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Ms. Nguyen Truc Hien, a partner at VILAF, speaks about balancing a legal career and personal life, and emphasizes the importance of mentorship for young women in the legal profession in Asia.

How do you balance the demands of a high-profile legal career with your personal life?

Balancing the demands of a high-profile legal career with personal life requires careful planning and prioritization. I focus on maintaining clear boundaries between work and personal time, setting aside time for family and personal pursuits. Delegating tasks effectively and leveraging technology for efficiency also helps manage workload. Additionally, I prioritize self-care and make time for activities that rejuvenate me, recognizing that maintaining well-being is crucial for sustained professional success. By staying organized and mindful of my priorities, I can achieve a fulfilling balance between my career and personal life.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the legal profession, especially in Asia?

For young women aspiring to enter the legal profession in Asia, aim for academic and professional excellence to distinguish yourself in a competitive field. Seek out mentors for guidance and commit to lifelong learning to stay current with legal and technological advancements. Develop a comprehensive understanding of business and financial aspects, as these are crucial for providing effective legal advice. Build a strong network by attending industry events and joining legal associations to create valuable connections. Embrace resilience to overcome challenges and setbacks, and actively advocate for diversity and inclusion to shape the future of the profession. By combining these strategies, you can effectively balance a demanding legal career with personal growth and make a significant impact in the field.

How has mentorship played a role in your career, both as a mentee and a mentor?

Mentorship has been pivotal in my career, both as a mentee and a mentor. During the early stages of legal development in Vietnam, mentorship was crucial for navigating the complexities of the evolving legal landscape. Experienced mentors provided invaluable guidance and insights that shaped my professional growth and confidence.

In today’s technologically advanced era, mentorship is no less important. While technology offers tools and resources, it cannot replace the value of shaping logical thinking and sharing real-world experiences in solving legal issues. As a mentor, I strive to support young lawyers, especially women, by offering advice, sharing experiences, and providing growth opportunities. This reciprocal relationship enriches my career, fostering continuous learning and mutual development.

ALB: What are some of the big M&A trends in Vietnam in the past year that you have witnessed?

DR. NGOC ANH BUI, Hanoi Managing Partner, VILAF: 2021 Vietnam M&A market was robust, with more than 100 deals and valued more than US$2B. The foreign investors continued focusing on M&A deals in various sectors, from technology-based industries, such as Fin-tech, E-commerce, Ed-tech, to more traditional retail, manufacturing, animal feed, industrial properties, real estate, consumer ﬁnance, power and renewable energy. Fewer deals on renewable energy compared to 2020, likely due to the expiry of the applicable pricing, though the potential remains promising. The local investors focused more on the M&A on consumer products and rea estate transactions. There seemed no deals in the hospitality, tourism and some other sectors, which were heavily affected by the Covid-19. Some large local corporations started strategic acquisition and merger deals to expand and strengthen their market positions.

2022 Vietnam M&A market is expected to be more robust. M&A deals in SOE equitization, likely in telecom, and State divestment in equitized SOEs, are expected in 2022.

ALB: What are some of your notable deals in the past year?

DR. NGOC ANH BUI: VILAF has been advising many foreign investors in various large and complex cross-border M&A deals in Vietnam. Some of our notable deals are the US$3.7 billion sale of SEA retail business of Citigroup to UOB; the acquisition of De Heus Group’s in Masan’s feed business; the sale of Emart hypermarket to THACO; the sale of entire equity interest of a US Corporation in a coal-ﬁred power project; the foreign investors’ acquisition in some industrial properties projects, and various medium-sized deals on solar and wind power and real estate, among others.

My expertise has been focusing on advising M&A transactions, foreign direct investment, project ﬁnance, and SOEs, for the clients, mainly foreign investors.

ALB: What are the most important skills/attributes for M&A lawyers in Vietnam?

DR. NGOC ANH BUI: Understanding the strategic businesses of the client is essential for the success of any M&A deal in Vietnam. Deep knowledge and practical experience on the meaning and application of the Vietnamese legal requirements are prerequisite. Regulatory approvals for closing, with the ongoing broad interpretation of merger ﬁling, require due consideration. The professional skills to participate as an integral part of the client’s deal team, and the abilities to listen and understand the real intention of the parties are critical to assist the client, and sometimes the partner side, to bridge the communication and culture differences and to be able to propose alternatives to enable the parties to move forward in difﬁcult times, and to reach a win-win solution.

Dr. Ngoc Anh Bui
Hanoi Managing Partner
T: +84 24 3934 8530
E: anh.bui@vilaf.com.vn

VILAF
6F, HCO Building,
44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
W: www.vilaf.com.vn

One of the premiere business law firms in Vietnam

A conversation with Ms. Nguyen Truc Hien, one of ALB Top 15 Female Lawyers 2024

A conversation with Dr. Ngoc Anh Bui, one of ALB Asia Top 15 M&A Lawyers 2022

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