18 Feb 2014

Rajah & Tann expands regional presence with Vietnam tie up

Rajah & Tann is expanding its regional footprint yet again. South East Asia’s largest law firm today announced a tie-up with LCT Lawyers, one of Vietnam’s leading full-service law firms, to create Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers. 

The tie up brings together Rajah & Tann’s Vietnam practice and LCT Lawyers. The enlarged entity will have a presence in the three biggest cities in Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang, supported by 25 lawyers. 

Rajah & Tann’s Managing Partner Lee Eng Beng, SC, said: “LCT Lawyers is one of the best regarded law firms in Vietnam. We are delighted that they are now part of our network. This tie-up will help Rajah & Tann keep pace with our clients’ regional ambitions. We want them to know that wherever they go in the region, we are in a good position to guide them through the legal challenges posed by cross border transactions and operations.” 

Chau Huy Quang, Managing Partner of Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers, said: “Vietnam is an exciting place to be, and as one of the fastest growing emerging markets, the country continues to garner a lot of interest from the international business community. 

“Being part of the Rajah & Tann network in Asia will give us the brand recognition as one of the biggest Asian law firms with a complete range of service capabilities. We can now also look forward to serving our clients’ needs outside Vietnam.”

Mr Quang, a reputed arbitrator at the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre, is a well-known legal practitioner in construction infrastructure, commerce, foreign investment, intellectual property and shipping industries. He will head the dispute settlement group at Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers. 

He added: “Foreign investments into Vietnam have been consistent at around US$10 billion to US$11 billion per year over the last five years and across a wide range of industry sectors. In view of Vietnam’s recent transition into a market-based economy and notably, its memberships to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the World Trade Organisation, our tie-up is not only timely, but necessary to meet the growing demands of our clients." 

The firm’s corporate, regulatory and M&A practices will be led by Vu Thi Que, a chairwoman of LCT Lawyers. Ms Que, who is conversant in Mandarin and Japanese in addition to Vietnamese and English, has been described by a leading ranking publication as a lawyer with "fast response, good business acumen and industry knowledge". 

The firm’s practice is further complemented by a banking finance, projects and infrastructure practice led by partner Nguyen Dinh Nha who has experience as the head of the Ho Chi Minh City Branch of a renowned international law firm in Vietnam. 

The team also has access to the expertise of Pham Manh Dzung for foreign investment and international trade work. Mr Dzung was formerly the head of the department of legal affairs of the Ministry of Planning and Investment. Moreover, the team has recently added a new senior counsel, Assoc. Professor, Dr Bui Xuan Hai, a vice-rector of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, who is well versed in investment and corporate governing matters as well as arbitration and dispute settlement. 

The latest tie up in Vietnam is consistent with Rajah & Tann’s moves in the last three years to build up its network across the region. It commenced operations in Myanmar and Cambodia last year through Rajah & Tann NK Legal Myanmar and Rajah & Tann Sok & Heng Law Office respectively. This was followed by the forging of strategic alliances with Assegaff Hamzah & Partners, the 3rd largest law firm in Indonesia, and Christopher & Lee Ong, a full service law firm in Malaysia which resulted from a merger of three firms. 

As a group, Rajah & Tann is the only South East Asian law firm with offices and a full-service capacity in eight out of the 10 ASEAN countries. It has more than 480 fee earners and award-winning practices in dispute resolution, international arbitration, insolvency, restructuring, and shipping.