VILAF - Key Persons
To many clients and peers, Anh Dang is one of the most reliable and result-oriented Vietnamese lawyers. Anh Dang's broad experience covers foreign direct investment, corporate and M&A, infrastructure & energy projects, project finance, real estate and property, mining, automobile and telecommunications.
Chambers and Partners commented him: "Clients rate him for his ‘substantial knowledge and experience of complex transactions,' which stems from his international background." IFLR1000 of the year 2021 comments: Anh Dang has "clear emails and particularly tables of tasks, makes himself available for calls and tasks even at very short notice, good market knowledge." Market sources described Anh Dang as "very skilled and responsive" (Chambers & Partners 2017 Edition). Anh Dang is also thought by a client to be "hands-on. Constructive legal advice" (Asialaw 2019). Clients value his ability to "provide highly efficient and professional services." (Chambers & Partners 2021 Edition).
Anh has experience of a wide range of commercial and corporate matters, including Aviation Financing, Corporate/M&A transactions, Anti-trust and Capital Market. Anh regularly advises foreign investors and multinational funds in aircraft leasing and financing transactions, international bond offering and listing, as well as purchases and sales of shares and assets in various business sectors, including education, logistics, construction materials, and technologies.
Job Titles:
- Facility Agent and Security Trustee in the US$350 Million RBL Facility to Ophir
Dan Thanh has more than 7 years of working experience in legal area in Vietnam and more than 5 years with VILAF.
Dang Duong Anh has been awarded by IFLR 1000 as a Leading Lawyer for Financial & Corporate and for Energy & Infrastructure since 2014. AsiaLaw regarded Duong Anh as a Leading Lawyer for Corporate/M&A since 2014. In 2018 it considered him as a Market-leading lawyer and an Elite Practitioner in Corporate/M&A since 2019. Recently, Asia Business Law Journal lists Duong Anh in the list of the Vietnam's top 100 lawyers. Furthermore, Legal 500, the guide to Asian commercial law firms, has ranked him as a leading lawyer for Corporate/M&A in Vietnam since 2016.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Executive Board Member of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association
Diem joined VILAF in 2016. She worked many years as a general counsel of multinational companies operating in the life science sector and food sector, including Novartis, Sanofi and Nestlé. During those years, she handled a broad range of investment, corporate, commercial, import, brand protection, code of conduct and compliance matters involving these two sectors.
She also received higher legal training about U.S. Food and Drug Law at Southern Methodist University.
Diem has been an Executive Board Member of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association ("HCBA") since 2008. She was Vice president of HCBA (2008-2014), Head of International Affairs of HCBA since 2014.
Concurrently, Diem is the first Chairperson of the In-house Counsel Club under the HCBA for the term of 2018-2019 and re-elected as the Chairperson for the term of 2020-2021.
Memberships
Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association
Vietnam Bar Federation
Duyen is recommended as a Leading Lawyer in Vietnam by IFLR1000 and Legal 500 in M&A Practice, Energy & Infrastructure Practice and Finance Practice, and as an Elite Practitioner by Asialaw in Banking and Finance, Corporate and M&A.
Duyen is active in advising multinational companies in the financial service sectors, energy, infrastructure, fintech and real estate sectors.
She advises foreign investors, issuers, financial institutions and private equity funds in relation to cross-border M&A transactions, bond investment and debt instruments in private and public companies in Vietnam.
She advises multinational banks and fintech companies in financing transactions, debt instruments, finance regulatory matters, derivatives, project financing, and M&A transactions.
Esko Cate is an international transactional lawyer with a focus corporate and commercial law. A native of Seattle, USA, Esko assists overseas companies operating both abroad and in Vietnam with variety of legal issues ranging from foreign direct investment to corporate financing.
Esko is a graduate of University of Oregon School of Law where he extensively studied international intellectual property protection and counterfeiting issues, as well as cross-border commercial transactions. Prior to joining VILAF, Esko worked with a top tier US law firm assisting a number of high-profile clients.
Esko is dedicated to understanding our clients' businesses and long term goals. His ability to communicate in both English and Vietnamese position him to assist our clients uniquely and effectively with their varied international projects.
Hanh Hien has practiced laws at VILAF since 2013. She has a banking, finance, capital market and M&A practice.
She particularly advised multinational financial institutions on project and asset finance transactions, 100% foreign owned banks and foreign banks' branches in Vietnam on day-by-day business legal issues, and foreign investors on making investment in Vietnam securities market.
