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  • "The team is particularly knowledgeable on cross-border private equity structuring and transactions."

    ILFR1000 2019
  • "The team provides a strong holistic understanding of us as a client, is adaptive in supporting us and has been helpful at bringing in legal specialists to support us."

    Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific 2023
  • "Their client centricity is exceptional. They have a broad portfolio of clients across multiple industry sectors and an equally broad local advocacy network that enables us to navigate the Vietnamese regulatory landscape with confidence and precision."

    Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific 2023
  • "The lawyers are highly commercial and practical. They understand their strengths and coordinate collaboration with other law firms for outside expertise. They work closely with their customers, up to the ultimate sponsors, to ensure holistic interests are considered whilst ensuring arm's length advice."

    ILFR1000 Asia Pacific 2023
  • "The lawyers have vast cross-border expertise and are skilled in handling M&A mandates for large Vietnamese conglomerates."

    Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020
  • "The lawyers are knowledgeable and responsive. They consistently achieve satisfying results using a combination of legal experience and creativity."

    Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021
  • "They have a can-do and business-oriented mindset. It is rare to see a firm in the market that can consistently meet our set deadlines but at the same time does not compromise the work quality.’

    Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2021

ABOUT US

International

Standards

ACSV Legal is a vibrant and dynamic, Vietnam based law-firm, located in Ho Chi Minh City with unparalleled domestic expertise. 

We have one of the premier Corporate / M&A practices in Vietnam and we have extensive experience in private equity transactions with a strong commercial focus. We have advised various clients on (re-)structuring their businesses in the light of investments in or outside Vietnam. 

Our clients are typically businesses within South-East Asia which are experiencing significant growth, as well as leading international and local corporations who need advice on a broad array of multi-jurisdictional transactions. We have advised our clients on matters in a wide range of sectors and industries such as healthcare, beauty and fitness, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, IT and technology, hospitality and leisure, education, retail, manufacturing and distribution, apparel and fashion, Fintech and payment services. 

We have a team of experienced lawyers who are qualified in Vietnam, the UK, the US, Germany, and Malaysia in civil and common law jurisdictions. The languages spoken at ACSV Legal include Vietnamese, English, German, Japanese, Italian, Dutch, French and Malay.

ACSV Legal is the author of numerous publications including:

- the Vietnam Trends and Developments chapter of the Chambers & Partners Global Business Guide 2021.

- the Vietnam Law & Practice chapter of the Chambers & Partner Global Business Guide 2021.

“They are business-savvy and nimble."
Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific 2022
"ACSV Legal is always professional and provides great advice in a short space of time. Their reports are written for commercial implementation, covering all areas of the Vietnamese landscape for consideration.”
Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific 2022
"The corporate team has vast cross-border expertise and is skilled in handling M&A mandates for large Vietnamese conglomerates."
"Great communicators. Very fair on pricing. Very thorough.”
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020
“The law firm is very good. In addition to being very knowledgeable and professional, they provide advice that is in the client's best interest, not what generates the most fees. Furthermore, they work with a sense of urgency I greatly appreciate. They always deliver their work in a timely manner, they are organised, they provide high-quality work, and are very responsive.
ILFR1000 2020
"Mark and his team are perfect partners for us. I would not hesitate to recommend ACSV to any of my friends or colleagues. Mark’s team is particularly knowledgeable on cross-border private equity structuring and transactions.”
ILFR1000 2019
"ACSV Legal is ‘a strong firm for M&A, which excels in transactions’, with strong presence in consumer-facing sectors such as retail and leisure.”
Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018
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OUR SERVICES

Committed To Excellence

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  • Banking and Finance
    ACSV Legal routinely advises high-net worth individuals, companies, banks, and other entities on cash flow-based lending, asset based lending, acquisition financing, exit financing, and other secured and unsecured financing.

    see details

  • Corporate / M&A
    ACSV Legal has one of the premier Corporate / M&A practices in Vietnam and its approach is to understand the legal, commercial and political dynamics of every matter.

    see details

  • Dispute Resolution
    ACSV Legal offers a preeminent dispute resolution services with a special focus on international commercial arbitration.

    see details

  • Energy
    At ACSV Legal we support our clients across the entire energy value chain advising them on the use, taxation and extraction of energy sources covering all aspects, from sales to regulation, of non-renewable energy sources such as coal, oil and gas, but also renewable sources, such as wind, solar and hydro power.

