News and developments

VILAF names new Hanoi Office Managing Partner

On 18 January 2021, Mr. Ngoc Anh Bui was elected as the new Managing Partner of the VILAF Hanoi Office, succeeding Mr. Anh Dang.

Mr. Ngoc Anh Bui has advised Fortune 500 clients in many of Vietnam’s most complex and largest M&A transactions, state owned enterprise equitisations, new foreign investment projects, employment investigations and regulatory tax and customs audits.

His recent notable transactions include advising a Japanese investor in the acquisition of 8% shares in Petrolimex as the sole strategic foreign investor in connection with its equitization; another Japanese investor in the acquisition of 8.771% shares in Vietnam Airlines, the national flag airline, as the sole strategic foreign investor; a giant Korean investor in establishing a US$ 1.5 billion manufacturing complex in Hai Phong, Vietnam; and a foreign contractor on various compliance and contract issues relating to the EPC Contracts for a 650 MW Thermal Power Project.

Prior to joining VILAF, Mr. Ngoc Anh Bui concluded his doctoral degree, with distinction, on international trade law at Georgetown Law Center in 2007. While in Washington DC, he worked for an American law firm in Washington DC as a foreign law consultant. He also worked for the USVTC in Hanoi on various technical assistance programs on Vietnam's WTO accession negotiation and Vietnam's implementation of 2000 US-Vietnam BTA.

“I am thankful and honored to be elected as new Managing Partner. Thank you, Anh Dang, for your hard work and leadership. I look forward to your guidance as I embark on this new role for our best services to the clients,” said Mr. Anh Bui.

Mr. Anh Dang, who has served as Hanoi Office Managing Partner for the last two office terms, is a leading lawyer in Vietnam and highly regarded by peers and clients for his extensive knowledge on complex transactions, as well as his professionalism and responsiveness. Mr. Anh Dang now spends more time on his client work in the team’s outstanding M&A and Projects practices.

Ms. Duyen Ha Vo, the firm’s Chairperson, said, “We are grateful for Mr. Anh Dang’s valuable contributions to the firm’s during the last two office terms. We have enjoyed great financial and headcount growth during the last 6 years and continued to be ranked first tier on all major legal practices. Our firm has amazing people, a great culture and a strong focus on delivering excellent legal services in a pragmatic manner and with due regard to international standards requirements. Mr. Ngoc Anh Bui, a long-term partner and an excellent and dedicated legal practitioner, will definitely continue to promote client services and strategic growth in our Hanoi Office.”

About VILAF

VILAF is a full business law firm catering to local and international clients with over 25 years of experience. VILAF is consistently ranked as a first tier law firm by both prestigious local and international legal market editorials including Vietnam M&A Forum, IFLR1000, Legal 500, Benchmark Litigation, Chambers, Asia Legal Business and AsiaLaw.

VILAF’s breadth of experience and expertise received recognition in the last few years. In 2020, VILAF won the Project Finance Deal of the Year by ALB Japan Law Awards, the Most Innovative National Law Firm of the Year by IFLR, and the Vietnam Best M&A Law Firm of the Year Award by Vietnam M&A Forum. Asialaw also recognized VILAF as Client Service Excellence Best Overall Firm, Firm of the Year (Vietnam), and Impact Case of the Year.