For nearly two decades, Eli has been a trusted advisor for multinational companies operating in Vietnam. Eli is the Founding Partner of YKVN’s Life Sciences Practice, as well as a Partner in both Project Finance Practice and M&A Practice. Eli has acted for Lenders and Sponsors on a number of the largest projects to reach Financial Close in Vietnam. He is presently engaged in both traditional and green energy projects in various stages of project development and financing, including more than 5 projects in Wind and Solar. Notable clients include the China Huadian Engineering Corporation in their development of Duyen Hai and 4 Wind Projects, and the Lenders of Nam Dinh 1. Eli is also recognized in Corporate and M&A for his work for Newell Brands Inc. and for his Life Sciences Practice, including his decade of work with Pfizer and other Fortune 500 Healthcare Companies.

Eli is highly regarded by clients as a problem-solver, a crisis mitigation expert, and a commercially-oriented, practical adviser, with, among other things, his ability to assist clients develop and maintain successful long-term commercial partnerships in Vietnam –or dissolve them, as instructed.

Eli originally came to Vietnam in 2003 as a Senior Research Associate with the Vietnam Program, Harvard University and led the Law and Public Policy program at the Fulbright Economics Teaching Program in Ho Chi Minh City. Before joining YKVN LLC in 2010, Eli spent more than 3 years in the Vietnam Project Finance Practice of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. Eli is a fluent speaker of the Vietnamese language. He spent his first 3 years in Vietnam learning the language.

Education

Duke University School of Law, Cum Laude, J.D. (2002)
Duke Law Journal, Note Editor
Brandeis University, Magna Cum Laude, B.A. (1998)

Bar and Professional Associations

Member in Good-Standing, North Carolina State Bar
Registered Foreign Lawyer, Vietnam
Senior Fellow in Law and Policy, U.S.-Vietnam Trade Council

Judicial clerckships

Honorable James A. Wynn, Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2011–2012)
Honorable Graham C. Mullen, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (2003-2004)

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