Giles Cooper is branch director for Duane Morris' Ho Chi Minh City office. Mr. Cooper practices in the area of corporate law with a focus on international law in Southeast Asia. Mr. Cooper has experience with foreign investment and commercial law related to construction, mergers and acquisitions, securities, contract negotiation and drafting, banking and finance, and employment law. Mr. Cooper is a graduate of Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, and the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and a registered foreign lawyer in Vietnam. Areas of Practice · International Commercial and Corporate Law Representative Matters · Advised Trade Oceans Holding on the disposal of its majority stake in Vietnam-listed soft-drink manufacturing company. · Advised a major European shipbuilder on restructuring shipbuilding joint venture with Vietnamese state-owned shipbuilding company. · Advising a Vietnamese state-owned corporation on the acquisition of a foreign investor's majority stake in five-star hotel. · Advised a Danish private equity fund in connection with its acquisition of a strategic minority stake in the parent company of a primary and secondary school system in Ho Chi Minh City. · Advised a Danish private equity fund in connection with its acquisition of a strategic minority stake in a Vietnamese seafood export processing company. · Advised a Danish private equity fund in connection with its acquisition of a strategic minority stake in a Vietnamese furniture manufacturer and export company. · Acting for a Canada-listed mining company on the establishment of a three-party joint venture and related investment and mining licenses for a US$100 million non-ferrous metals project, including preparing necessary documents, assisting client in negotiations and preparing for IPO. · Acted for lead contractor in Vietnam's first foreign-invested BOT power plant project. · Advised on the sale and purchase of stakes in large fibre optic cable joint venture. · Advised foreign manufacturing investor on liquidation/bankruptcy of a joint venture company in Vietnam. · Lead attorney for NYSE-listed company acquiring and expanding production facilities in Vietnam; included substantial M&A, labour and general commercial advice. · Acted for foreign contractors on numerous infrastructure development projects and addressed issues including tax planning, technology transfer, contract negotiations and government authorizations. · Advised on political risk analysis for power plant insurer, including reviewing of BOT Agreement, Power Purchase Agreement, Gas Supply Agreement, Water Supply Agreement, Government Guarantee, etc. · Advised foreign contractor with all aspect of planning and implementing a large cement plant in Vietnam. · Ongoing advice to potential foreign investors in US$3billion BOT airport project. · Acted for technical services supplier to US$400 million power plant construction project. · Acted for U.S. investor in relation to US$450 million waste treatment plant in Ho Chi Minh City. · Advised leading European telecommunications company on acquisition of interests in state-owned mobile phone companies. · Lead commercial attorney for number of large multinationals operating in Vietnam. · Advised Korean investor on establishment of joint venture electrical equipment manufacturing operation. · Acted for large Japanese logistics company on establishment of four-party joint venture company to undertake inland container depot project. · Acted for U.S. investor on development and implementation of wind energy projects in Vietnam with Vietnamese partners. · Acted for French pay TV company on establishment of enhancement and expansion of satellite television programming in form of Business Co-operation Contract. · Assisted number of major international franchisors to franchise their operations in Vietnam. · Acting for a foreign mining company in relation to a dispute with provincial authorities over land access entitlements. Professional Activities · Member of New Zealand Law Society · Executive Board member of Australian Chamber of Commerce, Hanoi, Vietnam · Member of American Chamber of Commerce, Hanoi, Vietnam · Member of European Chamber of Commerce, Hanoi, Vietnam Experience · Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2009-present
- Special Counsel, 2007-2008 · Baker & McKenzie
- Associate, 2000-2007 · Rudd Watts and Stone (now Minters Ellison)
- 1998-1999 Selected Publications · Co-author, "Opening the Doors to Investment in Vietnam," Asian Counsel, February 2010 · Co-author, "Vietnam Opens Wider For Business," December 31, 2008 · Enterprise Law: a Rough Transition for Foreign Invested Enterprises? Vietnam Investment Review, April 2006 · Enterprise Law set to Make Waves, Vietnam Investment Review, February 2006 · Reforms Take Aim at Contract Pitfalls, Vietnam Investment Review, September 2005 · Limitations of Liability under the Amended Commercial Law, Asia Pacific Legal Developments Bulletin, October 2005 · Contributing author to Vietnam section of "Doing Business" series co-published by the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (2003 and 2005 editions) · EPC Case Study for Phu My 3 BOT Power Plant, Corporate Counsel, September 2001 · Vietnam Employment Law Case Study, CCH Global Employer, September 2001 Selected Speaking Engagements · "The Right Time to Invest? The Vietnamese Capital and M&A Markets in 2010-2011," EuroCham Business Briefing, Ho Chi Minh City, August 26, 2010; Hanoi, August 31, 2010 · Participated in podcast for Asiabizblog, November 3, 2008 · "Franchising in Vietnam," Australian Chamber of Commerce Business Essentials seminar series, December 2006 · Series of training sessions around Vietnam to Vietnamese Government officials on the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement, 2001, 2002 · Employment Restructuring, Baker & McKenzie's Regional Employment Seminar, Sydney, September 2001 |