This will be conducted in English and according to Ho Chi Minh local time. 

Join Legal Plus at our ingural event in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam on Wednesday 30 October 2024! 

For the first time, Legal Plus will be bring our flagship arbitration event to Ho Chi Minh.  The Vietnam: International Arbitration & Corporate Crime Summit will kickoff on Wednesday 30 October for a full day event with a group of local and international experts. 

The event will bring together a group of arbitration expertise to share their knowledge and give tips to on arbitration and lookout for 2025. Through presentations and discussions, you will be able to interact with speakers and fellow legal professionals to enhance and update your knowledge.   It will be an excellent opportunity to ask questions to legal household names in the region, network and create business opportunities, meet & greet and make some new friends!

Registration is now open.  Contact us today or view the latest flyer for registration and program details. Download

If you are interested to sponsor or speak at the event, contact Jason at jason.sinclair@legalplus-asia.com for package details.  For registrations details, contact Bettina at legalpluseventsasia@legalplus-asia.com.

Program
The organiser reserves the right to change the program without prior notice.

• Opening Address by Chairman
  Ben Olbourne, Barrister & Arbitrator, 39 Essex Chambers
• Welcome Address from VIART
  Pham Duy Nghia, Director, Vietnam Institute for International Arbitration Research and Training (VIART); Member of the Council, Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC)
• Keynote Session: Update in Global Arbitration 2024
  John Bishop, International Independent Arbitrator
• 1st Grand Panel: Construction Disputes in Vietnam & Asia: Expert Witness, Damages, Quantum & Supply Chain Issues
  Moderator: Jonathan Choo, Independent Arbitrator and, Mediator, Vantage Chambers
  Panellists:
  • Oliver Le, Director, J.S. Held Singapore Pte. Ltd
  • Le The Hung, Managing Partner, CNC Counsel
  • Elijah Putilin, Independent Arbitrator and Counsel, Putilin Dispute Management
  
• Managing M&A  & JV Disputes in Vietnam & the Region
  Ho Thuy Ngoc Tram, Partner, Frasers Law Company
• 2nd Grand Panel: Med v Arb v Negotiation — The Arbitrators/Mediators Toolbox in 2024: Different Regions & Industries = Different Best Outcomes?come
  Moderator:  Anne Secomb, Independent Arbitrator
  Panellists:
  • Jonathan Choo, Independent Arbitrator and Mediator, Vantage Chambers
  • Dang Viet Anh, Managing Parter, ANHISA
  • John Bishop, International Independent Arbitrator
• 3rd Grand Panel: Ask the Experts — Expedited & Emergency Procedures in International Arbitration in 2024 — Is Faster Better and Who Really Benefits?
  Moderator: Victor P. Leginsky, International Arbitrator, Arbitralis
  Panellists:
  • Elijah Putilin, Independent Arbitrator and Counsel, Putilin Dispute Management
  • Clarence Lun, Founder, Fervent Chambers LLC
  • Anne Secomb, Independent Arbitrator
  
• New Era of Cryptocurrency Regulation: Emerging Case Law
  Olga Boltenko, Boltenko Arbiters
• 4th Grand Panel: Cross-border Shareholders, Stakeholders & Director Disputes with Vietnamese & Foreign Companies — Best Practices and Tips
  Moderator: Amanda Lees, Partner, King & Wood Mallesons
  Panellist:
  • Djamel El Akra, Arbitrator, Vietnam Traders Arbitration Centre (VTA)
  • Bryan Chan, Partner, Kelvin Chia Partnership
  • Dang The Duc, Vice President and Secretary General, Vietnam Independent Directors Association (VNIDA)
• Cross-Border Data Breach: What You Need To Know!
  Scott Warren, National Partner, Tokyo/Shanghai, Squire Patton Boggs; Secretary, Executive Board, The Society for The Policing of Cyberspace
• Key Issues and Strategies for Managing Cross — Border Internal Corporate Investigations
  Michael Peer, Partner & Managing Director, AlixPartners
  

