Professional Summary

Hien has worked for VILAF, a law firm consistently recognized as FIRST TIER law firm in Vietnam for many years by prestigious international legal editorials including ALB, Benchmark Litigation, Chambers Legal 500, IFLR1000, AsiaLaw and In-House Community, since 2007. He has extensive experience in litigation and arbitration in various forums including the Vietnamese courts, VIAC, and SIAC for over 20 years.

He regularly assists clients or works in the settlement of investment, construction, commercial, insurance and maritime matters in Vietnam and other jurisdictions. He has advised a number of state-owned entities and multinational insurance, pharmaceutical, chemical, consumer goods, and wood manufacturing, and logistics companies in cross-border M&A transactions as well as their day-to-day operations, general corporate, and commercial matters, and employment.

He is a highly regarded attorney for his practical, sophisticated, and suitable solutions aiding clients in dealing with their crisis situation.

International Recognition

Since 2023, Hien has been recognized as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific for Commercial and Transactions.

In 2024, he was ranked in Dispute Resolution by Chambers Asia Pacific. He was also named a Next Generation Partner in Dispute Resolution by The Legal 500 in both 2023 and 2024. Additionally, he was included in The Legal 500 Private Practice Arbitration Powerlist for the South East Asia Region in 2022 and 2023. In 2023, he was honored as one of the Top 10 Dispute Resolution Lawyers Reshaping Vietnam’s Legal Landscape by Business Today Lawyer Awards.

Notable Engagements

Among notable matters in which Hien has participated include:

Dispute Resolution

• Advising Singaporean company in solving shareholders dispute and taking control of their invested company;
• Advising foreign investors on shareholders disputes in relation to listed financial institutions in Vietnam;
• Advising foreign investor in a SPA dispute relating to put option and earn out payment;
• Advising foreign investors in a dispute with one of the leading real estate developers in Vietnam;
• Advising foreign investors on shareholders disputes in relation to a prominent and leading construction company in Vietnam;
• Advising the founding shareholder of a pharmaceutical company in dispute with foreign investors of the company;
• Advising a foreign investor in exercising put option in one of the biggest FMCG corporation in Vietnam;
• Advising a forwarding company in dealing with their potential dispute with the country manager in Vietnam who are holding most of essential positions in the Vietnamese company;
• Advising foreign lessors in aircraft/ engine lease disputes with airlines in Vietnam before the Vietnamese Court;
• Advising Singaporean company in dispute concerning the damage to a crane under a lease contract, including procedures to recognize Singapore Court judgment for enforcement in Vietnam;
• Advising clients with Vietnamese legal expert opinion before SIAC and Singapore Court;
• Advising foreign investors against Vietnamese managers of project company in relation to substantial missing funds and unauthorized large-scale closures of stores of project company;
• Advising several clients on proceedings for recognition of foreign court judgment and foreign arbitral award for enforcement in Vietnam;
• Advising clients in the process of enforcement of GAFTA awards;
• Advising foreign invested company in the termination of a real estate JVA due to a breach of contract by the other party;
• Advising foreign investors in a SPA dispute related matters relating to a seller’s breach of fundamental warranty;
• Advising clients on FIDIC construction contracts in relation to metro line in Hanoi City and Ho Chi Minh City;
• Advising foreign vessel owners and P&I clubs in relation to maritime collusion and cargo claims;
• Advising clients and insurance company in collision accidents;
• Advising Vietnamese companies in relation to medical instrument distribution agreements;
• Advising foreign invested company on IP infringement cases.

Corporate/M&A

• Advised Mondelez International in its acquisition of 80% of equity stake in Kinh Do Group’s snack business for USD370 million
• Advised Gamuda Land in the acquisition of its Vietnamese partners’ shares in Celadon City Project to become the sole owner of this project. Celadon City is a VND25,000 billion urban development project in Tan Phu, Ho Chi Minh City, initially invested by a joint venture of Gamuda Land and Sacomreal
• Advised an investment fund in their investment into ride sharing business
• Advised a Japanese investor in the acquisition of Centre Point Tower