Co-counsel & Referrals: Vietnamese-law support

— Co-counsel & Referrals

Foreign law firms, ECOVIS member firms and professional advisers may approach ECOVIS Vietnam Law when a client matter requires advice on Vietnamese law. We review proposed cooperation carefully, with conflicts, client consent and written engagement terms addressed before substantive work begins.

ECOVIS Vietnam Law is a Vietnamese law firm licensed to provide legal services in Vietnam. Where an engagement requires a formal Vietnamese-law opinion, it is reviewed and signed by a lawyer duly admitted to practise in Vietnam.

We are based in Ho Chi Minh City and are a member of ECOVIS International, a network of 19,000 people in more than 90 countries. Our responsibility for Vietnamese-law advice remains independent.

How co-counsel work runs

1. Enquiry and conflict check. Start with a non-identifying outline of the Vietnamese-law question, without client or counterparty names or documents. A partner reads the enquiry and replies within one working day. We undertake a conflict check before any identifying client information is exchanged. An inconclusive check does not clear the matter.

2. Scoping and client consent. A 30-minute scoping call, without charge or obligation, establishes the question, scope and working relationship. Client documents are not transferred without the client’s prior written consent. The transfer method is agreed beforehand.

3. Proposal and engagement letter. Before work starts, we provide a written proposal identifying scope, deliverables and the fee basis. The engagement letter then records the agreed scope, governing law, division of responsibilities and invoicing arrangements. It identifies the instructing party and communication arrangements.

4. Vietnamese-law work and reporting. We perform the agreed Vietnamese-law work and report in English, German or Vietnamese, as specified for the matter. Foreign-law questions remain with counsel admitted in the relevant jurisdiction. ECOVIS Vietnam Law is independently responsible for the Vietnamese-law advice it provides.

5. Delivery and handover. We deliver the agreed work product and clarify any outstanding Vietnamese-law questions for the instructing adviser. Handover format, recipients and language are agreed in advance.

Who works on your file

Matters are led by Managing Partner Vu Manh Quynh, an Attorney-at-Law admitted in Vietnam. He works in English, German and Vietnamese. The engagement letter identifies responsibility for work and communications. Where a formal Vietnamese-law opinion is required, the review and signature requirement stated above applies.

Scope: Vietnamese law only

Our advice is confined to Vietnamese law, whether the underlying project involves investment, a transaction, employment, compliance or a dispute. German law and the law of any other foreign jurisdiction must be reviewed by a lawyer admitted in that jurisdiction. We do not assume responsibility for another adviser’s work.

Confidentiality and cross-border data

Confidentiality applies from the enquiry stage. The conflict check precedes disclosure of identifying client information, and client documents require prior written consent before transfer. Cross-border data sharing must comply with applicable law; documents must not be sent unless lawful transfer conditions are satisfied.

Professional liability insurance

ECOVIS Vietnam Law maintains professional liability insurance for its lawyers in accordance with Vietnam’s Law on Lawyers.

Typical co-counsel matters

The proposed Vietnamese-law scope may concern FDI and market entry; factory establishment or industrial-park projects; corporate transactions, M&A and legal due diligence; employment and work permits; compliance, data protection and LkSG-related supply-chain questions; or disputes and dealings with authorities. Every instruction is separately assessed.

Languages and time zones

The working languages are English, German and Vietnamese. Our Ho Chi Minh City office is at The Sun Avenue, 28 Mai Chi Tho Street, Tower 1. Reporting language, contact arrangements and delivery dates are agreed in writing for each matter.

Contact

For a proposed co-counsel instruction or referral, use the contact form and provide a non-identifying outline of the Vietnamese-law issue. Do not upload identifying information or client documents at this stage.

Frequently asked questions

Do you accept every referral?

No. Each request is considered individually. Neither acceptance of a referral nor the result of any legal work is guaranteed.

How do you handle conflicts?

We start with a conflict check before identifying client information is exchanged. Please give only an anonymised outline initially. If the check is inconclusive, the matter is not cleared.

Who signs a formal Vietnamese-law opinion?

A lawyer duly admitted to practise in Vietnam reviews and signs it. The requirement applies even when the instruction originates from an overseas adviser or another ECOVIS member firm.

Can you work under our engagement with the client?

This depends on the matter and the proposed contractual structure. Any arrangement is agreed case by case in writing before work starts, covering scope, governing law, responsibilities and invoicing. Our responsibility for our own Vietnamese-law advice remains independent.

In which languages can you report?

English, German and Vietnamese. The reporting language, intended recipients and handover arrangements are agreed for the particular engagement.