    see details

  • Insolvency and Restructuring
    ACSV Legal has advised some of the biggest names in many industries in Vietnam, including health and fitness, retail, food and beverage and hospitality on pre-emtpive pre-deal restructuring or restructuring related to insolvency and winding-up proceedings.

    see details

  • Labour and Employment Law
    ACSV Legal regularly provides support to clients in drafting internal labour rules, labour contracts, compensation structures and assistance in employment litigations in collaboration with SH Law.

    see details

  • Private Equity
    ACSV Legal has experience in advising clients on strategic investments, divestments, debt and security transactions, design and review of loan contracts, as well as capital contributions.

    see details

  • Real Estate
    ACSV Legal provides advice on real estate and construction matters. We take a commercial approach while focussing on achieving our clients’ objectives.

    see details

  • Taxation
    ACSV Legal lawyers are experts in both corporate and commercial Vietnamese law and can thus provide our clients with appropriate tax advice.

    see details

  • Wealth and Private Client
    ACSV Legal advises Vietnamese high net-worth individuals and families, family offices, closely held businesses on all matters affecting their business, personal and family wealth, as well as the institutions entrusted with effectively managing that wealth.

    see details

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  • Christian Leitzinger

    Chief Operations Officer

    Pham Nguyen Confectionary

    ...ACSV’s lawyers are knowledgeable and responsive. They consistently achieve satisfying results using a combination of legal experience and creativity....
  • Raghu Rai

    Founder & Chief Executive Officer

    Jio Health

    ...The quality of legal advice, high-value service we received and attention to our needs confirmed our decision in engaging ACSV to be the absolute right one. It far exceeds our experience at any other law firm we have used....
  • Dane Fort

    CEO

    CMG.ASIA and CFYC

    ... They are highly effective in seeking solutions and creatively solving our problems. ACSV’s lawyers are notable not only for their legal skills, but also for the level of personal integrity and dedication...
  • Neil Williamson

    Managing Director

    Emerging Law Limited

    ...Throughout the transaction ACSV's lawyers were a pleasure to deal with - great communicators, highly responsive and efficient, very fair on costs and they came up with pragmatic solutions to address any challenges that we faced....
  • Romain Joly

    Managing Director

    1001fontaines Vietnam

    ...We highly appreciate the professionalism and responsiveness of ACSV’s lawyers. We intend to continue working with the ACSV team to make the project successful....

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OUR CLIENTS

What People Say

Our clients come from a broad range of sectors and industries such as manufacturing, food & beverage, hospitality and leisure, education, distribution, pharma, health, beauty & fitness, IT, apparel and fashion, retail, and public relations.

learn more

OUR TEAM

Working With Excellent Lawyers

Our team consists of lawyers who are qualified in Vietnam and abroad in both civil and common law jurisdictions, and is built, trained and developed organically. Languages spoken at our office: Vietnamese, English, Malay, Japanese, French, German, Italian and Dutch.

  • Mark cropped
    +84 8 6810 0510 mark.oakley@acsvlegal.com
    Mark is the founder and managing partner of ACSV Legal. Mark has advised multinational clients on various international transactions involving large scale energy and infrastructure projects, banking, structured finance, M&A, joint ventures, acquisition finance and commercial agreements. Prior to establishing ACSV Legal Mark worked at large international firms in London, Singapore, the Middle East and Vietnam. Mark is a registered foreign lawyer in Vietnam.

    Managing Partner

    MARK OAKLEY

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  • Stanley Boots
    stanley@acsvlegal.com
    Stanley Boots is a partner at ACSV Legal. Before joining ACSV Legal he worked in the projects and project finance teams of Hogan Lovells, DLA Piper and Ashurst. His practice areas cover projects and project financing, public-private partnerships, public financing, sustainability and most recently, decentralised financing using Web3 and AI technology.

    Partner and Head of Project Finance and Financing Practice

    Stanley Boots

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  • Thang Nguyen
    thang.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Thang Nguyen is a partner at ACSV Legal and joined the team in February 2022. He has around 20 years of experience practising corporate and commercial law with leading legal consultancy services providers and global law firms in Vietnam. His key areas of practice include corporate and M&A transactions, investment structures, funding arrangements across a wide range of industry sectors, including banking and finance, hospitality, real estate, construction, retail, technology, oil and gas, manufacturing, and energy.

