Expertise
International Arbitration
Dispute Resolution
Contracts
Nguyen (Wynn) Do is a respected arbitration practitioner in Singapore and Vietnam, and currently serves as Head of International Arbitration at YKVN.
Since 2012, Nguyen has been part of the team that established and developed YKVN’s Singapore office — located in one of the world’s foremost arbitration hubs. YKVN is the first and, to date, the only Vietnamese law firm included in the GAR 100 (Global Arbitration Review’s ranking of the world’s leading international arbitration practices) and has been ranked for three consecutive years (2023, 2024 and 2025). Benchmark Litigation 2024 also recognized YKVN as “Outstanding” in international arbitration — the only firm in Vietnam to receive this distinction.
Admitted to practice in Washington State (U.S.) and Vietnam, and registered as a foreign lawyer in Singapore, Nguyen has nearly 20 years of experience as counsel and arbitrator in high-value, complex disputes across construction, infrastructure, energy, international trade, and investment. He has acted in arbitrations under SIAC, VIAC, ICC, UNCITRAL, GAFTA, SCMA, and LMAA rules, with proceedings seated in Vietnam and in major international arbitration jurisdictions including Singapore, London, and Paris.
Nguyen is highly regarded for his expertise in complex disputes involving construction, infrastructure, and energy projects in Vietnam, including FIDIC-based contracts, EPC arrangements, and large-scale developments. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Vietnamese edition of the FIDIC 2017 Second Edition suite (Red, Yellow, and Silver Books) — an important reference for stakeholders in Vietnam’s construction sector when applying these updated forms.
Beyond his core practice areas, Nguyen has extensive experience representing Vietnamese businesses in international trade disputes, particularly in cross-border sale and purchase contracts. He has acted in numerous arbitrations involving exports (including rubber, rice and agricultural products) and imports (including coal, scrap metal and industrial equipment). These cases have given him practical insight into anticipating legal risks, developing strategies aligned with international standards, and effectively protecting the commercial interests of Vietnamese enterprises.
As an arbitrator at the Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC), Nguyen is frequently appointed as presiding arbitrator or sole arbitrator, and is valued for his independence, impartiality, procedural expertise, and ability to work effectively across both civil law and common law legal systems.
Nguyen is also a regular speaker at arbitration and construction law events organised by VIAC, the Society of Construction Law Vietnam (SCLVN), and the Vietnam Engineering Consultant Association (VECAS), addressing topics such as the application of Vietnamese law in international arbitration and procedural styles in construction dispute resolution. In addition to speaking engagements, he frequently publishes in respected domestic and international outlets including the Supreme People’s Court Journal, Kluwer Arbitration Blog, and The International Arbitration Review.
With his experience in cross-border and complex disputes, Nguyen is regularly instructed in arbitration matters involving Vietnam and the broader Asia–Pacific region.
Education
Gonzaga University, School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2007
Gonzaga University, School of Business, M.B.A., cum laude, 2003
Gonzaga University, School of Business, B.A., cum laude, 2002
Bar Membership
Washington State Bar Association
Registered Foreign Lawyer, Singapore
Hanoi Bar Association
Vietnam Bar Federation
As Arbitrator:
- Sole arbitrator (SIAC); presiding and sole appointments (VIAC) in construction and commercial cases.
As Counsel:
- Extensive experience as counsel in international arbitrations under SIAC, ICC, UNCITRAL, VIAC, GAFTA, SCMA and LMAA rules.
- Proceedings in Vietnam and major international arbitration jurisdictions.
Selected matters:
- Government of Vietnam — ICC and UNCITRAL arbitrations concerning offshore petroleum operations, value in dispute exceeding US$2.5 billion.
- Vietnamese oil & gas company — ICC (Singapore) arbitration over tax-related claims, value in dispute exceeding US$100 million.
- Vietnamese wind power developer v. Chinese EPC contractor — ICC arbitration (Singapore), value in dispute exceeding US$200 million.
- Vietnamese hydropower developer v. consortium of Chinese EPC contractors — VIAC arbitration (Vietnam), FIDIC Silver Book EPC/Turnkey project, value in dispute exceeding US$200 million.
- Foreign contractors v. Vietnamese state-owned project owner — SIAC arbitration (Vietnam), FIDIC DBO US$400 million project.
