trade law, international investment law, international environmental law, private international law, and public international law. His full body of published research, speaking engagements, and media coverage is on the Research & Publications page.

Rigorous research. Strategic analysis. Practical legal solutions.

The Office approaches legal problems through a combination of doctrinal precision, strategic reasoning, and practical applicability.

Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H. at the DPC PERADI Jakarta Selatan office
PERADIAt the South Jakarta branch (DPC Jakarta Selatan) of the Indonesian Advocates Association.

§ 3Appointments

Current appointments

  • November 2025 to present

    Founder & Principal, Putu Simbolon Law Office

    Representing national and international clients in trade, regulatory, corporate, and commercial dispute matters.

  • August 2025 to present

    Doctor of Law Researcher, Center for Environmental Law and Climate Justice (CELCJ), Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia

    Researching the interaction between WTO law and international environmental law in light of the recent ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and WTO environmental disputes, under the supervision of Professor Andri Gunawan Wibisana, Professor Michael Faure, and Professor Arie Afriansyah. He also writes short articles on recent trade and trade-related environmental issues under Professor Afriansyah, and assists Dr. Tiurma M. Pitta Allagan in research on the legitimate expectations principle under bilateral and regional investment agreements and ICSID, PCA, and UNCITRAL arbitral awards.

  • June 2026 to present

    Of Counsel and Advisor, International Trade Law, Reza Zaki Law Firm

  • August 2026 to present

    Of Counsel and Advisor, Trade and Customs, PT Dhaenes Mahkota Logistik

  • July 2025 to present

    Expert Trainer, Legal English and Academic Writing, PT Wallstreet Indonesia

    Freelance. Training clients on legal English terminology and the key documents used in international trade law practice, and preparing modules on academic writing, legal English, and international trade law.

  • May 2020 to present

    In-house Legal Counsel, PT Exquisite Investments Asia

    A family-owned company.

§ 4Career

Career and representative matters

Client names are withheld to protect confidentiality, except where the client is a public authority or the matter is a matter of public record.

Nov 2025 to present Putu Simbolon Law Office

Founder & Principal

Representing national and international clients in trade administrative, corporate, regulatory, and commercial dispute matters, including foreign direct investment companies, fundraising organizations, and minority shareholders.

Representative matters (13)

Commercial disputes

  • Assisting a foreign direct investment company in a breach of contract dispute over the implementation of a leasehold agreement (ongoing)
  • Assisting a former director in a breach of contract dispute with a foreign direct investment company concerning cocoa exports (ongoing)
  • Assisting a learning management system company in a breach of contract dispute over the distribution to company shareholders
  • Assisting a minority shareholder in a dispute with a real estate company over the implementation of an investment agreement (December 2025 to June 2026)
  • Assisting foreign direct investment companies on tort issues concerning a villa area and its borders (December 2025)

Regulatory, data protection, and tax

  • Assisting a fundraising company in a private enforcement matter for breach of the Personal Data Protection Law (ongoing)
  • Assisting a fundraising company on regulatory issues under the Minister of Social Affairs regulations on fundraising
  • Assisting a foreign direct investment real estate company on a criminal law issue concerning the use of foreign currency in a villa transaction (November to December 2025)
  • Advising a foreign direct investment real estate company on issues under the Indonesia–France bilateral tax agreement (November 2025)

Corporate and contracts

  • Assisting a fundraising company on amendments to its limited liability company articles of association (ongoing)
  • Advising foreign direct investment companies on limited liability company law (April 2026)
  • Assisting a domestic game production and promotion company in establishing a limited liability company (January to May 2026)
  • Assisting a private contractor in adopting a construction services agreement
Mar 2023 to Mar 2025 Bundjamin & Partners Law Office

Junior Associate Lawyer, WTO Law

Represented international clients, Indonesian industries, and the Government of Indonesia in WTO, trade remedy, customs, and Indonesian competition matters, including 15 anti-dumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard investigations before KADI, KPPI, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Indian authorities.

