VILAF

The firm: With 30 years of experience in Vietnam, VILAF is one of the largest law firms in Vietnam and consistently ranked as a first-tier law firm by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, IFLR1000, Asia Law and Chambers and Partners.

VILAF has been representing clients in many complex cross-border M&A, large financing and capital markets transactions, and major infrastructure and energy projects in Vietnam. The firm’s long-term clients include, among others, Marubeni Corporation, Mizuho Bank, ANZ, Sumitomo Corporation, Phillip Morris, BNP Paribas, Siam Cement Group, Capitaland, Jollibee Foods Corporation, HSBC, Hoa Lam, Ford, and GM.

VILAF’s experienced team of senior lawyers covers every aspect of business in Vietnam, including foreign direct investment, commercial, corporate, real estate, M&A, banking, finance, capital markets, project finance, infrastructure development, oil, gas and power, construction, trading and distribution, taxation, employment, shipping, litigation and arbitration, intellectual property, technology transfers and life sciences.

Areas of practice
Corporate and M&A: the corporate team of 38 lawyers has handled many of Vietnam’s largest and most complex M&A and restructuring transactions. The corporate team also advises on equitisation, commercial contracts, antitrust, energy, direct investment, insurance, private equity and life sciences. As the largest corporate team in the country, the team is also well capable of assisting multinational clients on all operational corporate matters. Notable matters include: advising Siam City Cement in the $560m acquisition of LafargeHolcim’s 65% shares in Holcim Cement Vietnam; and advising SCG Group in its $440m acquisition of 100% cement businesses in Vietnam Construction Material JSC and in its $250m acquisition of Prime Group.

Banking and finance, and capital markets: the banking and finance, and capital markets team of 18 lawyers advises multinational financial institutions, funds and investors in relation to complex deals in financing manufacturing, acquisition, infrastructure and energy projects in Vietnam, and in securities transactions. VILAF provides advice across a wide range of financial products including asset finance, bonds, international listing transaction, IPO, derivatives, project finance, restructuring, and structured finance. Notable matters include: advising Credit Agricole and ANZ on the transfer of its roles (security agent, onshore account bank, offshore account bank) in the syndicate of lenders financing the Phu My 2.2 BOT power project to ANZ Vietnam Ltd.

Energy and infrastructure: the energy and infrastructure team of 22 lawyers has advised on many of the most complex energy and infrastructure projects, including projects that were the first of their type in Vietnam. VILAF has been advising lenders, sponsors, and buyers in relation to BOT power projects, BOT and BOO water projects, PPP projects, independent power plants, expressway projects, metro line project, and port projects. Notable matters include: advising the sponsors in Nghi Son 2 BOT power project, Vinh Tan 1 BOT power project, the ‘Project Finance Deal of the Year 2016’ awarded by IFLR and ALB.

Real property: the real property team of 15 lawyers is the largest team of real property experts in Vietnam. VILAF advises developers, sellers, and buyers in relation to industrial parks, healthcare parks, mixed-use commercial complexes, mini-town projects, resorts and casinos, and other residential projects. The team also advises on EPC contracts and construction matters. Notable matters include advising Chow Tai Fook and VMS Investment in acquiring 80% of an integrated casino, resorts, and residential project of $4bn in Vietnam.

Dispute resolution: the dispute resolution team has increasingly been involved in dispute resolution by arbitration. VILAF has a strong presence in maritime, finance, investment and construction disputes. VILAF has represented multinational clients in dispute resolutions, by way of out- of-court settlement or before the Vietnamese courts, state agencies or the Vietnam International Arbitration Center, and acts as Vietnamese law expert witness in international litigation and arbitration.