Dang K. Minh

INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE

Minh’s experience in international arbitration includes oil & gas, tax, construction, investment, real estate and shareholders’ disputes and ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL and VIAC cases. His practice focuses on complex disputes often requiring YKVN to team-up with leading international law firms.

Significant construction experience include (i)  representting, as lead counsel, a contractor consortium in an SIAC arbitration related to a  USD 400 million World Bank funded water treatment plan project (Gaillard Banifatemi Shelbaya Disputes was co-counsel), (ii) representing a Vietnamese owner in an ICC arbitration related to a windmill project, (iii) advising a Korean contractor on the enforcement in Vietnam of an ICC award related to a World Bank funded highway project in light of parallel criminal proceedings, and (iii) representing a Vietnamese owner in a VIAC arbitration related to a hydropower plant.

Significant commercial arbitration experience includes (i)  representing the Government of Vietnam and Petrovietnam in multiple commercial  arbitrations involving two offshore blocks and the related treaty arbitrations with claims exceeding USD 2 billion (Gary Born of Wilmer Hale was co-counsel), (ii) representing Petrovietnam in a commercial arbitration between Petronas and Petrovietnam related to long standing tax and other disputes (Gary Born was co-counsel), (iii) representing a Vietnamese property developer in an SIAC arbitration related claimed development rights over a multi-tower mixed-use project, and (iv) representing Petrovietnam in an ICC arbitration over tax and investment benefit claims initiated by a consortium of international oil companies (the late Emmanuel Gaillard and Yas Banifatemi were co-counsel).

Prior to re-joining YKVN in 2011, Minh headed the Southeast Asia corporate practice of DLA Piper from 2005 to 2010. From 1993 to 2005, Minh headed the Vietnam offices of White & Case. It was during his White & Case tenure in Vietnam, that he founded YKVN, originally as an independent associated firm of White & Case.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Represents a wind power developer as claimant in an ICC arbitration seated in Singapore valued at more than USD 200 million, arising from a nearly two-year delay in commercial operations due to the contractor and supplier’s failures.
• Represents a foreign contractor in a water project dispute in Ho Chi Minh City subject to SIAC arbitration.
• Represents a Vietnamese hydropower company in a VIAC arbitration brought by a consortium of Chinese contractors concerning a FIDIC-based contract for the power transmission line of a hydropower project.
• Represents PVN Exploration Production Corporation (“PVEP”) in an UNCITRAL arbitration seated in Singapore relating to a production sharing contract in an ASEAN country other than Vietnam.
• Represents the Government of Vietnam (“GOV”) in an UNCITRAL investment treaty arbitration under the US – Vietnam bilateral treaty. YKVN and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Door (“WH”) are co-counsel.
• Represents the GOV and Vietnam National Industry – Energy Group (formerly Vietnam Oil and Gas, “PVN”) in an ICC commercial arbitration and an UNCITRAL arbitration with value in disputes over USD 1 billion each. The matters have been settled. YKVN and WH are co-counsel.
• Represents PVN in a Paris seated ICC arbitration in relation to a USD 142 million Value-Added-Tax refund claim and a 168 million USD abandonment costs counterclaim.
• Represents PVN in a Singapore seated ICC arbitration involving a USD 100 million plus tax indemnity dispute arising out of a production sharing contract.
• Represents 02 Vietnamese exporters of rubbers in more than 100 SIAC and ad hoc arbitrations in Singapore initiated by foreign buyers.
• Represents a Vietnamese insurer in a high-stakes cross-border reinsurance dispute following an industrial incident at a major thermal power plant in Vietnam.
• Represents a Big Four firm in a high-stakes VIAC arbitration initiated by a Vietnamese subsidiary of a foreign conglomerate over alleged audit failures spanning several years. The case involved serious claims of embezzlement by the claimant’s chief accountant, amounting to USD 10 million. The dispute was resolved swiftly and on highly favourable terms, averting significant reputational and financial exposure for the client.
• Represents the owner of a Vietnamese pharmaceutical plant in an UNCITRAL arbitration administered by the SIAC in a shareholder dispute with a private equity investment fund and in related Singapore and Vietnamese court litigation.
• Represents a major Vietnamese real estate company in a shareholder dispute involving multiple arbitrations in Vietnam and Singapore (SIAC) and in Vietnam litigation against creditors and holders of equity and quasi-equity instruments.
• Represents a major Vietnamese real estate company in an SIAC arbitration against two foreign investors over a commercial – office – residential high-rise complex in Vietnam.
• Represents Vietnamese shareholders in a Vietnamese pharmaceutical manufacturer against a global pharmaceutical manufacturer, listed on New York Stock Exchange, in an SIAC arbitration and related Vietnamese litigation arising from shareholder disputes.
• Represents a Korean investment fund In an SIAC arbitration initiated under a shareholders’ agreement in relation to the sale of a mixed-use real estate project in Ho Chi Minh City.

Rankings       

Vietnam’s Top 100 Lawyers | Asia Business Law Journal | 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020

Distinguished Practitioner | Corporate and M&A | Asialaw | 2023, 2022, 2021

Expertise based abroad in Singapore | Corporate and M&A | Chambers | 2021, 2020

Notable practitioner | M&A | IFLR | 2025, 2024, 2021, 2020
Notable practitioner | Private Equity | IFLR | 2025, 2024, 2021, 2020

Leading Individual | Dispute Resolution: Arbitration | Legal 500 | 2023, 2022

Recommended Lawyer | Corporate and M&A | Legal 500 | 2023

Litigation Star | Benchmark Litigation | 2026, 2025, 2023

Comments

“He is particularly experienced advising on transactions in the oil and gas sector.”
“A very sharp lawyer with great strategic vision”
“Very knowledgeable yet very humble and wonderful to work with”
“Strong negotiation strategy and excellent communication skills”
“Spanning the full gamut of corporate issues including joint ventures, restructuring and M&A”
“A very experienced individual”
(Chambers)

“K. Minh Dang is terrific – highly responsive, terrific strategic judgment, and knows the local players as well as the international arbitration players.”
“A very experienced deal lawyer who combines excellent market knowledge in Vietnam and Southeast Asia with a top tier US law firm approach to quality and client service”
(Legal 500)

“On IPO matters, Dang Khai Minh, a Singapore-based senior partner at YKVN, has earned a good name for his top-class legal advice. He has 40 years of experience in a wide variety of international matters, focusing on Vietnam investments and disputes. Ngo Tuu Duc, legal counsel at American multinational food processing and commodities trading corporation Archer Daniels Midland in Ho Chi Minh City, recommends Dang for his in-depth experience on legal practices. “Minh is also a prominent international arbitration lawyer,” says Ngo. “He acted for various state-owned and private entities in international disputes from oil and gas, energy and construction to pharmaceutical.”
(Asia Business Law Journal)