Speakers

Ben Olbourne, Chairman

Barrister & Arbitrator, 39 Essex Chambers

Ben is an experienced counsel at the English Bar and an arbitrator in international commercial disputes. He is a member of 39 Essex Chambers and is English qualified, however, he has lived and worked in Asia for more than 10 years. In his counsel work, he provides advisory and advocacy services across a broad range of sectors, principally general commercial, international trade and commodities, business sales and purchases, joint venture and other commercial agreements, energy, and insurance and re-insurance. He has acted for private and state-owned enterprises in many jurisdictions. Most of his work is multi-jurisdictional and involves issues of private international and foreign law. Ben also sits regularly as an arbitrator (50+ appointments) and has been appointed under all of the leading arbitral rules in matters with seats in Singapore, Australia, India, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Russia, France and England among others. He is recommended as counsel and/or as arbitrator in the leading regional directories.

Biography

John Bishop, Keynote Speaker

International Independent Arbitrator

John Bishop is a member of Arbitration Chambers, Hong Kong and London. Arbitration Chambers has amongst its members many of the world’s leading arbitrators. John has more than 40 years’ experience as a construction lawyer. He now practices as an Arbitrator, Mediator & Dispute Board Member. He is a panel member of many leading arbitration institutions. John has been selected by the main legal directories for his expertise in the construction, arbitration and mediation. Comments include “One of the world’s pre-eminent construction experts” and “One of the top 30 construction lawyers in the world”. John is a Fellow of the International Academy of Construction Lawyers, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building, Fellow of the International Construction Law Association, Grade A Accredited Professional of IBEC, Fellow of the Faculty of Building. He has been Chairman, then President of TeCSA, Vice Chairman of the Academy of Experts, Dean of the Faculty of Mediation & ADR, Board Member of the Civil Mediation Council, Chairman of the LCIA consultative committee.

Biography

Pham Duy Nghia, Welcome Message

Director, Vietnam Institute for International Arbitration Research and Training (VIART); Member of the Council, Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC)

Professor Pham Duy Nghia graduated at Leipzig University (Germany). At FETP he teaches Law and Public Governance, Public Policy and Research Methods of Public Policy. He has published a number of text books and journal articles on legal and governance issues. His recent research focuses on good governance, including perspectives how to enhance the people’s participation in policy making and to enhance the efficiency, transparency and accountability of government. Pham Duy Nghia is a frequent commentator in leading newspaper and media in Vietnam. The areas concerned include protection of basic citizen’s right, voice and accountability in public governance, regulatory quality, rule of law and access to justice. He is a listed Arbitrator at Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) and a member of Vietnam Lawyers Association (VLA).

Biography

Jonathan Choo, 1st Grand Panel

Independent Arbitrator and Mediator, Vantage Chambers

Jonathan Choo is an independent Arbitrator and Mediator with over twenty years of experience in handling a broad range of high-value international disputes, arbitrations and mediations as Counsel, Arbitrator and Mediator. He is dualqualified as an Advocate and Solicitor in Singapore and a Solicitor in England & Wales and his general commercial disputes background covers complex commercial, international trade, technology, media and broadcasting, construction, projects and infrastructure, insurance (non-marine) and IP disputes. He has successfully represented individuals, MNCs, banks, international contractors, media and broadcasting agencies, telecoms operators and consultants in a variety of disputes. As counsel, Jonathan has advised and represented clients in arbitrations (including Emergency Arbitration proceedings) conducted under all the major institutional rules, including the SIAC Rules, the ICC Rules, the LCIA Rules, SCC Rules and the UNCITRAL Rules. He is also an experienced mediation counsel and Mediator, having conducted and represented parties in numerous mediation hearings, including at the Singapore International Mediation Centre and the Singapore Mediation Centre.