- Korean contractor v. Vietnamese stated-owned project owner — ICC (Vietnam) arbitration, FIDIC Red Book highway project.
- Major Vietnamese real estate developer — SIAC arbitration relating to a project development dispute with a foreign shareholder.
- Major Vietnamese real estate developer — high-value investment exit disputes involving VIAC and SIAC arbitrations and corporate litigation in Vietnam.
- Vietnamese shareholders v. NYSE-listed company — SIAC (Singapore) arbitration, value in dispute exceeding US$40 million.
- Shareholder dispute — UNCITRAL arbitration (Singapore) with concurrent litigation in Singapore and Vietnam (pharmaceutical manufacturing project).
- Vietnamese insurer — cross-border reinsurance dispute in VIAC arbitration following an industrial incident at a thermal power plant.
- Big Four firm — high-stakes VIAC arbitration over alleged audit failures.
- Vietnamese importer v. foreign exporters — LMAA arbitration.
- Vietnamese expertors v. foreign importers – ad hoc and SIAC arbitrations.
- Vietnamese importer v. Singapore charterer — SCMA arbitration.
Rankings:
Recommended Lawyer | Arbitration & Litigation | Legal 500 | 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021
Future Star | Arbitration & Litigation | Benchmark Litigation | 2024
Litigation Star | Arbitration | Benchmark Litigation | 2025
The Legal 500 Arbitration Private Practice Powerlist: South East Asia Region | 2023
- Editor-in-chief, Vietnamese version, FIDIC 2017 Second Edition suite (Red, Yellow and Silver books).
- Co-author, Exclusive Jurisdiction of Courts in Relation to Rights over Real Properties in Vietnam, the Supreme People’s Court Journal, No. 17/2023.
- Co-author, Interpreting and Applying the Delay Damages Provisions of the FIDIC Red Book standard form contract in accordance with Vietnamese Law, the Supreme People’s Court Journal, No. 14/2023.
- Author, 2023 Vietnam ADR Week Recap: Comparison of the Interplay of the Separability Doctrine and Questions Relating to Formation and Validity of Arbitration Agreements across Various Jurisdictions, Kluwer Arbitration Blog.
- Co-author, Post-award Interest in the Asia Pacific, Vietnam Chapter, Kluwer Law International 2023.
- Co-author, the International Arbitration Review, Vietnam Chapter, 2018-2021.
- Co-author, the International Comparative Legal Guide to International Arbitration, Vietnam Chapter, 2018-2020.
- Co-author, GAR Know how – Commercial Arbitration – Vietnam, 2017-2019.
- 2025 Paris Arbitration Week, “Vietnamese Law in International Arbitration”, hosted by YKVN, panelist on “Select Topics in Vietnamese Law” panel and “Enforceability of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Vietnam” panel;
- 2024 Construction Arbitration Conference HICAC, organized by Vietnam Society of Construction Law, panelist on “Inquisitorial Style and Adversarial Style in International Arbitration and Best Practices” panel;
- 2024 Symposium on “Completing the Third Parties’ Mechanisms for Facilitating the Arbitral Proceedings”, organized by Vietnam International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) and Ho Chi Minh City Law University (ULAW), panelist on “Improving the Mechanisms on Third Parties to Improve the Arbitral Proceeding” panel;
- 2023 Conference on Construction contract dispute resolution procedures, from Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB) to arbitration, organized by Vietnam Engineering Consultant Association (VECAS), panelist on “Noteworthy considerations when applying DAB mechanism for dispute resolution” panel;
- 2023 VAS Crossover, Talkshow series on amendments of Vietnamese Law on Commercial Arbitration, organized by VIAC, moderator of panel on “Arbitration Procedures”;
- 2023 Vietnam ADR Week, Adapting to a Vibrant Asia, organized by VIAC and Vietnam Business Lawyers Club (VBLC), moderator of panel on “the Interplay of the Separability Doctrine and Questions Relating to Formation and Validity of Arbitration Agreements across Various Jurisdictions”;
- 2023 Construction Arbitration Conference HICAC, organized by Vietnam Society of Construction Law, panelist on “Saving Time and Costs in Construction Arbitration” panel; and
- 2018, 2019 Conference on “Claim management in construction”, organized by Vietnam Engineering Consultant Association (VECAS), panelist on “Arbitration Strategy”.
