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Biography

Kien Trung Trinh is a partner in Tilleke & Gibbins’ corporate and commercial group in Vietnam. With more than 20 years of experience in advising multinational companies on a wide range of commercial and corporate law, he is regarded as “knowledgeable, practical and responsive” by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific.

Kien is ranked among the top 100 lawyers in Vietnam on Asia Business Law Journal‘s “A-List” and is also acknowledged as one of Vietnam’s preeminent employment law experts by Asialaw Leading Lawyers. He provides sound advice on company work rules, benefit plans, social and health insurance, personal income tax, employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements, confidentiality agreements, and terminations and disciplinary actions. Kien has helped various companies secure termination agreements that have prevented outlays of significant sums.

He also takes an active role in the firm’s life sciences practice, where he advises and assists clients with registration of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, foods, and animal products.

Experience

  • Assisted a Washington-based, USAID-funded international development firm with many labor-related and other legal matters for its operations in Vietnam, including advising on its policy manual; reviewing and registering its internal labor regulations; advising extensively on employment contracts under Vietnamese law; and advising and assisting with termination of employment contracts.
  • Provide ongoing advice and assistance to a highly regarded international school in Hanoi on labor-related and other operational matters.
  • Advised a global pharmaceutical company on all aspects of doing business in Vietnam, including the formation and operation of a representative office, registration as a foreign pharmaceutical company, property transactions, and employment termination and labor disciplinary procedures.
  • Advised a leading high-tech company on HR matters, including drafting labor contracts, registering new staff members, preparing documents for employment termination, and registering staff resignations.
  • Advised an international technology company on operating a representative office in Vietnam, including advising on the scope of work of a representative office, employment matters, tax matters, and government filing requirements. We prepared Vietnamese and English versions of labor contracts.
  • Advised a number of multinational food companies on registration, advertisement, and label requirements for food products in Vietnam.
  • Advised clients on registration of medical devices in Vietnam.
  • Advised clients on the role of the trade union in the representation of employees’ interests and the obligations of the employer to consult with the trade union.
  • Assisted the subsidiary of a global leader in insurance brokering and risk management in Vietnam with contract review and advice on their daily operations.
  • Advised the Hong Kong subsidiary of one of the world’s largest insurance companies and a leading group of insurance service providers with regulations on cross-border supply of insurance services in Vietnam.
  • Served as local counsel to a Chinese bank in a USD 60,000,000 loan transaction to finance a portion of an expressway project. We also advised the bank with respect to a USD 6,500,000 loan transaction to finance an automotive assembly company.
  • Advised a Japanese brewery in a strategic share acquisition of a major state-owned brewery.
  • Advised a North American banking institution on a host of Vietnamese banking regulations regarding investment accounts, electronic banking, check clearing and international payment services, ACH transactions, foreign exchange services, and other issues.
  • Prepared the application dossier and all additional documentation required to establish a 100% foreign-owned company engaging in the distribution of industrial tools in Vietnam. We also assisted the client with leasing office space.
  • Assisted a global electronics company with all legal aspects of leasing industrial property, commencing construction, and acquiring a trading license.
  • Advised a multinational pharmaceutical company regarding various corporate consolidation matters, including management, labor, and drug licensing, arising from its worldwide merger with another leading pharmaceutical company. After the integration became effective, we helped the subsidiaries comply with various legal requirements and assisted our client in obtaining the necessary permits.
  • Helped an Italian pharmaceutical company prepare an application dossier and obtain a license to operate in the area of medicinal products.
  • Prepared comprehensive information on employment law in Vietnam for an international law firm.
  • Assisted a global garment manufacturer in obtaining a branch license.
  • Acted as lead counsel in advising two leading Swedish industrial tools manufacturers in establishing wholly foreign-owned enterprises engaging in manufacturing, importing and exporting, and distribution activities in Vietnam as well as post-licensing, labor and employment, and corporate support services.
ABOUT Kien Trung