Biography

Anne Secomb, Moderator - 2nd Grand Panel

Independent Arbitrator

Anne is an independent arbitrator based in Singapore. She has more than fifteen years’ experience in the field of international arbitration. Since moving to Singapore in 2015, Anne has sat as arbitrator in cases under the HKIAC, ICC, JCAA, KCAB and SIAC Rules. Before moving to Singapore, Anne was Secretary to the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR and counsel to the ICC Court of Arbitration in Paris. Prior to joining the ICC, Anne was an associate at Salans (now Dentons) in Paris, where she represented parties in administered as well as ad hoc arbitrations and acted as tribunal secretary in commercial and ICSID matters. Anne was educated in Germany and the US and is admitted to the Berlin and New York bars. She is trilingual in English, German and Spanish and speaks French fluently.

Biography

Victor P. Leginsky, Moderator - 3rd Grand Panel

International Arbitrator, Arbitralis

Victor P. Leginsky, Canadian citizen, is an experienced international arbitrator and mediator resident in the United Arab Emirates since 2007. Victor has earned the internationally-recognized designations of Chartered Arbitrator and Fellow from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and is appointed to the CIArb Panel of Arbitrators. Victor is a CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, London) accredited mediator and mediation experience as Chair, Manufactured Home Park Dispute Resolution Committee (Attorney General of British Columbia, Canada, appointment) and in mediations. Victor is appointed to the panels or lists of arbitrators in a number of international centres and is a committee member of the International Court of Arbitration (ICC) Canada. He has instructed and assessed in respect of Mediation though the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the CIArb. He is the past Middle East Regional Director of the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN). He is a member in good standing of the Law Society of British Columbia, Canada.

Biography

Amanda Lees, Moderator - 4th Grand Panel

Partner, King & Wood Mallesons

Amanda is a partner of King & Wood Mallesons. She has been based in Singapore for over 12 years and has over 23 years’ experience in cross border dispute resolution. Amanda acts as counsel in large complex disputes across a range of industries, including energy, resources, construction and infrastructure. She has appeared in arbitrations under all leading arbitration rules. Amanda represented the Republic of Indonesia in its successful defence of a US$580M claim under the India-Indonesia BIT. Amanda has had 25 appointments as arbitrator by SIAC, ICC, LCIA and DIAC including a number that have involved Vietnamese parties. Amanda is listed on multiple institutional panels (SIAC, HKIAC, DIAC, ICDR (AAA), JCAA and AIAC). Amanda is Vice Chair of the CIArb Singapore branch and a Fellow of SIArb. She is a regular speaker internationally, has published widely and is ranked as a leading individual for international arbitration by Legal 500, Who’s Who Legal and ‘most in-demand arbitrator’ in Chambers Global.

Biography

Olga Boltenko,

Boltenko Arbiters

Ms. Boltenko is an investment and trade lawyer with over fifteen years of experience in public international law, investor-State dispute resolution, and commercial arbitration. She has acted as legal counsel in investor-state disputes under the auspices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the ICSID, the SCC, the ICC, the LCIA, and in various capacities in dozens of commercial disputes in a wide array of industries including oil and gas, mining, infrastructure, construction, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals, across Asia and beyond. She is an accredited mediator with the Singapore International Mediation Centre. Ms. Boltenko teaches a master of laws degree in arbitration and ADR with a focus on Belt & Road investment law at The University of Hong Kong, where she is also a deputy executive director. She is a professor of law at the Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where she teaches a course in investment law at the dual degree program with the Free University of Brussels. Ms. Boltenko is admitted to the roll of solicitors of the Hong Kong SAR, to the Bar Association of the Primorsky Region of the Russian Federation, and she is registered as a foreign lawyer with the Singapore International Commercial Court. Ms. Boltenko is listed as an arbitrator on multiple regional arbitrator panels and she has a growing arbitrator practice. Ms. Boltenko has been consistently recognized in legal rankings, including by Who’s Who Legal, where she has been ranked over the years as a “National Leader” for Hong Kong, and as “Under 45” thought leader global elite, where she is described as a “highly motivated and hard-working practitioner who stands out as an excellent choice for investor-state disputes”.

