DFDL

Managing Partner: 1

Number of partners: 34

Number of lawyers: 168

Languages: Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Bengali, Burmese, Cantonese, Italian, Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Thai, Tagalog, Tamil and more

Firm Overview:

DFDL was established in 1994 and built on a unique vision: to create an integrated legal, tax and investment advisory firm, with in-depth knowledge of the jurisdictions the firm works in, providing technical excellence across its core areas of expertise. DFDL’s integrated and expanding network of 13 offices, strategically located throughout nine countries around Asia. The firm stands as a testament to these goals. DFDL has acquired an outstanding reputation for providing integrated and solution-oriented services to establish, structure and protect clients’ business interests in dynamic and challenging markets. DFDL has also been actively involved in developing the legal and regulatory environments of its markets.

Main Areas of Practice:

Banking and Finance

The banking and finance team has the expertise and insight to assist clients in navigating the complexities of emerging markets and provides commercially focused legal & tax advice based on experience in acting for leading banking & financial institutions. With extensive sector expertise covering acquisition finance, cross-border lending, fintech, loan syndication, project finance, regulatory and corporate banking, structured finance, trade finance, derivative, offshore products and more. By combining international experience and local legal experts, it has built a reputation as premier financial legal advisers in developing Asia.

Corporate & M&A:

With in-depth understanding of local legal systems and regulatory regimes together with local business culture and practices, DFDL assists clients in designing, conducting and evaluating international corporate, commercial, and financial services. The team comprises of highly specialised M&A practitioners who offer international as well as local legal and tax expertise. Its advisers are well versed in the current legal and business climate of their local jurisdictions, offering insightful industry knowledge and services of the highest calibre.

Compliance & Investigations:

The firm’s expertise focuses on providing support to clients in assessing compliance systems, developing remediation strategies, documenting policies and systemic structures, investigating compliance lapses, and assessing risk exposure. Providing services at all levels of the organisation and support for defensive procedural strategies related to anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and other financial and white-collar crime issues.

Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure:

DFDL has an outstanding reputation in the development of major energy, natural resources and infrastructure projects in the Mekong Region, South Asia, the Middle East and beyond. The ENRI Practice is a full service group, providing legal and tax services of the highest quality by drawing on the firm’s highly regarded commercial, M&A, finance, construction & engineering, tax and dispute resolution expertise. The breadth and depth of its international and local capabilities across a broad geographic footprint and its industry knowledge enables the successful development and financing of energy, mining and infrastructure projects in the region, for sponsors, developers, lenders and investors alike.

Employment:

DFDL is dedicated to preparing that solid basis, and advising clients on employment and labour issues which arise. Its clients benefit from its extensive experience in preparing employment agreements, internal regulations, and consultancy/ contractor agreements which comply with local law and practice, and meet the entity’s operational needs.

Real Estate & Hospitality:

The firm understands the economics and practicalities of the diversified commercial real estate business and it prides itself on delivering comprehensive legal services to clients in a timely and efficient manner. The real estate development and construction team represents developers, financiers, contractors, and other project parties on commercial, industrial, residential, and mixed-use projects. It regularly advises on land acquisition, construction contracts, joint venture agreements, leases, sales, EPC contracts, offshore and onshore guarantee, and wrap around arrangements, turn-key projects and both front-end and back-end aspects. It has senior expertise and experience in residential, commercial, and large-scale infrastructure projects on BOT, BOO, BOOT, and other internationally recognised bases and structures.

Tax and Transfer Pricing:

The team offers a unique combination of highly specialised lawyers and accountants completely dedicated to tax and customs services from strategic planning to day-to-day operations, including tax litigation, FTA, and customs advisory. The practice is also regularly involved, in tandem with local jurisdiction stakeholders, in developing tax environments of markets in which it operates. The Tax and Accounting team is recognised for its expertise, creativity, and excellent reputation across the multiple jurisdictions it operates in and beyond, setting out DFDL as the preeminent pan-regional tax law firm and providing its clients with local knowledge and relationships, integrated tax and legal services, insights on new tax practice areas in a solutions-oriented operating mode.