Representative matters (25)

For the Government of Indonesia

  • Representing the Government of Indonesia (Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs) in the Joint Task Force on the EU Deforestation Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115) involving Indonesia, Malaysia, and the European Union (August 2023)
  • Assisting the Government of Indonesia (Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries) in the U.S. countervailing duty investigation on frozen warmwater shrimp from Indonesia (initiated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, November 2023)
  • Assisting the Government of Indonesia (Ministry of Trade) in the U.S. countervailing duty investigation on mattresses from Indonesia (verification, January 2024)

Trade remedy investigations

  • Preparing key information in the Indonesian anti-dumping sunset review on biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) from India, China, and Thailand (initiated by KADI, February 2025)
  • Representing polypropylene homopolymer producers and exporters in the Indonesian anti-dumping investigation on imports from Singapore, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines (initiated by KADI, December 2024)
  • Representing apparel and apparel accessories producers' associations and importers in the Indonesian safeguard investigation on apparel and apparel accessories (initiated by KPPI, November 2024)
  • Representing exporters and importers in the Indonesian safeguard investigation on linear low-density polyethylene (initiated by KPPI, October 2024)
  • Representing an Indonesian exporter in India's countervailing duty investigation on copper wire (July 2024)
  • Representing a Thai exporter in the interim review of the Indonesian anti-dumping measure on biaxially oriented polypropylene from Thailand and Vietnam (February to May 2024)
  • Preparing key information in the Indonesian anti-dumping investigation on tinplate from China, South Korea, and Taiwan (December 2023 to January 2024)
  • Representing a mandatory respondent in the U.S. countervailing duty investigation on aluminium extrusions from China, Indonesia, and other countries (initiated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, November 2023)
  • Representing exporters and producers in the Indonesian anti-dumping investigation on filament yarn from China (initiated by KADI, September 2023)
  • Representing exporters and producers in the Indonesian anti-dumping investigation on polypropylene copolymer from Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Vietnam (initiated by KADI, September 2023)
  • Representing Indonesian domestic industries in the anti-dumping investigation on nylon film from China (initiated by KADI, March 2023)
  • Representing exporters and producers in the Indonesian anti-dumping investigation on ceramic tiles from China (initiated by KADI, March 2023)
  • Preparing key information for exporters and producers in the Indonesian anti-dumping investigation on hot-rolled coil from China (March 2023 to January 2024)

Trade, customs, and regulatory advice

  • Advising Chinese excavator producers on local content requirements and rules of origin under Indonesian law, the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, and the United Kingdom's Generalised System of Preferences (January 2025)
  • Advising on import tariffs for sorbitol under regional and bilateral trade agreements (September 2024)
  • Advising on halal regulations for imports of agricultural products (August to November 2024)
  • Advising on company compliance with the Indonesian Personal Data Protection Law (August to November 2024)
  • Advising on export regulations and trade sanctions imposed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (May 2024)
  • Preparing a legal memorandum on import licensing for vapes and vape liquids under Indonesian trade regulations (June 2023)
  • Representing Chinese steel producers and Indonesian importers in a customs classification dispute before the Indonesian Tax Court (March 2023)

Competition proceedings (KPPU)

  • Representing palm oil producers on the compliance of their partnership agreements with smallholders in proceedings before the Indonesia Competition Commission (initiated November 2023)
  • Representing a cooking oil producer in proceedings before the Indonesia Competition Commission (KPPU Decision No. 15/KPPU-I/2022)
Aug 2022 to Feb 2023 Hendri Jayadi Pandiangan & Partners Law Office (HJP Law Office)

Trainee Associate Lawyer, Commercial Litigation and Corporate Due Diligence

Represented domestic clients in commercial and labor disputes, in and out of court, and assisted Dr. Hendri Jayadi with legal opinions, expert remarks, and legal research.

Representative matters (10)
  • Representing a corporate client in a tort dispute before the South Jakarta District Court (January 2023)
  • Representing a corporate client in a sales agreement dispute (non-litigation, November 2022)
  • Representing a corporate client in a sales employment contract dispute (non-litigation, November 2022)
  • Representing a water solutions company in an employment contract dispute before the Serang Industrial Relations Court (September to November 2022)
  • Representing an energy company in a public information dispute before the Bali Information Commission (November 2022 to January 2023)
  • Representing a corporate client in a partnership agreement dispute (August 2022 to January 2023)
  • Representing a corporate client in a sales contract dispute (non-litigation)
  • Assisting Dr. Hendri Jayadi in preparing expert remarks provided to the Indonesian National Police
  • Assisting Dr. Hendri Jayadi in preparing legal opinions on trade, investment, bankruptcy, public information, and commercial law (August 2022 to February 2023)
  • Assisting Dr. Hendri Jayadi in legal research on bankruptcy law and land law at the Universitas Kristen Indonesia Faculty of Law (August 2022 to February 2023)
May 2020 to present PT Exquisite Investments Asia

In-house Legal Counsel

Advising the board of a family-owned investment company on property, land, investment, and employment matters.