Location

Languages

    Vietnamese

    English

Education

    BEc, Hanoi Foreign Trade University

    LLB, Hanoi Law University

Insights

January 26, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has contributed an updated Vietnam chapter to Foreign Investment Review 2026, a recently published global guide to the legal and regulatory environment for foreign investment in 25 jurisdictions worldwide. Published and distributed by Lexology Panoramic, the guide discusses law and policy on oversight of foreign investment, regulatory frameworks, procedural requirements, and other important stipulations for foreign investors. The Vietnam chapter was prepared by Kien Trung Trinh, a partner in the Tilleke & Gibbins’ Hanoi office, Dung Thi Phuong Le, an associate in the firm’s office in Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Thi Huong Nguyen, associate in Hanoi, and Ngan Thuc Nguyen, paralegal in Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam chapter covers the following topics: Law and Policy: Government policies and practices, main laws and their scope of application (including details on investment promotional measures), definitions, rules for state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds, relevant authorities and oversight, and national interest provisions. Procedure: Jurisdictional thresholds, national interest clearance, securing approval, the review process for competition clearance and associated penalties, involvement of authorities, facilitation of clearance, and post-closing regulatory powers. Substantive assessment: Substantive tests for clearance, authorities’ consultation with other countries and other relevant parties, transactional prohibitions and objections, mitigating arrangements and challenges to a decision, and protection of confidential information. Recent cases, updates, and trends: Relevant recent case law, key recent and ongoing developments. A PDF of the Vietnam chapter can be accessed through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar chapters to Foreign Investment Review 2026. Readers can also gain 30 days of complementary access to the full Foreign Investment Review 2026 guide and the rest of Lexology Panoramic’s varied offerings through this link.
January 16, 2026
Employment law specialists from Tilleke & Gibbins in Vietnam have contributed the Vietnam chapter to the Guide to Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce from International Employment Lawyer. This comprehensive global guide, covering 50 jurisdictions worldwide, addresses the complex issue of workplace restructurings, with a particular focus on the needs of multinational companies. The Vietnam chapter was authored by partner Kien Trung Trinh, counsel Sarah Galeski, and associates Dung Thi Phuong Le and Nguyen Thi Huong Nguyen. The Q&A-style chapter provides in-depth analysis of key areas related to workplace restructuring, including: Reduction in workforce; Restructuring or reorganization of the business; Changing terms and conditions; and Areas to watch. A PDF of the Vietnam chapter can be downloaded through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand chapters to the Guide to Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce 2026. To browse the full guide for all 45 jurisdictions, please visit the International Employment Lawyer website.
November 20, 2025
Lawyers from Tilleke & Gibbins’ labor and employment team have contributed a new Vietnam chapter to Thomson Reuters Practical Law’s Employment and Employee Benefits Global Guide. The guide provides a high-level comparative overview of employment laws and regulations across various jurisdictions around the world. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Myanmar chapter of the guide. The Vietnam chapter covers a wide range of typical employment matters, such as limitations on working hours, paid leave requirements, minimum wage, and health and safety obligations. In addition, the guide provides insight on various topics of special interest to foreign investors doing business in Vietnam, including the following: Mandatory contents of a labor contract; Visas and permits required for expatriate employees; Employers’ obligations for protecting employees’ privacy and personal data; Procedural requirements for the dismissal of an employee; Employer and parent company liability. To view the latest version of the Employment and Employee Benefits Vietnam chapter, please visit the Practical Law website and enroll in the free Practical Law trial to gain full access.
September 25, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins’ labor and employment team in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City has contributed the Vietnam chapter to Labor and Employment Disputes 2026. Drawing on the expertise of three of the firm’s employment specialists, the chapter provides practical guidance for navigating employment disputes in Vietnam and covers: Pre-action considerations: key requirements, third-party funding, contingency fee arrangements Issuing a claim: forum, territorial jurisdiction, standing, commencing claims, fees, service, defendants and legal personality, types of claims, time limits, counterclaims Case management: procedure, rules, amendments to claims, adding parties, consolidating proceedings, class and collective actions, evidence, witnesses, tactical considerations Interim relief: availability, requirements Trial: hearings conduct and time frames, confidentiality and public access, media reporting, elements of successful claims and burden of proof Alternative dispute resolution: available types, requirements and expectations, enforcement Collective employment and labor rights: enforcement and standing Remedies and enforcement: available remedies, assessing compensation, enforcement mechanisms Appeals: procedure, time frames, other means of challenge Updates and trends: recent cases and developments, technology developments, other issues The Vietnam chapter is available for download below. Tilleke & Gibbins also contributed the Cambodia and Thailand chapters to Labor and Employment Disputes 2026. Readers can also gain 30 days of complementary access to the full Labor and Employment Disputes 2026 guide and the rest of Lexology Panoramic’s varied offerings through this link.

Awards & Rankings

May 11, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been recognized in five practice areas at the Asia Business Law Journal (ABLJ) Vietnam Law Firm Awards 2026, reflecting the firm’s continued strength across a range of legal disciplines in Vietnam. The firm received honors in the following categories: Artificial Intelligence Data Compliance and Cyber Security IP Litigation Labor & Employment Technology, Media & Telecommunications The ABLJ Vietnam Law Firm Awards highlight leading law firms across key practice areas, with multiple firms typically recognized in each category. The 2026 edition marks the fourth year of the awards program. These recognitions underscore the work of Tilleke & Gibbins’ Vietnam-based teams, particularly in technology-driven and regulatory-focused areas of practice. For more details and the full list of winners, please visit the ABLJ website.
April 3, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has been shortlisted in two categories at the Financial Times (FT) Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards: Innovative Lawyers in Cyber and Data Privacy – “Digital Identity & Cryptocurrency Compliance” Innovative Practitioner – Athistha (Nop) Chitranukroh The FT Innovative Lawyers APAC Awards recognize law firms and practitioners who are driving innovation in legal services and delivering innovative client solutions across the Asia-Pacific region. This recognition marks our third acknowledgment in the Innovative Lawyers category and, notably, our first-ever nomination in the Innovative Practitioner category at the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC awards. It reflects our team’s continued ability to support clients on groundbreaking, forward-looking projects across the region. The awards ceremony will take place on May 14, 2026, in Hong Kong. To learn more about the FT Innovative Lawyers APAC 2026 awards and to view the full list of shortlisted organizations, please visit the FT website.
March 9, 2026
Tilleke & Gibbins has been shortlisted in multiple firmwide and individual categories at the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2026, including Regional Firm of the Year, reflecting the firm’s work across Southeast Asia and the continued development of its regional practices. In the individual categories, Aye Thuzar Hlaing has been shortlisted for Myanmar Associate of the Year (Corporate and M&A), and Linh Duy Mai has been shortlisted for Vietnam Associate of the Year (Intellectual Property). Tilleke & Gibbins has also been shortlisted in the following firm categories: Regional Firm of the Year Thailand – Law Firm of the Year Thailand – Law Firm of the Year (Litigation) Myanmar – Law Firm of the Year Vietnam – Law Firm of the Year Vietnam – Law Firm of the Year (Labor and Employment) Laos – Law Firm of the Year The winners will be announced on April 30, 2026, at the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards ceremony in Singapore. To browse the full shortlist for the Legal 500 Southeast Asia Awards 2026, please see the Legal 500 website.

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