VILAF

Capital Markets, Corporate, Private Equity and M&A, Banking and Finance, Aviation

Partner

Trung has joined VILAF since 2009 and became a partner of the firm in 2019. With more than 20 years practicing laws in Vietnam, Trung has extensive expertise and experience in a wide range of industries and practices, including banking, capital markets, assets/aircraft financing, corporate/M&A, foreign investment, employment and dispute resolution.

Trung has been consecutively positioned by Legal 500 in the next generation of leading lawyers in Banking and Finance since 2019. In 2020 and 2021, Asia Business Law Journal ranks him the list of the Top 100 lawyers in Vietnam.

Trung’s notable transactions and experience include:

Banking and Finance: advising Bangkok Bank in relation to its financing to CMX Renewable Energy Solar Power Plant project in Ninh Thuan Province, the largest-scale solar power project in Vietnam; advising a German bank in relation to its loan to Novaland to finance a real estate project in Can Tho, Vietnam; advising Asia Development Bank in the loans provided to An Binh Bank; advising SMBC as the lead lender in relation to a syndicated loan to EVNNPC; advising Standard Chartered Bank in relation to a US$300 million loan to Vietnam Development Bank and a US$60 million loan facility to Novaland; advising a consortium of foreign lenders in relation to US$181 million loans to Bitexco; advising SMBC in relation to US$100 million loans to BIDV; advising Standard Chartered Bank (Vietnam) in relation to a secured US$100 million loan to VietinBank; advising the financings provided to Japfa Comfeed Vietnam by Maybank entities and Rabobank; advising Thai Exim Bank in relation to its facility to Truong Thanh Quang Ngai Power and High Technology for financing the purchase of machineries and equipment in relation to its solar power project in Vietnam; advising Techcombank in syndicated loans provided to borrowers under EVN’s and Masan’s group of companies.

Capital Markets: advising the issuance of several domestic bonds guaranteed by CGIF (a trust fund of Asia Development Bank) and GuarantCo, such as the VND-denominated corporate bonds issued by Masan Consumer Holding, Mobile World Investment Corporation, Hoan My Medical Corporation, Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation, Hong Phong 1 Energy, and EVN Finance; advising Vingroup in its private placement of the very first corporate bonds ever listed in the HCMC Stock Exchange; advising other key issuers like EVN, Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation (Vinacomin), Becamex, Novaland, Song Da Corporation, Vinaconex, Sacomreal, CMC Corporation, Kinh Bac Corporation, UDIC.

Corporate/M&A: advising various foreign investors in foreign invested projects in Vietnam such as advising international investors (HSBC, DB, Morgan Stanley, Intesa Sanpaolo, BNP Paribas, SBI Holdings, SCG, CPECC) in acquiring shares of Vietnamese credit institutions and companies (e.g. Habubank, Bao Viet Insurance, Gateway Securities, Vietcombank, VIB Bank, FPT Securities, Prime Group, Hai Duong 2x600MW BOT project); advising Berjaya Corporation Berhad in relation to its divestment in the company operating the 5-star Intercontinental Hanoi West Lake Hotel; advising SMTB in relation to the acquisition of equity interest in BIDV Finance Company; advising Shinsei Bank and Shinsei Financial in relation to the investment in the financial company of Military Bank (Mcredit); advising foreign investors in financial markets, consumer goods, mineral industries, etc.

Aircraft Financing: as the key member in the Aviation Practice Group of VILAF, Trung has actively assisted foreign parties (such as GECAS, Avation, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Wings Capital Markets, Ping An Leasing, JPLS, Avolon, AWAS, Macquarie, etc.) in various aircraft financing deals for purchasing/sale and lease back/refinancing aircrafts for airlines in Vietnam (including Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, Jetstar Pacific and Bamboo Airlines).

Dispute Resolution: Trung has defending and representing international clients (e.g. ANZ Bank, PPF Banca, General Motors, Aon Vietnam, Doosan Heavy Industries, Bachy-Soletanche etc.) before Vietnamese courts (first-instance and appellate levels) in several cases relating to banking and finance; construction or commercial contracts disputes.

Vietnamese, English

American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham) Hanoi Bar

Utrecht University, The Netherlands, LL.M., 2004 Institute for International Relations, Bachelor of International Relations, Major in International Law, 2001

Clients comment Trung “attentive to client's need and good legal knowledge” (AsiaLaw 2021 Edition); “Good engagement, afford to reach success. Mr. Vu Le Trung – positive and individual approach.” (Legal 500 2021 Edition), “Well versed in Vietnamese corporate, commercial and real estate law, conscientious, and always readily available to address clients’ requirements for urgent meetings and assignments,” (Asia Business Law Journal 2021); “Proactive, attentive, possess good knowledge of Vietnamese law and commercial practices.” (IFLR 1000 2021 Edition); “Expert and practical” and “Open, direct and professional” (AsiaLaw 2022 Edition); and “Pleasant, patient and professional” (IFLR 1000 2022 Edition)