RHTLaw Taylor Wessing merges with Vietnam law firm to deepen reach

RHTLAW Taylor Wessing LLP has further strengthened its regional cross-border practice with the merger with PBC Partners & RHTLaw.

The firm on Thursday launched RHTLaw Taylor Wessing Vietnam.

The merger is in line with the Asean Economic Community (AEC) blueprint 2025 and follows RHTLaw Taylor Wessing's alliance with PBC Partners in early 2014, when they formed PBC Partners & RHT Law.

The new outfit, located within the commercial centre of Ho Chi Minh City's District 1, will have presence across Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, with 25 lawyers covering a full suite of practice areas, including foreign direct investments, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, energy, hospitality and construction.

Said Tan Chong Huat, RHTLaw Taylor Wessing's managing partner: "The merger signals our commitment to intensify our Asean growth strategy via our "Asean+" network. What started out as an alliance of like-minded law firms has now grown into a pre-eminent legal firm in Vietnam."

He noted that Vietnam is one of the fastest growing emerging markets in the world and is poised to play an important role in the Asean economy.

"Our base in Vietnam allows us to actively serve our clients' business needs across the region, providing on-the-ground counsel to guide them through the legal challenges posed by cross-border transactions and operations," said Mr Tan.

RHTLaw Taylor Wessing Vietnam will be led by managing partner Tran Thanh Hai and senior partner Benjamin Yap.

Mr Hai has over 20 years of legal experience and is well-regarded in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, telecommunications, among others.

Mr Yap, a Vietnam-registered foreign lawyer who has been called to the Singapore and English Bar, has extensive experience in corporate and commercial transactions. He has more than 20 years of experience handling cases in the areas including mergers and acquisitions, real estate and corporate compliance.

The law firm said that partners from the Singapore office will be seconded to Vietnam and vice versa, in the months ahead - a move aimed to boost knowledge transfer and capacity building.

The latest venture in Vietnam is part of RHTLaw Taylor Wessing's strategy to bolster its service offerings across the region.

In the last few years, the firm has forged strategic alliances with leading Indonesian law firm, Hanafiah Ponggawa and Partners, and South Korean firm DR & AJU, together with several other leading firms in Asia under the Asean Plus group.