dfdl mekong regional brochure

“The execution of the laws is more important than the making of them”

Thomas Jefferson

OUR UNIQUE FOCUS IS YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE MEKONG REGION

CLIENT SUCCESS IS THE TRUE MEASURE OF OUR FIRM

Not all law firms are alike. Each is guided by distinct principles, focus and capabilities affecting every aspect of your experience. As the Mekong Region’s leading law firm, DFDL Mekong is no exception.

More than 15 years ago, our firm was built on the foundation of a unique vision: to build an integrated, international standard law firm with in-depth local knowledge of the countries of the Mekong Region, while providing effective, accurate, efficient and personalized legal services.

Today, under the leadership of our six principals, our vision is a reality, with more than 90 multicultural lawyers and legal advisers serving our clients throughout eight offices across the five countries in the region.

We pledge to provide you with effective, accurate, efficient and personal legal services:

Effective means that we care about achieving results, not just providing advice.

Accurate means that we will always uphold the highest standards of our profession, which, even in the region’s sometimes opaque and unpredictable legal systems, inspires us to give you clear, accurate and targeted legal advice closely tailored to your needs.

Efficient means that we care about your bottom line, and we do not waste unnecessary resources on your projects.

Personal means that our lawyers are committed in the success of your business and the transactions or disputes that you place under their care.

DFDL Mekong provides a truly uniform regional service under our “One Firm One Region” operating doctrine. Our principals and senior advisers all have experience across the region and can give you the local expertise and regional perspective you need to successfully invest in and operate a business in the Mekong region.

DFDL Mekong’s success lies not only with our deep local insight and connections in the region to assist in every phase of your investment, but also with our commitment to providing you, our clients, the highest degree of excellence in service and, above all, results.

Many law firms active in this region try to service their clients from major business centers outside the region. We at DFDL Mekong know that the legal services you need to make your investment successful cannot be provided on a “fly-in” basis.

Our regional presence in eight offices spanning five countries gives you the ability to obtain legal and consulting advice through an integrated network.

Our team works closely together to ensure you obtain the most up to date advice on all aspects of your investments.

UNIQUE FOCUS

PERSONALIZED SERVICE IS IN THE DETAILS

Whether you need legal assistance on one aspect of a deal, or a step by step approach from conception to fruition, DFDL Mekong will guide you through each step of the process. Examples of our services during the investment phase include:

Issuing legal opinions on local law and procedure Conducting legal due diligence for all types of transactions, including project finance, mergers and acquisitions Obtaining business or project licenses Drafting joint venture agreements and other commercial contracts Incorporating and registering companies Assisting with legal aspects of financing and banking Leasing and purchasing of residential and commercial property Tax and investment planning and structuring

Based on your needs, throughout the course of your business operation, we will assist with the following:

Advice on labor law, employment contracts and related matters Registration and protection of intellectual property Corporate governance Debt or equity financing Dispute resolution Environmental regulations Tax compliance All other commercial matters

SERVICES

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OUR EXPERTISE IS YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

As a full service law firm, DFDL Mekong provides legal services in nearly all sectors and practice areas.

For a complete list of our practice areas and business sectors, please visit our website at www.DFDLMekong.com.

The team at DFDL Mekong has developed special expertise in a number of specific practice areas. This special expertise is made available to our clients through regional practice groups with experts in each country attending to every aspect of your legal requirements. These practice groups are aligned with the major sectors for investments in the region.

By focusing on these specialized areas of practice, our lawyers and advisers are able to leverage expertise for our clients and provide an unparalleled quality service, helping you achieve your goals in the region.

Energy, Infrastructure and Project FinanceDFDL Mekong has considerable experience in the energy sector in the Mekong Region. We have advised on major projects worth billions of dollars. These range from large hydropower projects in Laos and Cambodia, to pipelines and IPPs in Vietnam, to renewable energy projects in Thailand. We have also advised on major roads, ports, bridges, water treatment facilities, transmission lines, railroads, airports and telecommunications projects.

