Having started his legal career at the Bangkok office of a major international law firm in 1992, David recognized the need for a regional law firm with exceptional customer service and specialized local knowledge. In 1994, David founded DFDL Mekong with three other attorneys, in Vientiane, Laos. In 1995, he set up DFDL Mekong’s office in Phnom Penh. In 2003, David relocated to Thailand to establish the firm’s Bangkok office, and to supervise hydropower and other energy projects in Laos. Currently David is the Managing Director of the Thai offices, and the Chairman of DFDL Mekong. David’s practice focuses on energy, infrastructure, project finance and mergers & acquisitions. He heads, together with Martin Desautels, the firm’s Energy Infrastructure and Finance Practice Group. David was born in Bangkok. He is a member of the California and Washington State Bar Associations, and has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Washington School of Law, where he served on the Law Review. Languages: English, French

Martin’s experience in the Mekong Region dates back to 1999 when he worked on major energy projects in Hanoi, the first BOT power plant project in Vietnam: the Phu My 2-2 Gas Power Plant Project. He has considerable experience on a variety of energy, infrastructure, project finance, secured lending and corporate transactions across the region, with special emphasis on Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Martin joined DFDL Mekong in 2002 when the Firm went on a major regional expansion program setting-up offices in all Mekong Region countries. Martin is DFDL Mekong’s Regional Managing Partner. His practice currently focuses on regional energy and infrastructure projects, finance transactions, investment funds and other corporate work. He has worked on a variety of infrastructure projects throughout the Mekong Region, notably port construction, railway development, toll bridges, water plants facilities, telecommunication networks and gascoal- heavy fuel- renewable- hydro power plants. Martin holds a LL.B. Sherbrooke University, Quebec, Canada and LL.M. from London School of Economics and is a member of the Quebec Bar Association. Languages: English, French, basic knowledge of Vietnamese and Khmer.

Based in Vietnam, Thierry is a French qualified lawyer with more than 15 years of experience in M&A and privatization, infrastructure projects, taxation and technical assistance to local governments. He has worked in Asia for more than 10 years, seven of which were spent in Vietnam, first with Gide Loyrette Nouel and then with Pricewaterhouse Coopers Legal. Prior to joining DFDL Mekong, Thierry was the managing lawyer for the Hong Kong and Guangzhou offices of French law firm, Lefevre Pelletier & Associes. Before moving to the Mekong region, Thierry was partner at a leading commercial law firm, Naciri & Associes in Casablanca, Morocco. Thierry attended Universite Paris Dauphine where he studied international business and administration and business law at Universite Pantheon Assas (Paris II). He is a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po). Languages: French, English, basic Vietnamese and Mandarin.

As the “go-to” tax specialist, Edwin is regularly called on to train and assist government tax department officials throughout the Mekong region. Based out of our Phnom Penh, Cambodia office, he advises multinational enterprises and international organizations in the field of taxation. Edwin previously taught tax and international law at numerous universities in Belgium, The Netherlands and Thailand and continues to teach at prestigious universities throughout the Mekong region. In addition, Edwin has published more than 40 scientific articles in international legal journals and five books on international law, taxation and investment law issues, some of which won scientific awards. Edwin holds a LL.B. from University of Antwerp, Belgium and a LL.M. in tax law from Free University of Brussels, Belgium. Languages: Dutch, German, English, French and Thai

Marcus has more than 20 years of experience advising clients on investing and operating businesses in Thailand. He has practiced in Thailand at some of the world's most prestigious firms including Allen & Overy, where he was a partner. Marcus left Allen & Overy in 2003 to join McEvily & Collins. In search of new regional opportunities, Marcus merged his firm into DFDL Mekong in January 2010. His practice focuses on general corporate/commercial work and property and finance transactions. Marcus has a LL.M. from Cornell Law School and a LL.B. from Erasmus Universiteit, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. He maintains his membership with the New York State Bar Association and is also admitted in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Languages: English, Dutch, conversational Thai and German

Rashed acts for project sponsors, borrowers, trading companies and banks on projects and project finance transactions, securitizations, international trade finance, privatizations, bond issues, loan notes, corporate finance and securities, integrated gas to power project development and finance, IPP developments, water and waste water projects and other structured financing transactions. He is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales, Barrister at Law of England & Wales (Inns of Court School of Law, London) and has an LL.B. (Hons) from the London School of Economics and Political Science, London UK.

Jean is well known for her long experience in Cambodia, having worked here since 2002. She was a tax partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers. In that capacity, she oversaw numerous tax audits and appeals, and she very often liaised with top tax officials to settle disputes. She is widely respected for her technical tax knowledge and understanding of industry practices. Jean has assisted tax authorities and industry associations with formulating new policy and drafting tax regulations on a number of issues.

William’s practice focuses on M&A and project finance and includes negotiating, structuring, documenting and managing large private equity and opportunity-fund companies and transactions. William holds a B.A. degree from the University of Oregon in Asian Studies with a minor in East Asian Literature and Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco, California. William is a member of the State Bar of California, State Bar of Nevada, State Bar of California International Law Section and the Inter-Pacific Bar Association. He speaks English, Mandarin, Thai and Bahasa Indonesian.

James Finch’s experience in the commercial legal field spans three decades and has taken him to the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, where he practiced for extended periods. His work as a partner in the firm of Russin & Vecchi finally took him to Asia, where he began in the Hanoi office of the firm. In 1996 he became the managing partner of the firm’s Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) office. Since then he has had a varied and active practice in Myanmar, with extensive legal work in the energy, hard minerals, corporate, tax, aircraft leasing, hotel development, banking and finance fields, to name a few. During this period he also served on Russin & Vecchi’s management committee for several years. In 2005, Jim joined DFDL Mekong as Senior Of Counsel to establish DFDL Mekong’s Myanmar practice, as well as advise clients of the firm in Laos and Cambodia. In 2007 the former Russin & Vecchi office in Yangon changed its name to Myanmar Thanlwin Legal Services Ltd and entered into an exclusive affiliation with DFDL Mekong. Jim continues to provide advice on Myanmar legal issues, working with a staff of four experienced Myanmar lawyers in Yangon. He speaks English and Spanish.

Jérôme qualified as a French Lawyer (Avocat) and studied at Oxford University (St Peter’s College LL.M program in English law). Prior to that, he obtained a postgraduate Master’s Degree in Business and Tax Law at La Sorbonne-Paris I. Before joining the firm Jérôme was with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in Hanoi for six years. He started his career at internationally renowned CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre and then worked as a business lawyer for Linklaters LLP in Paris, where he advised on a variety of corporate issues, offshore funds and other collective investment schemes. Jérôme is amongst the very few lawyers with an active Vietnam securities practice and he is recognized as one of the SEA region's leading corporate practitioners. He speaks French, English, Italian and some Vietnamese.

David is an highly experienced specialist in securitization, leveraged lease financings, cross-border mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. He is also skilled at consulting with clients to determine and analyze their legal needs and develop strategic solutions to further their goals. David holds a Juris Doctorate (UCLA Law School, University of California, Los Angeles), M.A. Eastern Asian Languages and Cultures (Columbia University, New York), B.A. East Asian History (Bates College, Maine) and was a participant, International Studies Division (Waseda University, Tokyo). He is a member of the New York Bar and is admitted in Japan as Gaikokuho Jimu Bengoshi (Foreign Legal Consultant). He speaks English and Japanese.