Representative matters (5)
  • Coordinating with a notary on the company's business sectors and amendments to its articles of association (May 2024 to present)
  • Providing legal opinions to the board on strategic property and land purchases (May 2020 to present)
  • Drafting agreements on property purchases, company investments, and employment (August 2023 to present)
  • Representing the company in a criminal matter arising from a sales agreement, resolved through restorative justice procedures (August 2021)
  • Providing a legal opinion on a consumer protection dispute (non-litigation, May 2020)
Mar 2021 to May 2021 Erwin Siregar and Associates Law Office

Legal Intern, Private International Law

Conducted research and prepared documents on the following matters.

Matters (3)
  • A private international law divorce case before the Denpasar District Court (April to May 2021)
  • A state administrative case concerning a land certificate before the Kupang State Administrative Court (March to May 2021)
  • Criminal cases involving embezzlement, malpractice, and homicide, with proceedings in the Denpasar and Gianyar police districts and the Labuan Bajo District Court (March to May 2021)
Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H. at Universitas Indonesia graduation, wearing a Summa Cum Laude sash
GraduationUniversitas Indonesia Master of Law, August 2024: Summa Cum Laude with a perfect 4.00 GPA.

§ 5Education

Education and credentials

Doctor of Law, Candidate
Universitas Indonesia, joint doctoral program with Maastricht University, the Netherlands (2025 to present)
Master of Law (M.H.), International Trade Law
Universitas Indonesia, Summa Cum Laude, GPA 4.00/4.00 (2022–2024)
Bachelor of Law (S.H.)
Universitas Kristen Indonesia, Summa Cum Laude, GPA 3.96/4.00 (2018–2022)
MicroMasters in International Legal Studies
UCLouvain, Belgium, via edX (2021–2022)
Intellectual Property Law and Policy (IPLAW1x and IPLAW2x)
University of Pennsylvania, via edX, final grade 82/100 (2021)
Contract Law: From Trust to Promise to Contract (HLS2x)
Harvard Law School, via edX, final grade 87/100 (2021)
Bar admission
Advocate, Indonesian Advocates Association (PERADI), Indonesia
Languages
Bahasa Indonesia and English. TOEFL iBT 95 (2024: Reading 25, Listening 23, Speaking 24, Writing 23); TOEIC 870 (2022: Reading 410, Listening 460).
Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H. speaking at the Universitas Kristen Indonesia graduation, wearing a Summa Cum Laude sash
Best GraduateAddressing the Universitas Kristen Indonesia graduation in the Summa Cum Laude sash.

§ 6Awards

Awards and honors

Including more than 15 legal writing competition awards during his undergraduate studies.

Academic honors

  • Best Graduate, Universitas Indonesia Master of Law, Universitas Indonesia Graduation (24 August 2024)
  • The Sudargo Goutama Award, inaugural Summa Cum Laude awardee in the 100 years of the Universitas Indonesia Master of Law program (6 August 2024)
  • Best Graduate, Faculty of Law graduation (yudisium), Universitas Kristen Indonesia (4 March 2022)
  • Best Undergraduate Thesis, thesis defense, Universitas Kristen Indonesia (score 95/100, February 2022)
  • Second Best GPA, Batch 2018 undergraduate students, even semester of academic year 2020/2021
  • Best GPA, Batch 2018 undergraduate students, odd semester of academic year 2020/2021

Other awards

  • Universitas Kristen Indonesia Foundation Award (2021), for multiple victories in legal opinion competitions
  • Dean's Choice Award, Faculty of Law, at the 67th Dies Natalis of Universitas Kristen Indonesia (October 2020)

