Dao is the founding partner of DN Legal. She advises on all aspects of doing business in Vietnam. Her practice includes corporate and M&A, banking and finance, real estate, energy and infrastructure. She has acted for developers and the government of Vietnam on several landmark projects including the first licensed BOT project in Vietnam. Dao is fluent in English and Vietnamese.
We are a boutique firm specialising in structuring of complex transactions in all industries, corporate M&A, corporate finance and real estate. There are 9 lawyers (two partners and 7 associates), four of whom are women. We invest in all of our staff and encourage them to work and live to the highest standards in accordance with the Firm’s five core values: Passion, Respect, Integrity and Honesty, Excellence and Accountability.
I opened my firm in 2014 and in less than 3 years I promoted one lawyer to Partner, who in 2019 became Managing Partner. In addition, we also promoted one lawyer to Senior Associate in 2019.
We promote based on whether a lawyer shares the same values as those of the Firm in addition to other performance factors. One of those values is respect for colleagues and clients and their points of view. In that regard, I see each lawyer as individuals and actively try to guide each to the highest level of personal and professional development, regardless of race or gender.
For the first 20 years of my career, I worked for two international firms and worked my way up the corporate ladder to become equity partner and eventually Managing Partner in Vietnam. I know the sacrifices and hard work that is required for both men and women. Therefore, I try to use my own personal experience to create favourable conditions to nourish and grow talent without regard to gender.
We do not carve out a separate programme for diversity because we live it every day.
- Advised Novaland on a number corporate financing arrangements with international lenders totalling over US$800 million
- Advised Hoi An South Hoi An South Development on a development of an integrated resort & casino complex in Quang Nam province, Vietnam.
- Advised Asian Coast Development Ltd. on its development of an integrated resort & casino complex in Ho Tram, Vung Tau.
- Hong Kong Business Association Vietnam
- Entrepreneurs' Organization (Vietnam Chapter)
- Harvard University, B.A. (Classics - Greek & Latin) (1987)
- UCLA School of Law, J.D (1991)