    Partner

    THANG NGUYEN

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  • Tim Dobson
    tim@acsvlegal.com
    Tim Dobson serves as an of counsel at ACSV Legal and head of Energy Practice. He has over 35 years of experience at major international law firms, advising multi-internationals, local clients and small enterprises on a wide range of transactions from large complex cross-border deals to small investments in various sectors such as energy, business, corporate, private equity, commercial, hospitality, real estate and construction, and banking and finance. Tim is a United Kingdom and Hong Kong qualified lawyer.

    Of Counsel and Head of Energy Practice

    TIM DOBSON

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  • Denny
    denny@acsvlegal.com
    Denny Cowger is an Of Counsel at ACSV Legal. Before joining ACSV Legal he worked at international law firms in the US, Vietnam and the UAE. He also worked as general counsel at an information technology company and an international footwear component manufacturer. He obtained a Bachelor in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs with a minor in Japanese from the Miami University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law, an LL.M in Chinese Law from the University of Hong Kong, and an LL.M in Transnational Law from Temple University (Pennsylvania/Japan). Denny is a US-qualified lawyer and registered in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

    Of Counsel

    DENNY COWGER

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  • hieu-cropped_1572426737_medium
    hieu.pham@acsvlegal.com
    Hieu joined the team in April 2014 and is an Of Counsel at ACSV Legal. He has more than 10 years of experience focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures and all forms of foreign direct investment. Hieu also advises high-net-worth individuals and families concerning all aspects of estate and tax planning and family asset-holding structuring. He is a member of the Ho Chi Minh Bar Association.

    Of Counsel

    HIEU PHAM

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  • Minh 3
    minh.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Minh Nguyen is a Special Counsel and Head of Dispute Resolution Practice of ACSV Legal. She joined ACSV Legal in 2019 after having worked nearly ten years for various international law firms and corporations, including a Magic Circle firm. Prior to joining ACSV Legal, Minh worked as Legal Compliance Manager in the SEA&NZ Business Unit of the largest brewing company in the world.

    Special Counsel and Head of Dispute Resolution Practice

    MINH NGUYEN

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  • Portrait Thom Nguyen
    thom.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Thom Nguyen is an Of Counsel at ACSV Legal with 20 years of experience and joined the team in September 2023. Before joining ACSV Legal she worked at large international firms in Vietnam. Thom holds an LL.B in Business Law from the Law Faculty of the National University in Hanoi and is a qualified lawyer since 2008. She is a member of the Hanoi Bar Association.

    Of Counsel

    THOM NGUYEN

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  • Phuong - N
    phuong.huynh@acsvlegal.com
    Phuong joined the team in April 2013 and is a senior associate at ACSV Legal. Phuong was admitted to the Ho Chi Minh City Bar in 2018. Phuong has acted on a wide range of legal matters including lease-related matters, foreign direct investment, incorporation of offshore companies, intellectual property, franchising, and drafting of commercial contracts and other related documents in domestic and international transactions.

    Senior Associate

    PHUONG HUYNH

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  • Trang - N
    trang.phan@acsvlegal.com
    Trang joined the team in July 2015 and is a senior associate at ACSV Legal. Trang graduated from the University of Economics and Law in August 2015. She is a qualified lawyer since June 2019. Trang works on a variety of cross-border mergers and acquisitions, incorporation of offshore companies and other matters relating to business operations. Trang also has experience in licensing matters for foreign direct investment projects in Vietnam.

    Senior Associate

    TRANG PHAN

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  • Nguyet - N
    nguyet.le@acsvlegal.com
    Nguyet joined the team in July 2017 and is a senior associate at ACSV Legal. Prior to working at ACSV Legal, she worked at a large law firm in Vietnam. She is a qualified lawyer since June 2019. Nguyet has experience in licensing matters for foreign direct investment projects and other matters relating to business operations. Nguyet has also been involved in due diligence exercises and in performing legal research on a number of commercial issues in corporate, employment and retail matters.

