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Phuong Thi Ha Tran

Associate

Biography

Phuong Thi Ha Tran is an associate with the Tilleke & Gibbins corporate and commercial team, based in the firm’s Hanoi office. Her practice focuses primarily on M&A, infrastructure, and real estate. She regularly advises major international investors across a wide spectrum of industries on their investments and operations in Vietnam, and has a wealth of experience in areas including capital markets and foreign investment.

Before joining Tilleke & Gibbins, Phuong spent four years at one of Vietnam’s top domestic law firms, where she advised and assisted clients with many projects in the renewable energy and banking sectors. Phuong is a licensed lawyer and a member of the Hanoi Bar Association.

Experience

  • Assisted a credit institution in Vietnam in receiving another credit institution under the mandatory transfer plan.
  • Assisted a credit institution in selling its retail business segments in Vietnam.
  • Assisted underwriters in the U.S. stock exchange listing of a Vietnamese auto manufacturer and a Vietnamese technology company.
  • Assisted a British organization in studying options for private sector investment into Vietnam’s transmission grid.
  • Assisted a Japanese company in investment and development of an offshore liquefied natural gas storage facility.
  • Assisted on the transactional structure and due diligence issues for project acquisition and financing in the energy sector.
  • Assisted a foreign finance corporation in investment in and development of a day-care hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in the PPP model.
ABOUT Phuong Thi Ha

Industries

Energy

Practices

Capital Markets

Corporate/M&A

Location

Languages

    Vietnamese

    English

Education

    LLB, Hanoi Law University

Insights

December 25, 2025
On December 11, 2025, Vietnam’s National Assembly issued Resolution No. 254/2025/QH15 (Resolution No. 254) to address practical difficulties encountered in implementing the Law on Land 2024. The resolution provides specific mechanisms and policies to resolve issues related to land allocation, land leasing, and conversion of land-use purposes, while also addressing land valuation principles, timing of information collection, and land valuation methods. The resolution takes effect on January 1, 2026. Key provisions affecting investors are discussed below. Land Use Terms for Transferred Investment Projects The National Assembly has addressed situations where the remaining term of a transferred investment project is insufficient for the transferee’s business or financial plans. Resolution No. 254, along with the Law on Investment 2025, introduces aligned regulatory solutions. Under the Law on Investment 2025 (4th version submitted to the National Assembly for promulgation), if an investment project implemented prior to March 1, 2026, has been transferred and the transferor holds a Land Use Rights Certificate, has fulfilled all land-related financial obligations, and is not subject to termination, the competent authority may determine a new operating term if the remaining operating term does not meet the transferee investor’s financial or business plan. This adjustment occurs when approving or adjusting the investment policy or issuing or amending the investment registration certificate. The revised operating term is calculated from the date of the approval or issuance and must not exceed the statutory maximum of 70 years for projects in economic zones and 50 years for projects outside economic zones. Resolution No. 254 also permits adjustment of the land use term for transferred investment projects involving land, provided that the transferee investor pays additional land rent in accordance with applicable law, thereby ensuring consistency with the Law on Investment 2025. Land Rent Payment Options Resolution No. 254 generally expands the
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September 30, 2025
Vietnam’s higher education system is at a pivotal stage of reform, with the government taking decisive steps to strengthen its policy and regulatory framework. In response to obstacles encountered during the implementation of the Law on Higher Education, issued in 2012 and amended in 2018, the third draft of the amended Law on Higher Education (Draft Law) is scheduled for submission to the National Assembly in October 2025. The Draft Law reflects the state’s commitment to aligning the education sector with international standards while addressing persistent structural challenges. The Draft Law emphasizes clarifying institutional mandates, enhancing accountability, and modernizing governance models to enable higher education institutions to operate with greater autonomy and efficiency. Against this backdrop, we outline below several notable provisions of the third draft and their potential implications for higher education institutions (HEIs) in Vietnam. Applicable Entities In addition to HEIs as defined and covered under existing legislation, the Draft Law extends its scope of applicable entities. The current Law on Higher Education does not regulate training institutions under state agencies, the armed forces, or political and social organizations, nor does it provide specific provisions for institutions offering only postgraduate education. To address this, the Draft Law introduces the term “institutions with higher education activities,” expanding its scope to include: (a) academies and research institutes established by the prime minister, mandated to provide doctoral-level training; (b) educational institutions affiliated with state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, and the people’s armed forces, authorized to offer higher education programs in their specialized fields; and (c) institutions established pursuant to international treaties or by decision of the prime minister, with authorization to deliver certain levels of higher education. The inclusion of “institutions with higher education activities” represents a significant development both legally and institutionally. In an increasingly diversified higher education
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August 21, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has adopted Harvey, a leading enterprise-grade AI platform for the global legal industry. The firm is proceeding with a rollout of Harvey’s legal AI solutions, which are supported by robust security and confidentiality protections, across the firm’s full-service regional practice in Southeast Asia. This initiative builds on the firm’s recent deployment of Microsoft Copilot and represents another advancement in Tilleke & Gibbins’ commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced legal service delivery. Under the program, legal professionals across the firm’s offices in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will have access to the full Harvey platform, equipping them to deliver practical, impactful, and results-driven legal services for clients throughout the region. The firm will also develop bespoke agentic workflows within Harvey tailored to the firm’s core practices and the unique requirements of Southeast Asian legal markets. Commenting on the initiative, Managing Partner Tiziana Sucharitkul stated, “At Tilleke & Gibbins, we have consistently invested in developing and adopting technology to improve the speed, precision, and overall excellence of our legal services. The firm’s decision to invest in Harvey exemplifies our commitment to innovation, further differentiating Tilleke & Gibbins within Southeast Asia’s legal landscape.” Managing Partner Darani Vachanavuttivong remarked, “By combining the deep regional expertise of our lawyers with Harvey’s market-leading domain-specific AI, we are empowering our regional team to streamline drafting, research, and review processes for complex legal matters, all while maintaining the high standards of quality and security our clients expect from us.” Harvey’s Chief Business Officer John Haddock added, “It’s clear Tilleke & Gibbins is investing heavily in innovation, and it’s clear their global clients will benefit significantly from their focus and investment. The Harvey team is thrilled to support the firm’s journey with our platform.”
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June 27, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins has contributed the Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam chapters to Taking and Enforcing Collateral Security and Guarantees in Southeast Asia, a comparative guide developed by Drew Network Asia (DNA). The publication examines the legal frameworks governing collateral security and guarantees across seven Southeast Asian jurisdictions and is intended to assist financial institutions, corporate borrowers, and cross-border investors in evaluating secured lending options in the region. The guide provides a practical overview of key issues relevant to taking and enforcing security interests—covering, among other topics, the types of assets that may be secured, the formalities and registration requirements for creating security, and the rights and procedures available in enforcement scenarios. Each chapter follows a consistent question-and-answer format to allow readers to compare approaches across jurisdictions easily. While the guide offers a high-level survey of the region’s collateral and guarantee regimes, it also notes that country-specific developments and transaction-specific considerations may affect the applicable requirements. Readers seeking detailed advice are encouraged to consult the lawyers listed at the end of each jurisdictional chapter. The full guide is available for download using the button below or directly from the DNA website.
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Awards & Rankings