Biography

Prof Elijah Putilin

Independent Arbitrator and Counsel , Putilin Dispute Management

Prof. Elijah Putilin, FCIArb is an independent arbitrator and counsel. Clients and peers describe him as being “highly able, keen and very efficient”, “a world class practitioner” and praise him for his ability “to present even the most complex concepts in a simple and understandable manner”. Prof. Putilin regularly sits as a Sole-Arbitrator, Presiding Arbitrator, or co-arbitrator in cases administered by leading institutions that involve application of civil, common, or international law. Prof. Putilin has also represented and advised clients in over a hundred disputes before SCAI, SCC, LCIA, ICC, ICDR and ICAC (Russia) tribunals, foreign and domestic courts of all levels, international trade tribunals and sporting bodies. His expertise spans over variety of industries, including oil & gas, banking & finance, construction, TMT, and agriculture. In addition to his arbitrator and counsel work, Prof. Putilin lectures on international commercial and investment arbitration at the Tashkent State University of Law and is an Adjunct Professor of international dispute resolution and business law at leading universities in Central and South‐East Asia. Prof. Putilin is a member of the SCC Arbitrators’ Council and a member of the Supervisory Board of the IAC (Kyrgyzstan).

Biography

Dang Viet Anh

Managing Parter, ANHISA

Mr. Dang Viet Anh is a Vietnamese-qualified lawyer and barrister having extensive experience in more than 25 years and handling cases in a variety of sectors such as commercial, aviation and shipping, insurance, re-insurance, marine and international trade, and all forms of dispute resolutions from the court to ADR methods. Mr. Anh is very well known for Admiralty work, from collisions and other marine & aviation incidents, salvage and wreck removal, total loss and GA claims, groundings, arrest and release of ships to all other shipping disputes. He also represents clients in the settlement of commercial disputes by negotiation and appears in court and before arbitral tribunals in various cases involving, for example, insurance and reinsurance policies, construction contracts, contracts for the sale of goods and lease agreements and, and tort claims. Mr. Anh has been praised as having “a flexible and realistic approach” and is very often recommended and/or appointed by insurers, shipowners, and parties to complicated cross-border deals who have disputes and need commercial and practical solutions for their troubles. He has been recognized as the leading shipping lawyer of Vietnam by Legal 500 Publications 2020 and handled all kinds of ship finance, namely shipbuilding, sale & purchase, management agreement as well as charterparty, bill of lading, and disputes arising therefrom. He has frequently represented sellers, buyers as well as their banks, and mortgagees in S&P deals who have praised his diligence and described him as “quick, efficient and proactive.”

Biography

Clarence Lun

Founder, Fervent Chambers LLC

Clarence is the Founder of Fervent Chambers LLC. Prior to setting up Fervent Chambers LLC, Clarence has held the role of Group General Counsel at 2 major listed oil and gas companies in Singapore. Clarence returned to private practice and practiced at the dispute resolution department of an international law firm and a couple of leading local law firms before he subsequently set up Fervent Chambers LLC. Clarence has extensive experience working on shipping, oil and gas, engineering, construction and infrastructure project disputes. In recent times, given his sectorial exposure to the offshore maritime industry and the downturn, Clarence has actively been involved in oil and gas, offshore energy and maritime disputes as well as insolvency related claims. Clarence is constantly instructed by liquidators and judicial managers to advise the liquidators and judicial managers on discharge on their duties as well as claims relating to breaches of fiduciary duties, unfair preference and undervalue transactions. Arising from recognition on the arbitration, commercial and insolvency work undertaken by Clarence, Clarence has been featured in global arbitration review and global restructuring review. Having graduated with a double degree in law and science (biological science), Clarence also has a keen interest in medical negligence as well as matters relating to administrative law that has gained publicity.

