Foreign law firms are allowed to operate in Vietnam through forms such as branches, foreign-owned law firms and partnerships with Vietnamese firms, and foreign lawyers can practise there once licensed to do so; however, foreign lawyers generally cannot appear as counsel in Vietnamese court proceedings, and advice on Vietnamese law is subject to conditions. For court and most local procedures you will still need a Vietnamese-licensed lawyer.
This matters because many foreign companies arrive in Vietnam with a relationship with an international firm and assume that firm can do everything locally. Sometimes it can do a great deal; sometimes the work has to be shared with Vietnamese lawyers inside or outside the same firm. Understanding the boundaries helps you staff a matter sensibly, avoid paying for duplication and avoid gaps where nobody is actually allowed to act.
How foreign law firms are allowed to operate
Vietnam opened its legal services market to foreign firms in stages, and today the law on lawyers provides several ways for a foreign law practice organisation to be present. The main forms are a branch of a foreign law firm, a foreign-owned law firm set up in Vietnam (which may be wholly foreign-owned), and a partnership between a foreign law firm and a Vietnamese law firm. Foreign firms may also establish a representative office, but a representative office is a liaison presence and does not itself provide legal services.
Each form must be licensed by the Ministry of Justice and registered at the provincial level, and each has its own reporting obligations. In practice the international firms you see in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City usually operate through a branch or a foreign-owned law firm and employ both foreign lawyers and Vietnamese lawyers.
For a client, the form matters less than two practical questions. First, is the office licensed to provide legal services in Vietnam rather than merely to promote its head office? Second, who in that office is a Vietnamese-licensed lawyer, and will that person be involved in your matter? A firm with a strong international brand but no Vietnamese lawyers on your team may need to bring in outside counsel for parts of the work.
Rules in this area are technical and have been amended over time, so if the precise form of a firm affects a decision you are making, ask the firm to explain its licensing in writing.
It is also worth remembering that the same rules apply in both directions. A Vietnamese law firm can open offices abroad and work with foreign firms through cooperation arrangements, and many Vietnamese firms have long-standing referral relationships with firms in other countries. A local firm with good international links can therefore sometimes offer the coordination benefits you might expect only from a global brand.
What foreign lawyers can usually do, and what they cannot
The table gives a practical summary. Exceptions and conditions exist, so treat it as a starting point for questions rather than a rule book.
| Type of work | Foreign lawyer licensed to practise in Vietnam | Vietnamese-licensed lawyer |
|---|---|---|
| Advice on foreign law and international law | Yes, this is the core of their work | Possible, but usually not their specialty |
| Advice on Vietnamese law | Restricted; generally requires meeting conditions such as Vietnamese legal qualifications, and in practice is usually given with or through Vietnamese colleagues | Yes |
| Drafting cross-border contracts | Yes, particularly for contracts governed by foreign law | Yes, and needed for parts that depend on Vietnamese law |
| International arbitration | Often yes, depending on the rules of the arbitration and the seat | Yes |
| Representing clients before Vietnamese courts | Generally no | Yes |
| Defence counsel in criminal proceedings in Vietnam | No | Yes |
| Dealing with local authorities on procedures | Limited in practice | Yes |
The main message is simple: if your matter may end up before a Vietnamese court or a Vietnamese authority, make sure a Vietnamese-licensed lawyer is part of the team from the start. Bringing local counsel in only when a hearing date arrives leaves them little time to shape the evidence and arguments, and it can mean paying for a second review of work that has already been done.
When an international firm is the right choice
Your matter sits across several countries. A dispute with a Vietnamese supplier that also involves a parent company in Singapore and a buyer in Europe benefits from one firm coordinating the strands, even if Vietnamese work is done by its local lawyers.
Your contract is governed by foreign law. If you signed a distribution or joint venture agreement governed by English or Singapore law, with arbitration abroad, lawyers trained in that law are central to interpreting it.
Your head office needs reporting in a familiar format. International firms are used to producing memos, risk ratings and board briefings in the style foreign management expects, which can make internal decisions faster.
You are running an international arbitration. For arbitrations under international rules, foreign counsel often lead, with Vietnamese lawyers advising on local law and enforcement issues.
Language is a real obstacle. For some languages other than English, international firms may be the easiest way to get advice from someone who speaks your language natively, though many Vietnamese firms also work in several languages.
When a Vietnamese firm is the better fit
The matter is mainly local. A labour dispute with a local employee, a lease dispute or a domestic debt recovery case is shaped mostly by Vietnamese law and procedure. Local firms handle these every day.
You expect to go to a Vietnamese court. Litigation in the provincial and regional people’s courts rewards lawyers who appear there regularly and understand how hearings actually run.
The matter is outside the largest cities. Firms based in or familiar with a particular province often understand local administrative practice better than an office in another city.
Budget matters. Many Vietnamese firms offer high-quality work at a cost structure that is more manageable for smaller companies and individuals, without the overhead of an international network.
You want continuity. For ongoing local issues, a long-term relationship with a Vietnamese firm can mean faster answers because the lawyers already know your business and documents.
