Legal Practice Areas in Vietnam

How to choose the right practice area

A legal issue often touches several areas at once: a business acquisition is simultaneously M&A, corporate law, and may trigger competition obligations and labour issues. The simplest way is to start from the decision you need to make, not from the name of the area. The groups below are arranged in that order.

Business and investment

For investors entering the Vietnamese market and businesses needing a stable legal foundation to operate and raise capital.

• Foreign investment in Vietnam — market access conditions, investment forms and approval procedures.
• FDI company formation in Vietnam — the complete sequence for foreign investors.
• Applying for an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC)
• Applying for an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC)
• Enterprise formation and company law — entity types, capital, business lines and representatives.
• Corporate law — charters, governance, resolutions and internal dossiers.

Transactions, contracts and capital markets

For businesses acquiring enterprises, signing commercial contracts or raising capital from investors.

• M&A and corporate restructuring — due diligence, transaction structuring and post-transaction.
• M&A in Vietnam for foreign investors
• Trade and contracts — sale and purchase, distribution, processing, services and breach handling.
• Vietnam–China commercial contracts
• Capital markets and securities — share offerings, bonds, public companies.

Projects, real estate and energy

For businesses leasing production sites, project developers and investors in the energy sector.

• Real estate, construction and projects — land, leases, construction and project transfers.
• Industrial real estate and industrial parks
• Energy and renewable energy — power generation projects, rooftop power and power purchase agreements.

Labour and human resources

For businesses with personnel changes, employing foreign specialists or needing complete internal rules and labour dossiers.

• Labour law advisory — contracts, internal rules, discipline, termination and disputes.
• Foreign labour and work permits

Compliance, licences and intellectual property

For businesses needing to maintain operating conditions, control ongoing risks and protect intangible assets.

• Ongoing legal advisory — a monthly accompanying lawyer for contracts, labour and licences.
• Ongoing legal advisory for FDI enterprises
• Business licences and business-line conditions
• Competition and sector-specific law — economic concentration, distribution and advertising.
• Data, technology and compliance — personal data protection and digital compliance.
• Intellectual property — trademarks, designs, patents, copyright and infringement handling.

Dispute resolution

For businesses already in conflict with partners, customers, suppliers or within the company.

• Dispute resolution and arbitration — negotiation, arbitration, litigation and enforcement.
• Commercial disputes and arbitration

Private and family clients

Alongside corporate matters, FLAT LAW FIRM takes on private cases involving substantial assets, family factors or foreign elements.

• Divorce and division of substantial assets
• Inheritance, wills and estate division
• Private real estate disputes
• Law for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese

Client groups with Chinese and Taiwanese factors

For Chinese-speaking investors, the above areas are reorganized along the investment journey and communicated in Chinese. See the dedicated page for Chinese investors.

Dossiers and information to prepare

• Legal documents of the related company or individual.
• Contracts, agreements, correspondence, payment documents or transaction dossiers.
• A summary of the matter, timeline and desired objectives.
• Documents from state authorities, counterparties or disputing parties if any.

Working process

FLAT LAW FIRM’s working method (FLAT LAW FIRM) is fully presented on the about page; handled situation groups are summarized in advisory experience. Typically, the lawyer receives initial information, reviews documents, identifies the key legal issues, proposes the work scope and agrees on next steps. Depending on the dossier, the work may include written advice, document drafting, representation before state authorities or negotiation support. If a conclusion cannot yet be reached, we state clearly which parts need further verification rather than asserting beyond existing documents.

Legal reference sources

Each practice area page cites the normative legal documents applicable to that area. The full text of these documents can be found at the Government’s system of normative legal documents; the website content is only orienting and should be checked against the regulations in force.

Frequently asked questions

Can you advise even when the dossier is incomplete?

Initial discussion is possible, but specific conclusions usually require reviewing documents and the transaction context.

Should I choose the business or private group if the issue involves both?

You can start from the most urgent issue; the lawyer will separate the corporate, personal asset and dispute risk scopes if needed.

Does FLAT LAW FIRM take cases outside Ho Chi Minh City?

Yes. The work scope depends on the case type and the competent authority, not on the client’s headquarters location.

Does this page replace legal advice for a specific case?

No. The content is only for reference and does not replace legal opinion based on a specific dossier.

Contact FLAT LAW FIRM

Contact FLAT LAW FIRM via info@flaw.vn or (+84)988 424 851 for an initial discussion of your legal needs.

Disclaimer

The content on this page is for general reference information only, not legal advice for a specific case. Clients should discuss with a lawyer based on actual dossiers and documents before making decisions.