Despite continuing to be a go-to by regional investors engaging with LNG and LNG-to-power ventures in the region, A&O Shearman has benefitted from the country’s driven focus towards solar and wind projects, witnessing an ever-increasing series of blockbuster instructions regarding these assets. The firm is called upon by a stellar list of global funds, corporates and financial institutions for its broad lens of focus regarding energy enterprises, and has been able to expand this list through its highly-regarded approach towards evolving areas in the market such as battery storage, carbon capture, waste-to-energy and wastewater solutions. Group head Adam Moncrieff’s extensive practice encompasses both the transaction and financing piece for the full range of energy asset types, with infrastructure projects including logistics hubs and transport builds rounding an impressive portfolio of matters. Fellow co-head Duc Tran is a leading projects lawyer and works closely with investors and lenders on a wealth of financing agreements, including initial project financing and syndicated loans, as well as overseeing the M&A piece on a number of deals. Thuy Huynh continues to be an active presence in the practice, demonstrating capable proficiency advising on cross-border acquisitions and financings.

Boasting a client portfolio featuring a litany of multinational energy companies, global investment funds and international financial institutions, Allens is able to provide comprehensive projects advice due to the expertise of not only its Vietnam-based practitioners but its network of lawyers across the continent. The firm stands out for its leading offshore wind offering, working with some of the world’s largest renewable developers, as well as demonstrating strong work regarding solar projects and battery storage ventures. Both team heads Giles Cooper and Melissa Keane are highly respected within the market, with the former renowned for his work with developers and investors on greenfield projects and the latter on infrastructure M&A and associated regulatory issues. Promoted to partner in 2022, Ngoc Anh Tran works closely with clients regarding lucrative cross-border investment opportunities, with notable specialism in oil and gas enterprises, while Huyen Nguyen has a broad practice that encompasses both conventional and renewable energy assets. Both Huong Tran and Ha Le have been instrumental to the group’s legal counsel over the past twelve months, with impressive activity on the team’s most blockbuster deals.

Frasers Law Company is instructed by lenders, sponsors and investors on high-value financing and acquisition deals, acting on an impressive array of energy assets including oil and gas, solar and wind, and utility projects. Furthermore, the group demonstrates its full-service capability through its engagement with transport and marine infrastructure, including toll road and bridge financing, as well as handling large-scale, cross-border digital infrastructure enterprises. Founder and team head Mark Fraser leverages nearly 30 years of regional experience to manage a number of the firm’s most consequential client relationships and mandates, with considerable expertise in M&A, financing and project development. Ho Thuy Ngoc Tram has been highly active in supporting a number of the firm’s key mandates, displaying excellent financing proficiencies and a wide understanding of assets. Since publication, the team lost Justin Gisz and Nguyen Mai Phuong in March 2024.

With development and financing mandates in its impressive work portfolio, Lexcomm Vietnam LLC continues to be a leading player in the energy and infrastructure market, advising some of the globe’s largest asset managers, financial institutions and developers on high-value regional and cross-border deals. Oil and gas mandates remain the cornerstone of the practice, but a steady stream of renewable projects pertaining wind, solar and hydropower have also kept the group’s practitioner’s busy, alongside critical transport infrastructure construction and redevelopments. Founding partner and department lead Pham Ba Linh is proficient across the full gamut of energy and infrastructure financing, including project, leveraged and acquisition financing, and commands a strong understanding of the PPP market. Fellow founding partner and team head Nguyen Viet Ha also acts as head of M&A and excels across a range of acquisitions, divestments and joint ventures, whilst also possessing previous in-house industry experience at a leading telecommunications company.

Frequently sought out by foreign investors due to its reputation as a leading player in the LNG and gas sectors, VILAF act on an impressive display of joint ventures, acquisitions, divestments and financing mandates, both domestic and international, showing further expertise regarding regulatory, environmental, contractual and due diligence work. The practice is regularly engaged in high-value transactions pertaining to a wide range of traditional and renewable energy sources, with an increased flow of mandates regarding wind, solar and hydropower. The group is led by three individuals, the first being Phong Tran who also sits in the banking and finance and capital markets practice, leveraging this financing proficiency to advise international lenders on first-of-its-kind funding structures for gas and LNG projects. The other two team heads are Duyen Vo and Anh Dang, who have both been highly active over the past twelve months, with the former demonstrating competence handling the development and construction piece within a strong volume of renewable energy deals, and the latter recognised for his broad expertise spanning both financing and M&A. Lam Nguyen, who has previous experience in a governmental advisory role, has overseen a number of joint ventures, acquisitions and financings.

