Nguyen Huu Phuoc

Biography

Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc established the TLS Law Firm in 2003, which later became known as Phuoc & Partners Law Firm. Prior to that, he gained valuable experience as Deputy Manager of the Tax and Legal Department at PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG, two of the world’s largest international consulting and auditing firms. Additionally, he then served as the Managing Lawyer of Luat Viet Law Firm, one of leading Vietnamese law firms, for nearly two years. Afterward, he founded Phuoc & Partners Law Firm and has since been serving as its Director and Managing Lawyer.

With a master’s degree in international Commercial Law from the University of Bristol Law School (UWE), a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, and a bachelor’s degree in English Language from the Pedagogical University in 1996, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc possesses a diverse educational background. Furthermore, he has completed training programs and obtained various accounting and tax certificates from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the world’s largest professional accounting organisation headquartered in the UK.

At Phuoc & Partners Law Firm, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc heads two primary practice groups: Tax and Labour & Employment. With over 25 years of experience, he specialises in tax planning for large businesses in various industries. He regularly drafts, reviews, and negotiates tax-related provisions in various corporate documents, including mergers and acquisitions agreements, legal opinions, and employment contracts. Additionally, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc provides expert advice to corporate clients on general tax compliance matters, including personal income tax, corporate income tax, and foreign contractor withholding tax. He also represents clients in administrative lawsuits related to tax disputes with local tax authorities in Vietnam.

In the field of labour and employment, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has provided clients with comprehensive guidance on various legal matters related to labour law, practical aspects of employment policies, workforce re-structure, and issues arising from mergers and acquisitions. He has offered advice on hiring, termination, layoffs, and represented clients before district and provincial labour management agencies, as well as in various courts. Notably, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has successfully defended employers in numerous employment litigation cases involving workplace discrimination, protection of trade secrets, and non-compete and confidentiality agreements. He also provides valuable counsel on personnel affairs and employee welfare decisions.

During the early 2010s, in addition to his esteemed expertise in tax as well as labour and employment laws, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc expanded his practice into the field of marriage and family law. Within Phuoc & Partners Law Firm, he became the primary legal practitioner in this area, dealing with matters such as divorce, child custody, child support, visitation, property division, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, wills, and inheritance. Furthermore, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has gained extensive litigation experience by representing businesses owners, people in the entertainment sector, and foreign communities in marriage and family law disputes, both in and out of court.

Since 2006, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has been consistently recognised as one of Vietnam’s leading lawyers in the fields of tax law and labour and employment laws by reputable independent organisations like Legal500, Chambers Asia, and ALB. These accolades are based on the positive feedback received from clients, colleagues, and experts.

In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has actively shared his expertise through presentations at various business and professional seminars. He has spoken on various law related topics, including tax law as well as labour and employment law, and legal professional skills. These seminars have been organised by prominent entities such as HKBG, the European Chamber of Commerce, VCCI (Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry), the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice, the Vietnam Bar Federation, the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association, and the Judicial Academy. Moreover, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has authored numerous academic articles related to his areas of expertise and frequently contributes to specialised journals on tax law as well as labour and employment law, and legal professional skills in Vietnam.

Due to his extensive knowledge and experience, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has been sought after for interviews by newspapers, magazines, and TV shows. He willingly shares his insights on topics concerning tax and labour and employment laws in Vietnam, as well as his expertise as a professional practitioner.

Moreover, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has authored and published seven books in the field of law, covering various topics such as law firm management, civil law, and labour law. These books include:

• “Guidance on starting a Career as a Lawyer” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2016 and reprinted in 2017)
• “Handbook of Law for Individual and Family” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2018 and reprinted in 2020)
• “Labour Law Handbook” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2018 and reprinted in 2021)
• “Frequently Asked Questions in Labour Law” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2018 and reprinted in 2021)
• “Hard-to-Find HR Forms Related to Labour Law” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2019 and reprinted in 2021)
• “During a troubled divorce, it’s perplexing to determine who to approach for help” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2020)
• “Labour Handbook During the Pandemic – What Businesses Need to Know” (firstly published by Phuoc & Partners Law Firm in 2021)

In addition, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc has contributed as an author to one chapter of three books related to law firm management and for lawyer practicing skills, including:

• “Lawyer’s Handbook” (firstly published by the Vietnam Bar Federation in 2018 and reprinted in 2019)
• “Legal Consulting Skills Curriculum” (firstly published by the Judicial Academy in 2019)
• “Soft Skills Curriculum in the Legal Profession” (firstly published by the Judicial Academy in 2021)

Besides, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc’’s expertise in labour and employment law has led to collaborations with other translators in the translation of four books focused on human resources. These books are:

• “Correct Human Resource Management” of Barbara Mitchell and Cornelia Gamlem (firstly published by Alphabooks in 2019)
• “Smart Human Resource Management with Data” of Bernard Marr (firstly published by Alphabooks in 2019)
• “Make no small plans” of Elliott Bisnow, Brett Leve and Jeff Rosenthal, Jeremy Schwartz (firstly published by Alphabooks in 2023)
• “Fundementials of Human Resource Management” of Raymond A. Noe, John R. Hollenbeck and Barry A. Gerhart (firstly published by Alphabooks in 2023)

Last but not least, Mr. Phuoc has established and manages the website https://chiaseluatlaodong.com/ to share his knowledge of labour and employment law, provide updates on new labour and employment law regulations, answer frequently asked questions in such a field, and offer free forms related to labour law for HR professionals in businesses.

Community activities:

In terms of community activities, Mr. Nguyen Huu Phuoc holds several important positions, including:

• Vice President of the Vietnam Human Resources Association (VNHR)
• Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Association of Corporate Directors (VACD)
• Vice President of the Sales & Marketing Vietnam Club (CSMO)
• Former member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam International Commercial Arbitration Club (VBLC)
• Guest lecturer at the Judicial Academy
• Member of the Ho Chi Minh City Bar Association