Biography

Scott Warren

National Partner, Tokyo/Shanghai, Squire Patton Boggs; Secretary, Executive Board, The Society for The Policing of Cyberspace

Scott Warren is a partner in our Tokyo and Shanghai offices, specializing in cybersecurity, data privacy and digital data disclosures in Asia and the Middle East. He also has significant experience in compliance, intellectual property (IP), litigation, dispute resolution, and government regulatory and internal investigations. Scott started his career as a civil litigator in California. He moved to Japan in 1993, where he has lived since. He served seven years as general counsel at Sega Corporation and six years as a senior attorney at Microsoft. He serves on the executive board of The Society for the Policing of Cyberspace, a nonprofit organization. He headed Kroll in Japan and Kroll Ontrack across Asia, and later opened Epiq Systems in Japan, providing IP protection, computer forensics and e-discovery solutions. Scott is a California-licensed lawyer and a licensed foreign lawyer in Japan. He is a Certified International Counter-Cyber Crime Professional and certified as a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb). Since 2004, he has served on the Society for the Policing of Cyberspace, a non-profit organization dedicated to working with its global members towards a more secure Internet. He serves at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, where he was awarded Leader of the Year for 2020, as Co-Chair of the Legal Services & Intellectual Property Committee; Vice-Chair of the Secure Digital Infrastructure Committee; Vice-Chair of the Information, Communication and Technology Committee; and Vice Chair of the Digital Forum.

Biography

Duc Dang The

Vice President and Secretary General, Vietnam Independent Directors Association (VNIDA)

Dang The Duc is the founder and managing partner of Indochine Counsel. He leads the firm’s Banking & Finance, Capital Markets practice group and co-heads the Projects & Infrastructure practice group. With over 25 years of experience in business law practice in Vietnam, Duc specializes in advising foreign clients on international and cross-border transactions, including inward investment, corporate and commercial transactions, private equity, M&A, securities and capital market transactions, corporate restructurings, and project financing. He has been involved in major transactions for leading financial institutions, investment funds, and multinational companies. Additionally, he has substantial experience in advisory and transactional work related to IPR, IT, and technology matters. Duc has been recognized as a leading lawyer in Vietnam by various international publications such as IFLR1000, Asian Legal Business (ALB), ALB Super 50 TMT Lawyers, Chambers Global, Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Leaders in Law Global Awards, Asialaw Profiles, The In-House Community, The International Who’s Who Legal, The Expert Guide - The World’s Leading Lawyers, The A-List Vietnam’s Top 100 Lawyers (Asia Business Law Journal), Media Law International, and MIP IP Stars. He regularly speaks at conferences and seminars in Vietnam and internationally on legal and business topics such as M&A, private equity, corporate transactions, securities and capital markets. Duc has also served as an independent director for companies and on the representative boards of investment funds in Vietnam.

Biography

Bryan Chan

Partner, Kelvin Chia Partnership

Bryan is a Partner of the dispute resolution team at Kelvin Chia Partnership. He is an experienced litigator who has represented a diverse spread of both institutional as well as private clients in Singapore, Greater China and South-East Asia. Bryan has acted for clients in a range of complex cross-border commercial disputes including banking, oil & gas, debt recovery, joint venture as well as sale of goods disputes. He has also acted in private client matters encompassing employment and matrimonial disputes that involve cross-border elements. Bryan has represented clients in arbitrations commenced under the SIAC, ICC and UNCITRAL rules and has also advocated for clients at all levels of the Singapore Courts. He has had favourable decisions published by the Courts in Singapore. Bryan also routinely provides advice on litigation risks and considerations that are pertinent to corporate and commercial transactions that are attended to by local counsel in Kelvin Chia Partnership’s regional offices in Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand.

