LPA Law further expands its presence in Asia with the integration of APFL Partners
The LPA Law network is continuing its expansion in Asia with the integration of Vietnam-based law firm APFL Partners Vietnam LLC, strengthening its position as the leading Francophone legal group in the region.
This addition brings together six boutique international law firms under the LPA Law network, further enhancing its footprint across key Asian markets. With offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore, and now Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, LPA Law reaffirms its commitment to providing high-quality legal services across Asia.
Expanding the network, reinforcing value proposition in Asia
LPA Law offices operate across Asia, advising clients on corporate and commercial transactions throughout the region. The addition of APFL Partners, a leading international law firm in Vietnam, reinforces the firm’s service offerings in Asia. Since 2008, APFL Partners has provided local legal expertise combined with global experience, with offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Through this alliance, LPA Law now offers clients privileged access to experienced lawyers in Vietnam, one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing markets, covering key practice areas such as Corporate and M&A, Banking and Finance, and Dispute Resolution. APFL Partners brings valuable expertise in booming industries including Real Estate, Energy, and Manufacturing.
With a presence in six strategic Asian cities, LPA Law now boasts a team of 50 multicultural and multilingual lawyers, providing seamless legal support for international investment projects and cross- border commercial activities. The firm is the go-to law firm in Asia, providing expert guidance on complex transactions for an international clientele from Western Continental Europe, the USA,
Southeast Asia, Japan, and China, facilitating their expansion into Asia.
With this new addition, LPA Law in Asia further broadens its capabilities, offering top-tier advice and assistance on both international and local legal matters. Its practice areas include Corporate and Commercial Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, Tax, Employment, Banking and Finance, and Dispute Resolution.
Frédéric Bailly, partner and managing partner of LPA Law, welcomes this strategic expansion: “The opening of these new offices marks a key milestone in our development. Asia is a crucial region for our growth, and we are excited to strengthen our ties with our local clients and partners.”
LPA Law offices’ clients include multinational corporations of all sizes, operating across various industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, cosmetics, energy, infrastructure, services, manufacturing, retail, technology, e-business/digital marketing, real estate, agribusiness, hospitality, distribution, and media.
In line with its international strategy, this new addition marks a new milestone for LPA Law, which now has 14 offices worldwide and more than 270 lawyers and legal professionals.
Key leadership appointment
As part of this integration, Arnaud Bourrut-Lacouture will serve as the legal representative and Managing Partner of the Vietnam offices, while maintaining his role as co-Managing Partner of the Singapore office.
A member of the Paris Bar and co-founder of LPA Singapore, Arnaud is a distinguished corporate lawyer with extensive experience in cross-border transactions and mergers and acquisitions. He advises multinational corporations on their projects across ASEAN, particularly in Media, Communications, Services and Technology. Arnaud already has strong experience in Vietnam where he practised as a lawyer in an international law firm for two years.
Arnaud Bourrut-Lacouture commented:
“Reuniting with my former Vietnamese colleagues is an incredible honour. Throughout my experiences in France and Singapore, I have maintained close ties with the APFL team. Taking on this new role, as the firm’s representative in Vietnam, is a challenge I embrace with great enthusiasm.”
A new chapter for APFL Partners
Joining LPA Law will give APFL Partners access to a team of over 50 lawyers practicing in multiple jurisdictions across the region. This will ensure seamless support for its clients in Vietnam with their international investment projects and cross-border commercial activities.
Nicolas Audier, founder of APFL Partners, added:
“I am delighted that APFL Partners is joining LPA Law. Over the years, APFL Partners has built a strong reputation as a leading international firm in Vietnam, recognized for its expertise in Commercial Arbitration, M&A, Real Estate, and more. I sincerely thank the entire APFL Partners team for their trust, dedication, and camaraderie. Special recognition goes to founding partners Bernadette Fahy and Nicolas Picard, as well as current partners Etienne Laumonier and Antoine Logeay. Now is the right time for me to pass the firm’s leadership to the next generation.”
As part of the transition, Nicolas Audier will continue to support the firm as Senior Legal Counsel, advising European clients seeking to enter the Vietnamese market.
About LPA Law
LPA Law, a leading French law firm with an international reach, brings together more than 270 professionals across 14 offices on three continents. With a strategic presence in Asia (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City), the firm offers comprehensive legal expertise covering mergers and acquisitions, private equity, commercial law, tax, employment law, intellectual property, and data protection. Consistently ranked among the top law firms, LPA Law supports its clients in their strategic projects both locally and internationally.
About APFL Partners
Established in 2008, APFL Partners is a leading international law firm in Vietnam, offering local legal expertise combined with global experience. Formerly known as Audier & Partners, the firm is now led by a new generation of highly skilled lawyers, dedicated to supporting businesses in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
With strategically located offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, its international team provides customized guidance on both international and local legal matters across key practice areas, including Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Commercial Law, Corporate and M&A, Dispute Resolution, Labour and Employment, Projects and Energy, and Real Estate. With an international outlook, APFL Partners operates at the forefront of the fastest-growing sectors in Vietnam and Southeast Asia: Real Estate, Manufacturing, Energy, Agribusiness, Hospitality, Infrastructure, Distribution and Media. This strategic partnership marks a new era for both firms, reinforcing their ability to support international businesses in Asia and beyond.
