Vision & Associates

Vietnam

Analysis

Overview

Vision & Associates is among the largest firms in Vietnam, with over 100 lawyers, patent and trademark attorneys, and consultants. Its areas of expertise cover banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, construction, labour and employment, and tax. The firm is best known for its intellectual property and dispute resolution practice. The firm assists clients from multi-national corporations to small and medium-sized companies and individuals in establishing their business presence in Vietnam. With extensive experience working together with foreign law firms in Vietnam and in the region, the firm can offer both domestic and international expertise. Managing partner Pham Nghiem Xuan Bac is the key contact. 

Dispute resolution

Work highlights 

Representing Pymepharco Joint Stock Company in an unfair competition dispute against Stellapharm regarding the unauthorised use of "Stada" branding elements following a joint-venture termination. The case centres on Stellapharm's continued reference to its former name "Stada VN JV" across digital platforms, potentially misleading consumers about ongoing affiliations with Stada. The matter highlights significant brand protection concerns in Vietnam's pharmaceutical sector where corporate history and consumer trust intersect. 

Representing MV1 Vietnam Real Estate Trading in multiple disputes concerning customer petitions to terminate custody agreements at a real-estate development project in Ho Chi Minh City. The case holds strategic importance as successful customer claims could trigger a wave of similar termination requests amid the city's property market slowdown. The firm has secured victories in several cases, with remaining plaintiffs withdrawing their petitions. 

Key clients 

Gia Lam Urban Development and Investment Company, Newvision Land, Phu Quoc Tourism Development and Investment 

Corporate and M&A

Work highlights 

Advising Renesas Electronics Corporation on Vietnamese legal aspects of its $5.7 billion acquisition of Altium via scheme of arrangement. The cross-border transaction involved conducting red-flag due diligence on Altium's Vietnamese subsidiary and providing tax advisory services. The successful completion in July 2024 forms part of Renesas's strategic expansion to create an innovative electronics system design and lifecycle management platform, combining semiconductor expertise with Altium's PCB design software leadership. 

Advising Vinhomes on Nomura Real Estate Asia's proposed $450 million acquisition of an 80% stake in VYHT Joint Stock Company, which owns part of a real-estate project on Vu Yen Island, Hai Phong City. The cross-border transaction involves complex multi-party negotiations and interconnected agreements between Vietnamese and Singaporean entities. The deal's significance lies in its intricate structure of multiple related agreements requiring careful coordination and swift resolution of issues to maintain critical transaction timelines. 

Key clients 

Deckers Outdoor Vietnam Company, Marmon Engineered Components, Sabre Asia Pacific 

Banking and finance

Work highlights 

Advising ANZ Bank (Vietnam) and ANZ Investment Bank on two key regulatory matters: updating the Vietnam section of their Global Guide to Directors Duties and Corporate Governance and reviewing amendments to a cloud service agreement for regulatory compliance. The work addresses complex cross-border requirements between Vietnam and Australia, particularly challenging given Vietnam's evolving regulatory framework for cloud services and directors' duties dispersed across multiple legal instruments. 

Key clients 

GoPay Vietnam Payment Services, Paramax Corporation, Fiserv 

Construction

Work highlights 

Providing comprehensive legal support to Gamuda's Vietnamese subsidiaries across multiple real-estate projects valued at over D10 trillion ($381 million). The work encompasses strategic advice on Vietnam's evolving real-estate regulatory framework, including compliance with new 2023 real estate and housing laws, transaction documentation for property sales and leases, and project management solutions. The mandate is particularly significant given Vietnam's extensive regulatory changes in real estate, land use and residential housing during 2024, requiring careful navigation of new compliance requirements and business operation adjustments. 

Key clients 

Vinhomes