DFDL Mekong’s project finance experience is deep and diverse, with an emphasis on providing viable solutions to enable successful financing of projects in the region’s sometimes underdeveloped legal environment. DFDL Mekong has extensive understanding and recognized expertise in a wide array of finance and secured lending transactions: assisting banks, international financial institutions, hedge funds, mining companies, power companies, insurance companies and other institutional and commercial lenders, as well as borrowers, equity investment groups and individual investors.

Our lawyers’ and advisers’ unique knowledge and capabilities, along with strong dedication to client service, allow us to complete energy, infrastructure and financial transactions in the region in a timely and successful manner.

Real Estate PracticeWhether your real estate transactions and disputes are routine or complex, DFDL Mekong’s real estate practice group represents developers, investors, lenders and businesses in the acquisition, development, financing, sale and leasing of real estate. Our lawyers

EXPERTISE and advisers have practical knowledge of the various forms of ownership, taxation, zoning and regulation of land use throughout the Mekong Region. We will assist you with all aspects of your invesment, from structuring complex real estate transactions to drafting and negotiating all legal documentation.

TaxationDFDL Mekong specializes in providing tax planning and structuring advice throughout the Mekong Region (and offshore) to ensure that your business will benefit from the lowest tax burden legally possible. We will develop the optimum tax structure for your transaction. Members of our tax practice group have the technical know-how and experience to deal with a variety of tax issues, including purchase price allocations, preserving net operating loss carryovers, and maximizing amortization and depreciation benefits. We also have extensive experience in drafting complex contractual provisions relating to tax representations and indemnities.

DFDL Mekong assists clients with corporate, partnership and individual tax, real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, leveraged leases, exempt organizations, employee benefits, trusts and estates, estate planning and tax controversy work. Clients in this area range in size from individual investors and SMEs to large established multi-region and international corporate groups.

Corporate and CommercialOur corporate and commercial practice group will provide you with knowledge that can only come from more than 15 years experience advising a comprehensive and varied client base on a wide range of commercial and corporate matters. From large multinational corporations to local small to medium-sized enterprises, we have considerable expertise on a wide range of corporate and commercial legal matters, including cross border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate advisory, technical assistance, commercial and corporate governance and compliance matters.

Our mergers and acquisitions expertise has been acknowledged by Asia Counsel through “Deal of the Year” awards in 2007 and 2009 for two regional telecommunication mergers. In year 2009, “Asian Legal Business” has selected DFDL Mekong as the best private equity & venture capital boutique firm in both Vietnam and Thailand.

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DAVID DORANPartner and ChairmanManaging Director, Thailand [email protected] started his legal career at the Bangkok office of a major international law firm in 1992, David recognized the need for a regional law firm with exceptional customer service and specialized local knowledge. In 1994 David founded DFDL Mekong with three other attorneys, in Vientiane, Laos. In 1995, he set up DFDL Mekong’s office in Phnom Penh. In 2003, David relocated to Thailand to establish the firm’s Bangkok office, and to supervise hydropower and other energy projects in Laos. Currently David is the Managing Director of the Thai offices, and the Chairman of DFDL Mekong.

David’s practice focuses on energy, infrastructure, project finance and mergers & acquisitions. He heads, together with Martin Desautels, the firm’s Energy Infrastructure and Finance Practice Group.

David was born in Bangkok. He is a member of the California and Washington State Bar Associations, and has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Washington School of Law, where he served on the Law Review.Languages: English, French

L-MARTIN DESAUTELSRegional Managing PartnerManaging Director, [email protected]’s experience in the Mekong Region dates back to 1999 when he worked on major energy projects in Hanoi, the first BOT power plant project in Vietnam: the Phu My 2-2 Gas Power Plant Project. He has considerable experience on a variety of energy, infrastructure, project finance, secured lending and corporate transactions across the region, with special emphasis on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Martin joined DFDL Mekong in 2002 when the Firm went on a major regional expansion program setting-up offices in all Mekong Region countries. Martin is DFDL Mekong’s Regional Managing Partner and Managing Director of our Cambodia office.