Hanh Hien was previously seconded to work at BNP Paribas Vietnam and HSBC Vietnam, each for more than a year during her time with VILAF.
Hanh joined VILAF in 2015, specializing in Dispute Resolution, Employment, and Crisis Management. Before joining VILAF, Hanh worked at the People's Court of District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City where she assisted the Judge in resolving several economic, labor, and civil disputes.
Hanh was involved in various dispute resolution matters, ranging from construction, commerce, civil, tax, customs, corporate to employment matters. She has also assisted in certain M&A projects and regularly advised clients on corporate, employment matters as well as their day-to-day operation.
She regularly advised clients on contentious matters and proposed practical solutions to deal with such matters.
Hao joined VILAF in 2006 and was promoted as Partner in 2019.
Before joining VILAF, Hao worked for Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Thompson Hine LLP specifically on anti-dumping cases in the United States of America involving Vietnamese companies for more than one year.
With more than 12 years of legal practice experience, Hao possesses a wealth of experience in capital market, cross-border M&A, oil and gas, renewable energy, real estates and employment. Hao has advised many multinational companies in Vietnam in various industries, such as renewable energy, real estate, oil& gas, consumer goods, food and beverages.
Hao is recognized in ALB's List of 40 Under 40 in 2019 as one of Asia's Best Young Lawyers.
Hien joined VILAF in 2007. He has extensive experience in litigation and arbitration in various forums including the Vietnamese courts, VIAC and SIAC for more than 15 years.
He regularly works with several international law firms in the settlement of maritime, commercial, insurance and investment disputes in Vietnam and other jurisdictions.
He has advised a number of multinational insurance, pharmaceutical, chemical, foods and wood manufacturing companies in cross-border M&A transactions as well as their day-to-day operations.
In addition to dispute resolution, Hien also advises state-owned entities and multi-national enterprises on general corporate, employment and M&A.
Hien was named as a future star by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2018, 2020, 2022 in Commercial and Transactions. He is also named in 2021 and 2022 as a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500.
Hien is recommended by several well-known international legal guides and is known to offer broad expertise in commercial and construction-related work and particularly skilled in high-value real estate projects.
Hien advises multi-million real estate projects by, among others, CapitaLand, VinaCapital, Prudential, Aseana, Nam Long, Hoa Lam, and follows every step of the first Hi-tech Health-care Park in Vietnam. Hien advises both employers and contractors in construction-related contracts, such as design/consultancy, construction and turn-key contracts.
Hien advises numerous investors (both Vietnamese and foreign) in direct investment, M&A transactions and operational issues in many fields of operation, including retail, e-commerce, consumer goods, automobile, optical, information technology, insurance, telecommunication, feeds and livestock, brewery and beverages, hotel management, catering, construction and construction materials.
Hien is likewise an excellent tax lawyer. She helps clients find the best and efficient tax structures for their transactions and business models.
Hoang Duong, a Vietnamese qualified lawyer, has experience in advising clients in foreign investment, capital market, corporate and M&A transactions, joint ventures, restructurings, securities and general corporate matters. Hoang Duong has 10 years of experience in VILAF, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and Allen & Overy.
Hung has been a recognised leading lawyer in Banking & Finance and Capital Markets by various international legal magazines, such as the International Who's Who of Capital Markets Lawyers, IFLR 1000, Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, and AsiaLaw. AsiaLaw has recommended Hung as a Leading Lawyer in Capital Markets since 2015. From 2016, IFLR 1000 has recognised him as a leading lawyer in Financial and Corporate law. Recently, Hung is listed in the list of Vietnam's top 100 lawyers conducted by Asia Business Law Journal.
Peers agree that Hung is "skilled at taking on finance work" and "also an adept handler of capital markets matters".
Hung's practice includes asset finance, foreign direct investment, banking & capital markets, M&A and project finance.
Huy has more than 7 years of working experience and has been with VILAF since 2015. Prior to joining VILAF, Huy worked in the financial services industry.
Huy focuses his practice on cases concerning cross-border M&A and capital market, corporate and restructuring.
Lam was a former policy researcher and law-maker in a ministerial agency of the Government of Vietnam. Lam joined VILAF Hanoi in 2008 and was promoted to be VILAF's Counsel in 2016. Lam specializes in Energy & Infrastructure, Corporate, Private Equity and M&A, and capital market. Lam's work ethic and preciseness are vastly appreciated by clients in the Energy & Infrastructure practice as well as in other fields of his practice.
