| In the tradition of numerous firms that are looking to reap the greatest dividends without formally tying the knot (by ceremoniously merging or acquiring,) Indochine Counsel, a Ho Chi Minh based firm has entered into a “Cooperation Agreement” with Korean firm, APEX LLC. APEX LLC is slated to set up a Korean desk at Indochine’s Ho Chi Minh office which will be jointly managed and operated by the two firms. Both firms are highly ranked in each of their ‘home’ jurisdictions with Indochine reputed for its banking, corporate, tax and securities practices and APEX LLC ranked for its dispute resolution, finance, real estate and intellectual property sectors.
One of the drivers behind the cooperation agreement is the strong Korean community in Vietnam. Vietnam at present evidently lacks the legal infrastructure needed to assist Korean clients looking for quality services above and beyond the simple establishment of corporations. This specific tie-up has been established with a view to providing clients with high-calibre legal advice in complex areas of law. The Korean desk will also assist in the collection of investment capital for and on behalf of Korean clients and the Korean desk will additionally act as an intermediary for Vietnamese clients wishing to strengthen their ties and create partnerships with Korea. With Korean corporations now looking to expand their businesses to Southeast Asia particularly Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam, the joint effort will seek to take advantage of the growing need to service the expanding market of M&A and corporate restructuring. The team tie-up which will ensure that the two firms otherwise remain independent appears to be mutually beneficial given that Indochine provides a full suite of services to clients in need of local Vietnamese expertise whilst for APEX LLC, their resources will be the engine behind connecting Korean investors to Vietnam. |
