International Arbitration
Cross-border disputes involving Vietnamese parties increasingly end up in arbitration rather than the courts. IVLF Advisors represents clients in international and domestic arbitration proceedings and advises on dispute-avoidance at the contract-drafting stage. Our international arbitration practice represents parties from notice to enforcement, in Vietnam and abroad.
International arbitration matters we handle
Arbitration representation
Representing claimants and respondents before VIAC, SIAC, ICC and other institutions in commercial and investment disputes.
Contract dispute strategy
Advising on dispute-resolution clauses, seat and governing-law choices, and pre-dispute risk assessment during contract drafting.
Enforcement of awards
Enforcing and defending against foreign arbitral awards in Vietnam under the New York Convention and Vietnamese civil procedure law.
Multi-jurisdictional coordination
Coordinating parallel proceedings across Vietnamese courts and offshore arbitral seats for cross-border investors.
Choosing international arbitration over litigation
Arbitration clauses are only as good as their drafting — vague seat, language or institution choices create disputes about the dispute before the merits are even reached.
Is a foreign arbitral award enforceable in Vietnam?
Generally yes. Vietnam is a member of the New York Convention, and Vietnamese courts recognise and enforce foreign arbitral awards, though enforcement can be resisted on limited procedural grounds.
Should a Vietnam-related contract specify VIAC, SIAC, or another institution?
It depends on the counterparties and assets involved; VIAC is efficient and well suited to disputes with a strong Vietnamese nexus, while SIAC or ICC may be preferable where enforcement or neutrality concerns favour an offshore seat.
Can arbitration and Vietnamese litigation run at the same time?
It’s possible but risky — parallel proceedings usually require careful jurisdictional analysis to avoid conflicting outcomes and wasted costs, which is why arbitration clauses should be reviewed before a dispute arises, not after.
How an international arbitration engagement runs
Every case starts with a merits and enforcement assessment: not only whether you can win, but where the counterparty’s assets are and whether an award will convert into money there. International arbitration is an investment, and we price the whole route – tribunal fees, counsel fees, enforcement costs – before you commit to it.
Institutions and seats we work with
The team appears in proceedings under VIAC rules in Vietnam and coordinates international arbitration under SIAC, HKIAC and ICC rules with correspondent counsel at the seat. For Vietnam-related contracts we advise at the drafting stage on the seat, rules, language and governing-law combinations that will actually protect you – the cheapest international arbitration is the one your clause wins before it starts.
Enforcement in Vietnam
A foreign award must be recognised by a Vietnamese court before it can touch assets here, and recognition has procedural traps: notarised translations, service evidence, public-policy objections. Having run these applications, we prepare the recognition file while the arbitration is still pending, so enforcement begins the week the award arrives rather than a year later.
Frequently asked questions
Is arbitration faster than Vietnamese court litigation?
Generally yes for cross-border disputes: a reasoned award in 12 to 18 months is realistic, with no appeals on the merits. Court litigation can be cheaper for simple domestic debts – we tell you honestly which fits your case.
Can we arbitrate if our contract has no arbitration clause?
Only if both parties agree after the dispute arises, which is rare. The practical answer is to audit your contract templates now; we add enforceable international arbitration clauses in a single revision cycle.
Will a Vietnamese court enforce our foreign award?
Vietnam is a New York Convention state and recognition is the norm, but objections around service and public policy succeed often enough that the application must be built carefully. Preparation during the arbitration – not after – is what protects the award.