Clients commented Lam "Hands-on. Constructive legal advice." (AsiaLaw 2019) and "Deep knowledge and steadfast" (IFLR 1000 2020 Edition). A client says with Legal 500 - 2021 Edition that "Vu Nguyen Quynh Lam, the counselor is so dedicated, smart and well logic." Chambers and Partners 2021 Edition regards that Lam has a growing reputation in the market and is described by market sources as a "sharp projects lawyer."
Since 2019, Lam has been regarded as a Rising Star in Corporate/M&A and Project Development by IFLR 1000 and a Rising Star in Corporate/M&A by AsiaLaw. Recently, Chambers and Partners highly ranked him in the Projects, Infrastructure & Energy sector.
Linh has been a Partner at VILAF since 2000 and has intensive experience in the corporate, commercial and dispute resolution areas, including construction, insurance, leases, representative offices, contract laws, trading, distribution, and employment matters. He has assisted foreign investors and financiers in various corporate restructuring transactions and infrastructure projects. He has represented clients in a number of landmark litigation and arbitration cases.
Linh has been recommended as a Leading Lawyer by AsiaLaw Leading Lawyers in Dispute Resolution and Litigation for six successive years from 2014. In 2021, Asia Business Law Journal lists Linh in the list of Vietnam's top 100 lawyers.
Linh was awarded "Dispute Resolution Star" by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2018. Linh is currently listed in Leading Individuals by Legal 500.
Linh is an arbitrator of the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre and a Mediator of the Vietnam Mediation Centre.
Minh is a Senior Associate of VILAF, specializing in Dispute Resolutions, Corporate/M&A, Employment, and Investigations and Crisis Management.
He has advised and represented various clients in the settlement of disputes in the field of construction, investment, employment, commerce and insurance. His experience includes dispute resolutions at the Vietnamese courts, VIAC, SIAC and ICC. Before joining VILAF, Minh had worked as a collaborator for the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC).
Minh has also engaged in various acquisition transactions by foreign investors into local enterprises in different economic sectors, such as automobiles, real estate business, and oil and gas. In addition, he has assisted foreign investors and local companies with corporate/M&A, employment, and anti-trust matters.
Ngan has been handling matters involving M&A, corporate restructuring, international joint venture, project financing, banking transactions, general banking regulations and commercial issues. She has been exposed to a variety of local and cross-border transactions in the context of mergers and acquisition, corporate restructuring and offshore lending.
Ngan graduated from Hanoi Law University in 2006 and earned her LL.M degree specialized in corporate and financial services law at National University of Singapore in 2011.
With 26 years of practice and research, Ngoc Anh is a business lawyer with international expertise and local experience on M&A, foreign direct investment, SOE equitization and state divestment, corporate, real estate, employment, market access, customs and WTO. Ngoc Anh has been advising clients on various complicated deals in a wide range of heavily regulated industries, such as airlines, automobile, telecom, oil and gas, real estate, energy, trade, securities, manufacturing and services. Ngoc Anh advised Fortune 500 in many of Vietnam's most complex and largest M&A, new foreign investment and regulatory audits and controversies.
Ngoc Anh received his doctoral degree, with distinction, on international trade law from Georgetown University Law Center in 2007. During his time in Washington D.C., he worked for Steptoe& Johnson on international trade.
Prior to studying in the US, Ngoc Anh worked for the USVTC in Hanoi on various technical assistance programs on Vietnam's WTO accession negotiation and Vietnam's implementation of the 2000 US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement.
Ngoc has advised international businesses in relation to foreign invested projects, cross-border mergers and acquisitions transactions, corporate, finance, energy, capital market, employment, anti-trust, and tax.
With 16 years' experience in law practice, Ngoc has been involved in various industries including consumer goods, food and beverages, energy, pharmaceutical, chemicals, real property, healthcare, and water.
Ngoc has been with VILAF for more than 14 years. Prior to joining VILAF, he had been with British Petroleum, the operator and major shareholder in the USD 1.3 billion integrated gas-to-power Nam Con Son project, for 3 years as a compliance officer and internal auditor.
In the recent IFLR 1000 31st edition (2021), Ngoc is regarded as "detailed; provided clear and constructive legal advice."
Ngoc was the Vietnam National Reporter for the Tax Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA) in 2018 and 2019.
Ngoc is a member of LAWASIA Taxation & Customs Committee.