Well-versed in the sale and purchase, financing, development and construction of infrastructure and energy projects in the region, Baker McKenzie receives instructions from a range of clients involving an array of different asset types, providing counsel due to the team’s deep-founded understanding of regulatory issues such as contractual and agreement negotiations and environmental compliancy. Oanh Nguyen is chiefly recognised for her banking and finance experience and acts as a leading figure in the group. Thanh Hai Nguyen continues to be a tour-de-force in the practice, acting on a multitude of matters and demonstrating excellence in renewable energy transactions as well as large-scale project developments.

DFDL Legal & Tax provides a wide offering owing to its depth and breath of practitioners located in and beyond Vietnam, and is particularly geared to act on major renewable projects, most notably solar and wind. Beyond established expertise in M&A, capital markets and financing, the firm has been active on regulatory and project development aspects of builds, including project structuring, document preparation and investment structuring. Phong Anh Hoang co-leads the practice alongside Dave Seibert, with both possessing a broad practice working closely with a stellar range of developers and investors. Martin Desautels is an M&A specialist, with proficiency across the relevant due diligence and regulatory aspects.

Capable of handling the financing, development, construction as well as sale and purchase of a range of projects pertaining to both conventional and renewable energy builds as well as civil and transport infrastructure structures, Duane Morris Vietnam LLC continues to be a go-to by clients for their projects. With a vast reach of knowledge of the region, the firm also provides trusted counsel to developers by assisting them target and acquire land area opportunities to locate and carry out large-scale energy ventures such as wind and solar, LNG, and mining. Nguyen Thi Lang heads the team and leverages real estate, construction and commercial knowledge to provide comprehensive M&A advice to clients, whereas fellow group lead Oliver Massmann is chiefly noted for his wide understanding of asset types such as fossil fuels, utilities and digital infrastructure.

Known for its global capabilities, including a swathe of offices located across the continent, Hogan Lovells International LLP has seen a marked increase in mandates pertaining to the financing of PPPs, as well as the refinancing of established energy structures. Recently, the firm has been involved in hydropower, wind, solar, water projects, in addition to infrastructure enterprises such as port terminals. Department head Gaston Fernandez has notable experience advising on cross-border financing matters and is a key contact for a multitude of financial services and investors. Ngoc Nguyen is familiar with government bodies as well as state-owned utility companies, while Long Huynh has a strong track record on brownfield acquisitions and project financing.

Demonstrating cross-border capabilities and a depth of expertise across M&A, financing and development work, YKVN LLP’s projects team is frequently instructed by international and regional financial institutions to drive forward their energy ventures. The firm is also noted for its handling of major infrastructure developments and expansions, including airports and ports. Truong Nhat Quang heads the group and continues to be a highly active dealmaker with a strong understanding of both traditional and renewable energy assets, while Duong Thu Ha is recommended for her financing work. Beyond her work in transport infrastructure, Vu Dieu Huyen has shown strong engagement with a number of large-scale wind developments, including advising on unique financing packages.

APFL & Partners Legal Vietnam LLC is an established adviser to a range of clients active in the energy and infrastructure sectors, demonstrating a high level of activity in the social and transport infrastructure spaces. The team is able to cover the whole project piece, including the financing and due diligence work through to contract drafting, design and construction. Furthermore, the firm possesses a strong M&A proficiency, most significantly epitomised by Nicolas Audier and real estate and property-focused Nicolas Picard. Etienne Laumonie is a key figure in the group for his capital markets and banking knowledge, helping a number of clients structure their investments in greenfield ventures. Other key contacts include Antoine Logeay and Christophe Cougnaud.