Biography

Djamel El Akra

Arbitrator, Vietnam Traders Arbitration Centre (VTA)

Djamel EL AKRA is a seasoned expert in international business law with over a decade of experience in Asia. He is a registered arbitrator with institutions such as the NCAC, MIAC, THAC, BICAM, and VTA, and is listed as a mediator with the AIAC and WIPO. He is also listed as a practitioner with VIAC (Vienna). A member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Mr. EL AKRA is an accredited mediator with qualifications from ADR/ODR, IMI, and SIMI. He has been elected as the ICC Young Arbitration and ADR Forum (YAAF) Representative for North Asia (2024-2026). His academic background includes a Master’s in International Business Law, a Master’s in Japanese Language and Studies, and a University Diploma in Chinese. Mr. EL AKRA has worked in law firms and as in-house counsel, focusing on sectors such as energy, infrastructure, corporate law, tax, investment, and intellectual property. His work has earned recognition in The Legal 500 and GC Powerlist Southeast Asia 2017, and he was shortlisted for In-House Lawyer of the Year by Asian Legal Business in 2017. In Southeast Asia, he advised investors with land rights, due diligence on renewable energy projects, joint ventures, and public-private partnerships. He holds leadership roles in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry France Cambodia and the European Chamber of Commerce of Cambodia. In academia, Mr. EL AKRA has been lecturing for over a decade at the Royal University of Law and

Biography

Oliver Le

Director, J.S. Held Singapore Pte. Ltd

Oliver is a delay & disruption expert at JS Held and certified profession planner with extensive experience in the construction industry. His work has spanned the APAC, Middle East, Africa, and Europe, with a focus on infrastructure and energy projects. Appointed as a delay and scheduling expert on several occasions, Oliver has submitted expert reports and provided testimony for international arbitrations under rules of ICC, SIAC, and VIAC as well as dispute resolution at the DB level. In Vietnam, Oliver has assisted several public and private clients in resolving disputes related to the delays and disruptions originated from the construction of metropolitan railways, petrochemical facilities, power plants, windfarms, and offshore platforms.

Biography

The Hung Le

Managing Partner, CNC Counsel

Le The Hung is the Managing Partner at CNC Counsel, a boutique law firm in Vietnam specializing in legal services across the construction, real estate, infrastructure, and energy sectors. With over 15 years of experience, Hung regularly advises project developers, general contractors, and consultants on the development and construction of real estate and infrastructure projects in Vietnam. He has played a pivotal role in numerous large-scale, complex projects, including airports, highways, urban railways, and underground works. His expertise in international construction arbitration is highly sought after, particularly in multi-million-dollar disputes under VIAC, SIAC, and ICC Rules.

Biography

Tram Ho Thuy Ngoc

Partner, Frasers Law Company

Tram has more than 15 years of experience and is widely regarding as one of Vietnam’s premier project finance and M&A lawyers. Tram was recognised as a Rising Star in Vietnam in 2022, 2023 and 2024 in Corporate and M&A by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific. In addition to this prestigious accolade, Tram has also been distinguished as a Rising Star Partner by IFLR1000 in 2024. She is also recognised in ALB Asia 40 Under 40 in 2024. She has extensive experience in large-scale project finance especially in power & infrastructure contributing to the financing of nearly over US$20 billion to the development of projects in Vietnam.

Biography

Michael Peer

Partner & Managing Director, AlixPartners

Michael has more than 30 years of experience in working across valuation, forensic, and risk management, serving clients throughout North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Michael excels at presenting challenging topics and intricate issues to both clients and the judiciary, having frequently been cross examined as an expert witness. With a background in forensic accounting and valuations, he specializes in managing large scale crisis situations spanning investigations, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution. Michael regularly provides expert-witness testimony on topics involving accounting, valuation, and regulatory compliance. He has appeared before tribunals in arbitration hearings as well as esteemed judges in local and international courts. Michael is a trusted authority in his field and recognized by Who’s Who Legal as a global expert in arbitration and highly ranked for investigations. In addition to his accounting and valuation related qualifications, Michael has a Master of Laws in arbitration from Robert Gordon University.

Biography

Silver Sponsors

Panel Sponsors

Lucky Draw Sponsor

Supporting Organisations

Complimentary Registration for in-house counsel

Complimentary Registration - Click Here

If you would like to apply for an in-house counsel complimentary ticket, please click here and fill in your details. Complimentary seat is applicable to in-house counsel from non law / consultancy firm only.  One complimentary seat per company, first-come-first-served. Results are based on the organiser’s discretion and applicants will be notified by email.