With 26 years' broad experience in law practice, Phong has represented numerous international sponsors and lenders in relation to foreign invested projects in oil & gas, power, chemical, automobile, aircraft, sea-port, highway, telecommunication, insurance, real estate development, retail and distribution, and consumer goods industries. He is reputable in advising international businesses and banks on corporate restructuring and financing, share subscriptions, mergers and acquisitions transactions, ECA and syndicated financing, asset financing, and project financing in Vietnam. Phong is recommended as a top-tier lawyer in the banking & finance and capital market practice (Legal 500, IFLR 1000 and Asia Law) and the M&A practice (Legal 500, Chambers Asia and ALB Asia).
Phong has been recognised as a market leader by IFLR 1000 in banking & finance, corporate and infrastructure & energy. Who's Who Legal recognised him as an expert in Energy and Aviation sectors and IFLR ranked him as an Asia Best Lawyer in 2019 and 2020 (Vietnam top 4 lawyers). Legal 500 honoured him in the Legal 500 Asia Pacific Hall of Fame, among top 7 foreign and Vietnamese lawyers in this elite lawyer group for Vietnam. Phong is listed in the Vietnam's top 100 lawyers list of Asia Business Law Journal and ranked ALB Asia's Top 15 M&A Lawyers 2021.
Phong is a highly regarded attorney for his admirable capacity to provide practical solutions that well suit the clients' needs. The Legal 500, 2021 edition, commented "Creative and deep experienced team led by the founding partner, Mr. Tran Tuan Phong, providing excellent advice from various angles to see the possible solutions to difficult subjects in the projects and energy sector in Vietnam, especially at the juncture of delicate development of various energy projects in the country". Phong is highly rated by market commentators, who say he "has a tremendous practice" (Chambers & Partners 2021 Edition) and he has "very positive and problem-solving" with "deep knowledge of the power sector and project finance deals." (IFLR 2021 Edition)
Quynh Anh has practiced laws since 2014 with the main focus on capital market, finance, energy, merge and acquisition in the finance sector.
Quynh regularly advises leading multinational companies in Vietnam in various industries, such as insurance, shipping and real estate. He has also advised multinational real estate developers, pharmaceutical companies and oil and gas companies in cross-border M&A transactions. He has a strong presence in M&A and capital markets transactions involving public companies and transactions involving the transfer of a large package of assets including employees. He also actively advises PE funds in equity and bond investments.
Quynh was named an In-House Community Commended External Counsel 2016; was recognized in ALB's List of 40 Under 40 in 2016; named by IFLR1000 as a Notable Practitioner and by AsiaLaw as a Distinguished Practitioner; recognized as Asialaw's Leading Lawyer 2018 in Corporate/M&A, Dispute Resolution & Litigation, Shipping, Maritime & Aviation; and Benchmark Litigation's Litigation Star since 2020.
Before becoming a VILAF partner, Quynh was a professor of law at the Ho Chi Minh City Law University for four years.
Thuan has practiced laws since 2014 and principally focused on the corporate and M&A practice. He has been involved in many high-profile private and public M&A transactions for multinational companies and investors across a wide spectrum of industries. Thuan also actively advises clients in the sector of energy projects and on anti-trust and tax matters.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Partner
- Founding and Senior Partner
Tung Ngo is a founding and senior partner of VILAF. As a top leader of VILAF, Tung has transformed VILAF from an affiliate of Clifford Chance to the most respected independent commercial law firm in Vietnam today. Tung is a key figure in the success and growth of VILAF. He is well-known and respected for his "high degree of professionalism" in servicing clients.
Tung has assisted many giant foreign investors, such as Coca Cola, Mercedes Benz, Shell, and Exxon Mobil in establishing their businesses in Vietnam since the country opened its doors to foreign investment in the 1990s. Tung has advised several international companies in M&A, corporate and commercial matters related to Vietnamese laws, as well as P&I Clubs on maritime cases.
Tung is highly respected and has been identified by various well-known international legal magazines, such as Legal 500, Global and Chambers and International Financial Review, as one of the leading lawyers in Vietnam. Tung was recognized by Asia Law & Practice as one of the finest leading lawyers in Asia. He is also recognized by Benchmark Litigation as Dispute Resolution Star for Commercial Transactions for 2020.
Tung's practice includes areas of banking and finance, M&A and capital markets.
Tung possesses immense knowledge and experience in various aspects of banking law. While at VILAF, Tung was on secondments with BNP Paribas and HSBC.
He is recognized as a Notable Practitioner in M&A by Asialaw and a Rising Star Leading Lawyer by IFLR1000 in Banking and Finance.
Vaibhav is a qualified attorney having extensive professional working experience with the Government of India, the Office of Legal Affairs of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria and leading international law firms.