    Senior Associate

    NGUYET LE

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  • Duc cropped
    duc.tran@acsvlegal.com
    Duc Tran is a senior associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in August 2019. Duc has a bachelor from the University of Law and Economics in Ho Chi Minh City. Duc was admitted to the HCMC Bar Association in November 2019. Duc has experience in conducting legal research, preparing advice on corporate matters, in drafting corporate documents, licensing as well as due diligence.

    Senior Associate

    DUC TRAN

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  • Loan Pham - resized
    loan.pham@acsvlegal.com
    Loan Pham joined the team in February 2022 and is a senior associate at ACSV Legal.

    Senior Associate

    LOAN PHAM

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  • Ly - N
    ly.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Ly joined the team in April 2017 and is an associate at ACSV Legal.

    Associate

    LY NGUYEN

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  • Huong - N
    huong.vo@acsvlegal.com
    Huong is an associate at ACSV Legal. She joined the team in May 2019.

    Associate

    HUONG VO

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  • Phuong Nguyen 2
    phuong.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Phuong Nguyen is an associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in July 2019.

    Associate

    PHUONG NGUYEN

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  • Truong cropped
    truong.le@acsvlegal.com
    Truong Le is an associate at ACSV Legal and has joined the team in October 2019.

    Associate

    TRUONG LE

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  • Mai
    mai.pham@acsvlegal.com
    Mai Phan joined the team in August 2022 and is an associate at ACSV Legal.

    Associate

    MAI PHAN

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  • Phuoc Pham
    phuoc.pham@acsvlegal.com
    Phuoc Pham joined the team in June 2021 and is an associate at ACSV Legal.

    Associate

    PHUOC PHAM

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  • Minh Pham new
    minh.pham@acsvlegal.com
    Minh Pham is an associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in November 2021.

    Associate

    MINH PHAM

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  • Portrait Linh Dang
    linh.dang@acsvlegal.com
    Linh Dang is an associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in September 2023.

    Associate

    LINH DANG

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  • Kim
    kim.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Kim Nguyen joined the team in January 2021 and is an associate at ACSV Legal.

    Associate

    KIM NGUYEN

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  • Nhi
    nhi.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Nhi Nguyen is a junior associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in July 2022.

    Junior Associate

    NHI NGUYEN

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  • Quyen
    quyen.nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Quyen Nguyen is a junior associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in October 2022.

    Junior Associate

    QUYEN NGUYEN

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  • Thao Tran
    thao.tran@acsvlegal.com
    Thao Tran is a junior associate at ACSV Legal and joined the team in November 2022.

    Junior Associate

    THAO TRAN

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  • Oanh Tran
    oanh.tran@acsvlegal.com
    Oanh Tran joined the team in September 2023 and is a junior associate at ACSV Legal.

    Junior Associate

    OANH TRAN

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  • Hoai Ngoc_Profile Photo
    Ngoc.Nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Ngoc Nguyen joined the team in December 2023 as a junior associate at ACSV Legal.

    Junior Associate

    NGOC NGUYEN

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  • Nguyen Vu Minh Hien - Photo
    Hien.Nguyen@acsvlegal.com
    Hien Nguyen joined the team in December 2023 as a junior associate at ACSV Legal.

    Junior Associate

    HIEN NGUYEN

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FEATURED NEWS

What's Going On

AMENDMENTS TO DECREE 152 ON REQUIREMENTS TO HIRE FOREIGN EMPLOYEES
Obtaining a work permit or a work permit exemption certification in Vietnam is often a concern for foreigners. Decree 152 caused some issues, especially with regard to the requirement to have a degree matching the job. This is no longer required. There is a new requirement to post the vacancy before starting the recruitment.

27 Sep 2023

NEW REGULATIONS ON ONSHORE LOANS BY CREDIT INSTITUTIONS
Circular 6 loosens some restrictions on lending and debt repayment currency while introducing certain new requirements and restrictions. Besides, it also creates a new legal framework for digital lending activities.

07 Sep 2023

IMPORTANT REGULATIONS FOR FOREIGNERS WORKING IN VIETNAM
A draft amendment and supplement to Decree 152 was issued to remove difficulties and obstacles in the process of applying the provisions of Decree 152/2020/ND-CP. It stipulates stricter requirements for foreign workers and the notification process and procedures, and it limits cases of work permit exemption.

21 Aug 2023