Competition and research awards

  • Best Presenter, International Trade Law Chamber, Indonesian Society of International Law Lecturers Conference, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta (September 2025)
  • Best Paper, Call for Submission, Jurnal Kajian Pembaruan Hukum, Universitas Jember (May 2024)
  • Champion and Best Presenter, Bulak Sumur Law Fair Call for Paper Competition, Master of Law Students, Universitas Gadjah Mada (May 2024)
  • Most Outstanding Student (Competition Branch), Universitas Indonesia Faculty of Law (March 2024)
  • Champion, Climate Change Essay Competition, Marieta Mauren Law Firm (February 2024)
  • Winner, Student World Trade Prize 2023, Center for World Trade Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada (September 2023)
  • Best Paper and Best Presenter, Asia Pacific Conference 2: Sustainable Development in the Indo-Pacific, Jakarta (30 August 2022)
  • First Place, IEOM Undergraduate Research Competition, Third African International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (April 2022)
  • Presenter with Best Paper, International Conference on Law and Human Rights, Universitas Kristen Indonesia and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (April 2021)
  • Two-time Most Outstanding Student (defending champion), Universitas Kristen Indonesia (2020 and 2021)
  • Two-time Most Outstanding Student (defending champion), Faculty of Law, Universitas Kristen Indonesia (2020 and 2021)
  • Champion, ILSA International Law Essay Competition (NASACOM) 2021: International Law of the Sea, Universitas Sebelas Maret, national level (November 2021)
  • Champion, International Trade Law Legal Opinion Competition, ALSA Universitas Gadjah Mada, national level (November 2020)
  • Second Winner, Public International Law and Securities National Legal Opinion Competition, ALSA Universitas Brawijaya English Contest (November 2020)
Dr. (Cand.) Putu George Matthew Simbolon, S.H., M.H. in batik in a seminar room
TeachingIn the seminar room.

§ 7Service

Teaching, training, and service

Professional training

  • Trainer and Facilitator, Industrial Relations and Employment Disputes, Training Indonesia (September 2026)
  • Trainer and Facilitator, Contract Drafting and Contract Review, Mairodi Training (August 2026)
  • Trainer and Facilitator, Certified Professional Legal Auditor program, Bostan Royal Institute (ongoing)
  • Expert Trainer, Legal English and Academic Writing, PT Wallstreet Indonesia (July 2025 to present)

Teaching and coaching

  • Legal Writing Coach, PODIUM FH UI, the Universitas Indonesia undergraduate legal writing competition community (August 2022 to present)
  • Legal Writing Coach, Faculty of Law, Universitas Negeri Semarang (June to July 2024)
  • Scientific Writing Competition Coach, Business Law Student Association (Himpunan Mahasiswa Business Law), Bina Nusantara University (May to June 2022)
  • Legal Writing Coach, Forum Diskusi Ilmiah Mahasiswa, Faculty of Law, Universitas Kristen Indonesia (May 2020 to April 2022)
  • Volunteer Teacher, Introduction to Jurisprudence and Basic Commercial Law, Hukumku.id (now PT Bro Legal) (April to October 2020)

Judging and academic service

  • Judge, 14th Internal Contract Drafting Competition on renewable energy investment, Faculty of Law, Universitas Indonesia (29 August 2026)
  • Judge, 13th Business Law Competition on international trade law and global supply chains, Universitas Indonesia Business Law Society (8 October 2023)
  • Judge, ILSA National Essay Competition (NASACOM) on WTO and international economic law (16 October 2022)
  • Alumni Representative, Universitas Kristen Indonesia re-accreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT) (June 2022)
  • Student Representative, Faculty of Law accreditation by the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) (November 2021)

Pro bono

  • Focal Point, Bukit Doa Church, Nusa Dua, Bali (August 2026 to present)
  • Legal Advisor on general legal issues, Bukit Doa Church, Nusa Dua, Bali (November 2021 to present)
  • Christian Ethics Trainer and Evangelist for new students, Spiritual and Counselling Center, Universitas Kristen Indonesia (September 2020 to November 2021)
§ 8Clients

Who we work with

Businesses
Indonesian and foreign companies facing complex regulatory, trade, customs, environmental, or commercial issues.
Exporters & Importers
Companies affected by international trade regulations, trade remedies, and market-access requirements.
Foreign Investors
Investors requiring Indonesian regulatory, corporate, and investment-law analysis.
Law Firms
Specialized legal research, of-counsel support, and second opinions for complex matters.
Government & Public Institutions
Legal research and regulatory analysis.
Universities & Research Institutions
Commissioned legal research, comparative-law research, policy analysis, and professional training.
NGOs & Civil Society
Legal research concerning environmental regulation, sustainability, biodiversity, and international law.
Consultation

Is your matter a fit for the Office?

Tell us briefly what you are facing. We will reply with how we can help.

Jakarta, by appointment

Consultations in Bahasa Indonesia and English, for matters across Indonesia and cross-border.