December 12, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins has maintained its strong market position in the newly released Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026 rankings, with six Band 1 honors in core practices and consistently strong performance across the entire region. In addition to the exceptional practice-area rankings, 33 lawyers were recognized across 11 practice areas.
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December 1, 2025
Tilleke & Gibbins is pleased to announce that the firm has been honored with two awards at the 2025 Lexology Index Awards in London, this time picking up both the Thailand and Vietnam Country Awards. Formerly known as the Who’s Who Legal Awards, the Lexology Index Awards celebrate outstanding achievements by firms and individuals identified through Lexology’s extensive global research process. Tilleke & Gibbins’ continued success in this forum reflects the exceptional expertise and dedication of its team, whose commitment to delivering the highest caliber of legal services continues to set a benchmark in the industry. The firm extends its gratitude to its talented professionals and valued clients for their continued trust and support. A full list of the winners of the 2025 Lexology Index Awards is available on the Lexology website.
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September 12, 2025
The 2025/2026 edition of the IFLR1000 Asia-Pacific rankings, released by International Financial Law Review (IFLR), highlights Tilleke & Gibbins’ continued excellence in financial and corporate transactional work. The firm has maintained its strong rankings across multiple jurisdictions and practice areas while achieving notable upgrades and new recognitions, reaffirming its position as a leading firm in the Asia-Pacific region. This year, Tilleke & Gibbins received firmwide rankings in key jurisdictions, including: Thailand Banking & Finance—Tier 3 Capital Markets: Debt—Tier 3 Capital Markets: Equity—Tier 3 M&A—Tier 2 Project Development—Tier 2 Restructuring & Insolvency—Tier 3 Vietnam Banking & Finance—Tier 4 M&A—Tier 3 Project Development—Tier 3 Cambodia Financial & Corporate—Tier 2 Project Development—Tier 2 Laos Financial & Corporate—Tier 2 In addition to these firmwide rankings, Tilleke & Gibbins had several standout individual recognitions, with 12 lawyers honored in the 2025/2026 individual rankings—an increase from last year’s 10. This year’s results include upgraded rankings for John Frangos and new rankings for Charupat Boon-Long, Derrick Khoo, Prisna Sungwanna, and Saravut Krailadsiri. The full list is as follows: Charunun Sathitsuksomboon—Highly Regarded, M&A, Thailand; Women Leader Charupat Boon-Long—Rising Star, M&A, Thailand (new ranking) David Mol—Rising Star, Corporate and M&A, Cambodia Derrick Khoo—Rising Star (Partner), Financial and Corporate, Thailand (new ranking) Jay Cohen—Highly Regarded, Banking, Cambodia John Frangos—Highly Regarded, Restructuring & Insolvency, Thailand (upgraded ranking) Niti Muangkote—Rising Star, Financial & Corporate and Project Development, Laos; Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance, Thailand Prisna Sungwanna—Highly Regarded, Financial & Corporate, Laos (new ranking) Saithong Rattana—Notable Practitioner, Project Development and M&A, Laos Santhapat Periera—Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance and M&A, Laos; Highly Regarded, Banking & Finance, Thailand Saravut Krailadsiri—Notable Practitioner, Thailand (new ranking) Tram Ngoc Bich Nguyen—Highly Regarded, M&A, Vietnam To see the full set of IFLR1000 rankings for Tilleke & Gibbins’ jurisdictions, please see the Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam pages
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