You need someone close to the decision makers on your side. A Vietnamese firm can often meet your local managers, accountants and staff in person at short notice, which helps when facts need to be gathered quickly from people who prefer to explain things face to face and in Vietnamese.
Checking a foreign or international firm before you engage it
An impressive global name is not a substitute for basic checks on the office that will actually do your work. Before signing, it is reasonable to ask:
- Under which licensed form does the office provide legal services in Vietnam: a branch, a foreign-owned law firm, or a partnership with a Vietnamese firm?
- Which lawyers on the proposed team are Vietnamese-licensed, which bar association they belong to, and how much of the work they will personally do.
- Whether the office has handled matters of your type in Vietnam recently, as opposed to elsewhere in the region.
- Who signs the legal services contract, which entity issues invoices, and in which currency and country fees will be paid.
- How conflicts of interest are checked across the whole international network, since a sister office abroad may already act for your counterparty.
- Which language the advice will be written in, and whether key Vietnamese documents will be translated in full or summarised.
Write the answers into the engagement documents where you can. Clarity on these points at the start avoids arguments later about who was responsible for which part of the advice, and it makes it easier to bring in outside Vietnamese counsel if the firm cannot cover everything.
If a firm hesitates to answer, that is not necessarily a red flag, since some questions involve internal structures, but you should receive a clear explanation before you rely on the office for anything that depends on Vietnamese law or procedure.
Combining foreign counsel and Vietnamese counsel without paying twice
Many foreign companies end up with both: a firm at home that knows the business and a Vietnamese firm that knows local law. That combination works well if roles are clear. Agree at the outset who leads, who speaks to the other side, who drafts which documents and who signs off on advice. Without that clarity, two firms can bill for the same research and send you conflicting emails.
A practical approach is to let the foreign firm handle strategy, foreign-law issues and internal reporting, while the Vietnamese firm handles Vietnamese law, procedure and contact with local courts or authorities. Ask both firms to copy each other on key correspondence, and set a short weekly or fortnightly call where decisions are recorded.
Be careful with translation. If your foreign counsel drafts in English and your Vietnamese counsel files in Vietnamese, make sure someone checks that the Vietnamese version says what everyone thinks it says. Small differences in terminology can change the meaning of a claim or a defence.
Finally, keep the confidentiality picture in mind. Communications with a lawyer are generally protected by that lawyer’s professional duties, but the scope of protection can differ between countries. Discuss with both firms how information should be shared and stored.
When you need a Vietnamese lawyer even if you already have international counsel
You need a Vietnamese-licensed lawyer whenever a Vietnamese court, a Vietnamese arbitration centre applying Vietnamese law, the police or a Vietnamese authority is involved in a contested way. You also need one when the answer to your question depends on Vietnamese law: whether a clause is enforceable in Vietnam, whether a termination of employment is lawful, whether a security interest has been properly registered, or whether a foreign judgment or award can be recognised.
Even if your international firm has a Vietnam office, ask specifically which Vietnamese lawyer will sign off on the Vietnamese law aspects. In a well-run firm the answer is immediate. If the answer is vague, insist on clarity before relying on the advice.
For smaller questions you may not need a full engagement. A short consultation, or a question to a licensed Vietnamese lawyer through an online service such as AI Co Van, can confirm whether a concern raised by your home counsel is real under Vietnamese law. That is often enough to decide whether to commit to a larger piece of work.
Keep in mind that court procedures, deadlines and fees change over time, and the 2025 reorganisation of the courts introduced regional people’s courts in place of the former district-level courts. A local lawyer will know how those changes play out in the court that will hear your case.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign lawyer represent you in a Vietnamese court?
Generally no. Representation as counsel before Vietnamese courts is reserved for Vietnamese-licensed lawyers. A foreign lawyer can help you prepare, advise on foreign law aspects and coordinate strategy, but a Vietnamese lawyer should handle the court appearance.
Can an international law firm in Vietnam advise on Vietnamese law?
Many international firms in Vietnam employ Vietnamese-licensed lawyers who advise on Vietnamese law. Foreign lawyers themselves face conditions on giving Vietnamese law advice. Ask who on the team is Vietnamese-licensed and will sign off on local law points.
Is a representative office of a foreign law firm allowed to give legal advice?
A representative office is a liaison presence and does not itself provide legal services in Vietnam. Legal services are provided through licensed forms such as branches, foreign-owned law firms or partnerships. Check which form the office you are dealing with uses.
Should you use your home country law firm for a dispute in Vietnam?
Your home firm can be very valuable for strategy, foreign-law issues and reporting to management. For the Vietnamese parts of the dispute, especially court or authority proceedings, you will need Vietnamese-licensed lawyers, either inside the same firm or engaged separately.
How do you avoid paying two firms for the same work?
Agree roles in writing at the start, decide who leads and who drafts each document, and ask both firms to copy each other on key correspondence. Regular short coordination calls with recorded decisions help prevent duplicated research and conflicting advice.
Do foreign lawyers in Vietnam need a licence?
Yes. Foreign lawyers who practise in Vietnam must be licensed to do so under Vietnamese rules, and they practise through a licensed foreign law practice organisation or a Vietnamese one. Requirements are technical, so ask the firm for details if this matters to you.