Oil and gas projects form the cornerstone of the practice at Dentons LuatViet and is positioned to act on the transaction, financing and regulatory pieces of projects. Joint team heads Tony Nguyen and Annie Ngo leverage previous oil and gas industry experience to advise clients on a range of issues, with the former possessing a strong litigation background and the latter a detailed regulatory understanding. Tuyen Nguyen joined the group from a real estate development company in April 2023, acting as the third team head and bolstering the group’s corporate and M&A offering. The firm merged with Dentons LuatViet in June 2024.

Showing considerable expertise regarding sea and port infrastructure, as well as airport builds and extensions, KPMG Law in Vietnam works closely with industry veterans on a range of financing, construction and developments deals, with the added bonus of possessing a world-renowned tax and advisory arm in its arsenal. Head of KPMG in both Vietnam and Cambodia, Richard Stapley-Oh , continues to oversee the firm’s most consequential client relationships and projects, while Nguyen Hoang Ly is highly adept at capital markets, banking and financing. Geraldine Oh joined in February 2023 from ZICO Law.

Providing an end-to-end service that includes the transaction and financing piece through to contract drafting and negotiating as well as regulatory work, LNT & Partners has recently been engaged with a wide portfolio of matters, demonstrating strong asset understanding particularly regarding thermal power and renewable energies. Net Le and Minh Vu co-lead the practice, with the former being well regarded for his M&A prowess and the latter for her regulatory and contractual expertise. Thinh Vu works closely with clients engaging with cola and thermal power projects, whereas Le Thanh Hieu is adept at addressing the full range of document and contractual issues arising from financing, transactional and development proceedings.

Vietthink Law Firm capitalises on its strong construction and development understanding to act on contractual document drafting and negotiations, as well as the investment and transaction piece. Waste-to-energy projects are the flagship component of the team’s work, which also demonstrate competence dealing with solar, hydropower and wind assets. The practice is jointly steered by Le Dinh Vinh and Nguyen Thanh Ha, who is noted for her strong understanding of renewable energy and green technologies; Bui Thi Minh Thuy, who is a key figure for M&A work; and Dau Quoc Dzung, who has commendable expertise across tax, insurance and corporate work.

Allen & Gledhill (Vietnam) acts on a number of regional and cross-border projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors, including wind, solar and telecommunication matters. Wielding equal experience in both greenfield and brownfield ventures, the group leverages its multidisciplinary expertise to act on the whole life cycle of projects, including the financing, construction, and regulatory piece. Co-head Oh Hsiu-Hau is recommended for his corporate and M&A proficiency, while fellow co-head Jonathan Lin offers expertise regarding petrochemical enterprises, utility assets, and waste-treatment.

With LNG work remaining the cornerstone of the practice at Mayer Brown, the firm stays abreast of market trends through strong engagement with renewable energy projects, including landmark financing of wind power developments, refinancing solar builds, and also notable work in the waste-to-energy space. David Harrison leads the group from Ho Chi Minh City and is well-versed in transactional, financing and development matters. Counsel Hai Thao Nguyen supports a significant proportion of the team’s mandates, primarily focusing on M&A, corporate and commercial matters. Benjamin Thompson and Nick Kouvaritakis are two experienced key names who provide advice from the Singapore office.

Active on solar farm acquisitions, waste-to-energy development, and thermal power plant projects, Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers has a strong understanding of the transaction and financing piece, as well as regulatory and compliance issues. Vu Thi Que heads the team and largely concentrates on renewable energy projects, particularly regarding M&A. Trinh Minh Duc also has an extensive M&A background and offers experience in the real estate and social infrastructure sphere.

With an increased stream of mandates pertaining to solar and wind projects, Tilleke & Gibbins’s team regularly receives instructions from banks, financial institutions and contractors for their M&A, development and procurement needs. Head Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen, who joined from YKVN  in November 2022, is proficient across M&A, capital markets and financing, and leverages regulatory and compliance knowledge from extensive work in the construction and real estate markets. Former lead Vinh Quoc Nguyen retired from the practice in February 2023.

Watson Farley & Williams LLP acts on a range of M&A and financing mandates for an impressive array of global energy players, regional public bodies, and financial institutions. Linh Doan overseas the practice from Hong Kong, regularly engaging cross-border power projects and demonstrating notable expertise in financing and investment work and possessing close ties to the Vietnamese government and related bodies. Matt Lorimer is based in the Hanoi office and is recommended for his project financing and syndicated loans work.