Frederick (Fred) R. Burke
Senior Advisor
Baker & McKenzie (Vietnam) Ltd.
Not admitted to practice law in this jurisdiction
Biography
Frederick Burke is a member of Baker McKenzie’s Global Policy Committee, comprised of the Firm’s Managing Partners globally, responsible for driving the overall strategy of the Firm. He is also the Managing Partner of our Baker McKenzie offices in Vietnam, more particularly in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. He has more than 30 years’ experience practicing in the areas of corporate law, real estate, international trade and is highly regarded for his work on foreign investment projects in Vietnam and China for key players in property development, trade, IT/C, and project finance, among other areas. Mr. Burke is the go-to advisor for big deals in Vietnam’s flourishing industries including: renewable energy, agribusiness, airlines, hotels, resorts and tourism and large scale infrastructure projects. He is currently the representative of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam to the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Administrative Reform in Vietnam and he has been recognized by the Ministry of Justice of Vietnam for his “Outstanding contributions in the field of international legal cooperation”. Mr. Burke is consistently ranked as a Leading Lawyer in Corporate / M&A by leading legal publications in Vietnam (Legal 500 AP 2007-2018; Chambers and Partners AP 2012-2018; IFLR1000 2010-2018).
Practice Focus
Mr. Burke is highly regarded for his work on foreign investment projects in Vietnam and China for key players in the property development, trade, IT/C, and project finance areas. He provides practical advice in the related issues of securities, finance, tax, labor, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. Mr. Burke also has extensive experience in working closely with Vietnamese legislators and law drafters on the many new laws and decrees that have been introduced to integrate Vietnam into the global economy.
Representative Legal Matters
- Acted as lead counsel for the STAR Project.
- Advised on the establishment, tax planning, financing and implementation of the MGM Grand Ho Tram USD4 billion integrated resort project.
- Advised on initial PPMs for the two largest Vietnam land funds of Indochina Land, VinaCapital and AMPC.
- Involved in various aspects of the establishment and implementation of numerous successful property development projects, including the (former) Omni Hotel, New World Hotel, Saigon Center, Furama Hotel in Danang, Caravelle Hotel, Central Building in Hanoi, etc.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Chamber of Commerce, Vietnam - Former member of the Board of Governor and Chairman, Legal Committee
- Hong Kong Business Association Vietnam - Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Vietnam Business Forum - Chairman, Manufacturing and Distribution Working Group
- Prime Minister's Advisory Council on Administrative Reform ("Project 30") - Representative of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
- US Vietnam Climate Change Working Group - Member
Admissions
- District of Columbia~United States (1988)
- New York~United States (1988)
Education
- Columbia University (J.D.) (1987)
- Columbia University (M.I.P.A.) (1986)
- Stanford University (B.A.) (1981)
Languages
- Chinese
- English
- Vietnamese
Previous Offices
- Hong Kong
- Shanghai
- New York
Baker & McKenzie (Vietnam) Ltd., a limited liability company, is a member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.