Martin’s practice currently focuses on regional energy and infrastructure projects, finance transactions, investment funds and other corporate work. He has worked on a variety of infrastructure projects throughout the Mekong Region, notably port construction, railway development, toll bridge, water plant facilities, telecommunication networks and gas- coal- heavy fuel- renewable- hydro power plants.

Martin holds a LL.B. Sherbrooke University, Quebec, Canada and LL.M. from London School of Economics and is a member of the Quebec Bar Association.Languages: English, French, basic knowledge of Vietnamese and Khmer.

PANITI JUNHASAVASDIKUL [email protected] working for 5 years with White & Case and Linklaters, Paniti merged his practice with and co-founded DFDL Mekong’s Bangkok office in 2007. Paniti’s practice focuses on corporate finance, energy, property finance, TMT & IT. He also advises on employment law and dispute resolutions.

Paniti has a LL.B. from Chulalongkorn University and a LL.M. from University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law.Languages: Thai, English

THIERRY GOUGY Partner; Managing Director, [email protected] in Vietnam, Thierry is a French qualified lawyer with more than 15 years of experience on M&A and privatization, infrastructure projects, taxation and technical assistance to local governments. He has worked in Asia for more than 10 years, seven of which were spent in Vietnam, first with Gide Loyrette Nouel and then with Pricewaterhouse Coopers Legal. Prior to joining DFDL Mekong, Thierry was the managing lawyer for the Hong Kong and Guangzhou offices of French law firm, Lefe�vre Pelletier & Associes. Before moving to the Mekong region, Thierry was partner at a leading commercial law firm, Naciri & Associes in Casablanca, Morocco. Thierry attended Universite Paris Dauphine where he studied international business and administration and business law at Universite Pantheon Assas (Paris II). He is a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po).Languages: French, English, basic Vietnamese and Mandarin

EDWIN VANDERBRUGGENPartner; Managing Director, Regional Tax [email protected] the “go-to” tax specialist, Edwin is regularly called on to train and assist government tax department officials throughout the Mekong region. Based out of our Phnom Penh, Cambodia office, he advises multinational enterprises and international organizations in the field of taxation. Edwin previously taught tax and international law at numerous universities in Belgium, The Netherlands and Thailand and continues to teach at prestigious universities throughout the Mekong region. In addition, Edwin has published more than 40 scientific articles in international legal journals and five books on international law, taxation and investment law issues, some of which won scientific awards. Edwin holds a LL.B. from University of Antwerp, Belgium and a LL.M. in tax law from Free University of Brussels, Belgium.Languages: Dutch, German, English, French and Thai

MARCUS COLLINSPartner; Head of Samui and Phuket, Thailand [email protected] has more than 20 years experience advising clients on investing and operating businesses in Thailand. He has practiced in Thailand at some of the world most prestigious firms including Allen & Overy, where he was a partner. Marcus left Allen & Overy in 2003 to join McEvily & Collins. In search of new regional opportunities, Marcus merged his firm into DFDL Mekong in January 2010. His practice focuses on general corporate/commercial work and property and finance transactions.

Marcus has a LL.M. from Cornell Law School and a LL.B. from Erasmus Universiteit, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He maintains his membership with the New York State Bar Association and is also admitted in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Languages: English, Dutch, conversational Thai and German

For more information on the DFDL Mekong Team visit us atwww.dfdlmekong.com

IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR FIRM

PEOPLEAt DFDL Mekong we are only as good as our people. Fortunately, we are dedicated to hiring, keeping and making available to you the best legal minds in the region. Here are some more insights into the talented and diverse people making DFDL Mekong’s guiding principles work for you.

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“Common sense often makes good law”

William Orville Douglas

ONE REGION ONE FIRM™www.dfdlmekong.com

PHNOM [email protected]+855 (0) 2321 0400

[email protected]+66 (0) 76 279 921

[email protected]+66 (0) 2636 3282

[email protected]+84 (0) 4 3936 6411/2

HO CHI MINH [email protected]+84 (0) 8 3910 0072


[email protected]+856 (0) 21 242 068-70


dfdl mekong regional brochure

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