Entrepreneur and Dreamer in the Legal World: Raymond Yu’s Southeast Asian Voyage
Caption – Raymond Yu consolidates Far East Law Firm as a new firm Louis & Charles attorneys at law, while leading the Louis Group in executing the Southeast Asia development plan.
Raymond Yu (YU PO CHANG) is a true serial entrepreneur and dreamer in the legal field of Taiwan. Since 2018, he has not only focused on expanding the legal business in Taiwan but also brought his grand vision into the Southeast Asian market, venturing into areas where Taiwanese lawyers had never stepped before. Unlike most lawyers who concentrate on the domestic market, Raymond continues to navigate the challenges of crossing borders, cultures, and languages, successfully establishing a legal service network in Southeast Asia.
Entrepreneurial Spirit Across Borders
Since the establishment of his first overseas law firm Louis & Partners in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2019, Raymond has demonstrated remarkable foresight and a spirit of adventure. Bangkok, as the economic hub of Southeast Asia, boasts a complex legal system and a highly international business environment, and Raymond keenly seized this opportunity. By setting up a law firm there, he not only helped Taiwanese businesses enter the Thai market but also provided Thai companies with a bridge to connect with Taiwan’s legal and commercial norms.
But his ambitions did not stop at Thailand. At the end of 2022, he set his sights on Vietnam, choosing Hanoi as the location for his legal consultancy firm Louis & Partners Hanoi. Vietnam’s rapid economic growth and its open policies toward foreign investment provided Raymond with an ideal entrepreneurial environment. Here, once again, he turned his dream into reality, assisting numerous Taiwanese companies in establishing themselves in Vietnam and helping Taiwanese businesspeople address various legal issues.
A Continuously Expanding Legal Map
In 2024, Raymond further expanded his legal map in Southeast Asia by setting up another base in Ho Chi Minh City with new Southern Vietnamese lawyer partners, established Louis & Partners HCM. Ho Chi Minh City, as Vietnam’s economic center, attracts a large number of international enterprises and investors, with increasing legal demands. Raymond not only strengthened his influence in Vietnam but also laid a more solid foundation for future development across the entire Southeast Asian region.
Caption – Raymond Yu shares his Southeast Asia investment experience at the Thailand-Vietnam Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum on September 18, 2024.
A Dreamer in Taiwan’s Legal Community
Raymond Yu’s serial entrepreneurship and bold dreams have made him a unique figure in Taiwan’s legal industry. While most lawyers tend to focus on deepening their expertise within a single market, Raymond chose an entirely different path—he continuously maintains the drive for exploration and innovation, constantly challenging himself. In just a few years, his business has rapidly expanded from Taiwan to Southeast Asia, crossing multiple legal and cultural boundaries, gradually paving a new path for Taiwanese lawyers.
The Merger and Consolidation of Taiwan Law Firms
Taiwan’s legal industry traditionally leans towards independence, with many lawyers preferring to run their firms solo. However, Raymond firmly believes in the power of teamwork and has been a strong advocate for the merger and consolidation of law firms. He believes that only through mergers can law firms build stronger competitiveness and jointly tackle the challenges of the international market. In August 2024, Raymond successfully facilitated the team merger of two Taiwanese law firms and took on the role of head and director of the newly merged firm Louis & Charles attorneys at law. This consolidation was an important step in driving change in the industry, not only enhancing the firm’s scale and efficiency but also laying a solid foundation for its expansion into overseas markets, especially the emerging blue ocean of Southeast Asia. Moving forward, Raymond will continue to promote the integration of Taiwanese law firms, as he believes that only through teamwork and resource-sharing can firms stand out in the globalized legal market.
Caption: From left to right: Xu Zhuxian, Director of the Taiwan Representative Office in Arizona, USA; Guo Xiumin, Honorary President of the Federation of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Thailand; Lin Kaimin, President of the Federation of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Asia; Lin Yujin, Director of the Federation of Taiwanese Chambers of Commerce in Thailand; Raymond Yu, CEO of Louis Group and Managing Partner of Louis & Charles; and Legislator Cheng Zhengqian, jointly attending the Thailand-Vietnam Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum organized by Louis Group.
The Next Stop in the Southeast Asian Voyage
As Raymond Yu’s legal map continues to expand across Southeast Asia, his next stop might be Kuala Lumpur or Phnom Penh. Malaysia, home to a large number of Taiwanese businesses, with Kuala Lumpur as its commercial center, is undoubtedly an attractive market. The country has a mature legal system and maintains close economic ties with Taiwan, making it a promising next destination for Raymond’s legal services. Cambodia, though smaller in market size, is undergoing rapid economic development and has relatively open policies toward foreign investment, presenting significant potential in the future. Regardless of which city he chooses, Raymond’s “Southeast Asian Voyage” will continue to forge new chapters, leading Taiwanese legal services further into the global market.
Caption – Group photo of the working team of the Thailand-Vietnam Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, composed of the firm’s lawyers, on September 18, 2024.