Vietnam

DFDL has assisted clients in Vietnam since 1995, advising on both local and international legal and tax matters from its offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Drawing on nearly 30 years of in-depth experience in the country and the Mekong Region, DFDL has built a reputation as the preferred choice for legal and tax services in Vietnam.

DFDL Vietnam has advised on all aspects of investments from general regulatory matters to commercially robust, complex, and bespoke and sophisticated transactions.

The cornerstones of DFDL’s culture, approach, and strategy are providing international quality, seamlessly integrated, and relentlessly solution-oriented legal and tax services to establish, structure and protect our clients’ business interests.

We are positioned as the preeminent full-service, legal and tax integrated law firm in Vietnam, where DFDL has developed a reputation for technical excellence, creativity, and integrity coupled with in-depth knowledge of the local environment.

DFDL advisers have represented leading international and Asian investors in Vietnam, including leading global financial institutions. Our involvement in major projects in Vietnam includes important power projects, large real estate projects, and mergers and acquisitions.

DFDL's lawyers in the Vietnam office are sought after by clients for M&A, joint venture and foreign investment matters. The team advises on local and regional transactions in such sectors as technology, oil and gas, renewable energy, manufacturing and real estate. “DFDL have the knowledge of the local laws and how Vietnam operates, but also understand what a foreign investor is looking for. They are really good at explaining issues and local complications and how to handle these” – Chambers Asia Pacific 2023

Key Credentials

  • An international bank group on a USD 195 million international financing of a renewable energy project.
  • Softbank on Thailand and Vietnam based matters in relation to its USD 1.5 billion investment into Grab, a multinational ride-hailing company based in Singapore.
  • NewQuest on the restructuring and acquisition of a substantial minority interest in the holding company of a leading chemical distributor and its subsequent follow on acquisition in that entity.
  • An independent investment firm, on its cornerstone investment in the USD 922 million IPO of Techcombank, a major bank and the second biggest IPO to date in Vietnam.
  • B. Grimm Power on its acquisition of an 80% interest in one largest-scale solar power plants in Vietnam, the greenfield 257 MW Hoa Ho.

Awards

2024 chambers and partners asia pacific

  • Corporate/M&A VietnamBand 3
  • Projects, Infrastructure & Energy VietnamBand 3
  • Tax VietnamSpotlight Table

2024 legal 500 asia pacific

  • Tax Vietnam Tier 1
  • Corporate and M&A Vietnam Tier 2
  • Projects & Energy Thailand & Vietnam Tier 2
  • Real Estate and Construction Thailand & Vietnam Tier 3

Address

9th floor, BIDV Tower 194 Tran,
Quang Khai Street Hanoi, Vietnam
View on Google Maps

Floor 12A, Opal Office Tower, 92 Nguyen Huu Canh Street,
Ward 22, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
View on Google Maps

Contact

+84 24 3936 6411
vietnam@dfdl.com

+84 28 3910 0072

Opening Hours

8 AM – 6 PM
Monday – Friday

Key Contacts

Partner and Co-Managing Director, Vietnam
Vietnam
+84 2839 100 072
Partner and Co-Managing Director, Vietnam
Vietnam
+84 2839 100 072
Martin Desautels
Senior Partner

Position

  • Senior Partner

Expertise

  • Banking and Finance
  • Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure
  • Investment Funds

Countries of Expertise

  • Cambodia
  • Lao PDR
  • Vietnam
Kevin Hawkins
Partner

Position

  • Partner

Expertise

  • Corporate and M&A
  • Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure
  • Real Estate and Hospitality

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam
Phong Anh Hoang
Partner

Position

  • Partner

Expertise

  • Banking and Finance
  • Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure
  • Technology, Media and Telecoms

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam
Dai Thang Huynh
Partner and Head of Hanoi office

Position

  • Partner and Head of Hanoi office

Expertise

  • Compliance and Investigations
  • Corporate and M&A
  • Real Estate and Hospitality

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam
Dave Seibert
Partner, Head of Regional Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure | Head of US Desk

Position

  • Partner, Head of Regional Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure | Head of US Desk

Expertise

  • Banking and Finance
  • Corporate and M&A
  • Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure

Countries of Expertise

  • Cambodia
  • Lao PDR
  • Myanmar
  • Vietnam
Paul D. Volodarsky
Partner, Head of Regional Real Estate and Hospitality

Position

  • Partner, Head of Regional Real Estate and Hospitality

Expertise

  • Corporate and M&A
  • Real Estate and Hospitality

Countries of Expertise

  • Myanmar
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
Lan Hua
Tax Director

Position

  • Tax Director

Expertise

  • Tax & Transfer Pricing

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam
Tu Can
Senior Legal Adviser

Position

  • Senior Legal Adviser

Expertise

  • Corporate and M&A
  • Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure
  • Technology, Media and Telecoms

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam
Baongoc Nguyen
Senior Adviser

Position

  • Senior Adviser

Expertise

  • Banking and Finance
  • Corporate and M&A
  • Real Estate and Hospitality

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam
Kim Nguyen
Senior legal adviser

Position

  • Senior legal adviser

Expertise

  • Corporate and M&A

Country of Expertise

  • Vietnam

Insights

Intelligence from the DFDL legal team

Anti-Trust and Competition
Mar 27 2024

DFDL and Leaf Announce Cooperation Agreement

We are pleased to announce that DFDL is extending its PRC network of collaborating firms through a cooperation agreement with…
Corporate and M&A
Mar 26 2024

Top 10 Considerations for Mergers and Acquisitions in the Renewable Energy Sector in Vietnam

Renewable energy is a booming and attractive sector for foreign investors in Vietnam. However, mergers and acquisitions in this sector…
Banking and Finance
Mar 19 2024

Vietnam: Refinancing in Vietnam at a Glance

In 2023, there were noticeable changes in the regulatory framework governing refinancing in Vietnam. Refinancing remains forecasted as a crucial…
Banking and Finance
Mar 14 2024

Vietnam: Draft Decree on the Regulatory Sandbox in the Banking Sector - Notable Considerations for Fintech Service Providers

On 4 March 2024, the Government of Vietnam published the draft Decree on the regulatory sandbox in the banking sector…
Corporate and M&A
Mar 13 2024

Vietnam: Legal Update on the Hydrogen Energy Development Strategy of Vietnam

On 7 February 2024, the Prime Minister of Vietnam issued Decision No. 165/QD-TTg on approving Vietnam’s Hydrogen energy development strategy…
Tax & Transfer Pricing
Mar 12 2024

Tax and Transfer Pricing Aspects of Providing Intragroup Management Services in Vietnam

Intra-group management services are a controversial and highly debated tax issue in Vietnam. In this article, DFDL tax and transfer…
Technology, Media and Telecoms
Mar 6 2024

Vietnam: Co-Location and Convergence - New Frontiers for Telecoms under Vietnam’s Amended Law on Telecommunications

A. Overview On 24 November 2023, the Vietnamese National Assembly passed the Law on Telecommunications No. 24/2023/QH15 (Amended Law), governing,…
Banking and Finance
Jan 31 2024

Vietnam: Recent Amendments to the Credit Institutions Law in Vietnam - Key Updates and Legal Implications

The amended Law on Credit Institutions 2024 was approved by Vietnam’s National Assembly on 18 January 2024 (the “Amended Law…