Blumenthal Richter & Sumet Welcomes Promboon Sookatup to Join Tax/M&A Practice

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet (BRS) proudly announces the addition of Partner Ms. Promboon Sookatup and her team to the firm’s Tax & Customs and Mergers & Acquisitions Practice. With several recent senior attorney hirings across various practices, BRS now boasts over 40 fee-earners and eight partners.

 Promboon, with over a decade of experience, specializes in tax disputes, M&A transaction related tax structures, and complex corporate setups across a variety of  industries. Her active role in shaping Thailand’s tax policies through positions on key governmental and private sector committees further bolsters her impressive profile. Promboon holds an LL.B. from Thammasat University, an LL.M. in International Commercial Law from Queen Mary University of London, and an MBA from Chulalongkorn University.

Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, Senior Partner and Head of BRS’s Tax & Customs Practice, expressed enthusiasm: “Promboon and her team’s arrival is a significant addition to our firm’s continued growth within the Tax & Customs sector.” Returning to BRS, where she began her legal career, Promboon shared her excitement: “BRS’s commitment to diversity and its global approach to delivering legal services align perfectly with my client needs. I am very excited to rejoin and contribute to strengthening the firm’s Tax and M&A portfolios.”

Promboon’s move underscores BRS’s strategy to enhance corporate, M&A, and tax services for Thai and foreign clients in Thailand and the region. Leveraging BRS’s extensive resources and global reach through Interlaw, IR Global, and the firm’s  well-established Japan and China Desks, will enable Promboon to better serve her existing clients and contribute to BRS’s continued growth as one of Thailand’s premier corporate law firms. Joining Promboon are Senior Associate Chawin Luangpattarawong and Associates Thitisuda Katanyuphada, Chatchawan Phocharoen, and Prachaya Thongpradap.

 

 

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet’s Corporate Practice Receives Recognition from The Legal 500 (2024) After A Year of Rapid Expansion

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet (BRS)’s Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions practice, under the leadership of Senior Partner Andreas Richter, has been acknowledged for the 11th consecutive year by The Legal 500.

The Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions team, which has a strong focus on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) advisory work, is led by Andreas Richter, a Germany trained lawyer with over 30 years of expertise in guiding multinational companies conducting business in Thailand. With his team, Andreas positions clients for success in the Thai market, by efficiently navigating Thailand’s foreign investment and corporate law framework, assisting  clients of various sizes and industries.

Andreas is supported by Partner Stefan Riedl, the team’s veteran in contract drafting and negotiations, who celebrated 10 years with Blumenthal Richter & Sumet in 2023.

Moreover, Andreas recently established BRS’ Japan Desk and China Desk that provide specialized legal assistance to corporate clients from Japan and China in connection with their inbound activities in Thailand. The Japan Desk, a cooperation with leading Japanese law firm Momo-O Matsuo & Namba, is led by Mr. Ryo Sakata, a Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions attorney based in Tokyo. The China Desk is led by foreign legal experts Ms. Shuang Huang and Ms. Akemi Xie, the latter is a partner at Shanghai-based law firm Zhonglun W&D.

Contributing to the team’s success was also Ekkarat Ritthiplang who was promoted to partner and co-leader of the team in the fall of 2023. In his new role, Ekkarat manages the team’s project-based activities, and also plays a critical role in advising clients on the nuances of Thai law.

With his team of Austrian, Thai, Chinese, and Japanese attorneys, Andreas has acted on a variety of significant corporate matters over the past year, including:

  • Providing one of the world’s leading specialty chemicals companies with comprehensive legal and strategic advice in connection with  establishing a chemical production facility in Thailand.
  • Advising China’s largest automobile producer by sales on entering the Thai market and obtaining investment promotion.
  • Assisting a European food producer with revenue of EUR 7 billion in acquiring a leading Thai premium food ingredients wholesaler.

Andreas Richter commented, “2023 was a year of growth for our practice, particularly with the addition of Ekkarat and Akemi to our team’s leadership. I sincerely thank our clients for placing their continued trust in our dynamic team as their trusted partner in Thailand. I also thank the Legal 500 for, again, recognizing the success of our last year’s hard work.”

The Legal 500 recognition results from rigorous research conducted by The Legalese, a leading directory for the highest caliber of legal services globally. This involves analysis of corporate, general commercial, mergers & acquisitions, and related matters, as well as interviews with clients and competitors.

 

Senior Partner Ira Blumenthal Speaks at Georgetown University Law Center’s International Law Student Association Function

Senior Partner Ira Blumenthal recently had the privilege of speaking at an open house event at his alma mater, Georgetown University Law Center, in Washington D.C. A proud alum of the Top-14 law school, Ira has actively supported the university’s recruitment activities in Thailand and sponsored its summer internship program at Blumenthal Richter & Sumet. He was delighted to resume his first in-person speaking engagement on campus since the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the session organized by Georgetown International Law Society and Georgetown Law’s Office of Career Strategy, Ira shared his perspectives and journey on how he built his practice in Thailand supporting foreign companies in investing in the country, when it was opening its doors to foreign interests in the 1990s. As a recent graduate from Georgetown Law, he worked as the only foreign lawyer in a local Thai law firm before founding Blumenthal Richter & Sumet with his American, German and Thai partners.

Ira also touched upon the skills that international practice lawyers must bring to clients, including serving as their thought collaborators and ensuring that legal advice is commercially sound as they serve as clients’ main interface in a country with which the clients may not be intimately familiar.

We express our gratitude to our friends at Georgetown Law for their assistance in organizing this event and look forward to more joint efforts to further the field of international law.

Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, Sudarat Jirakietwattana and Tax Practice Receive Top Recognition by The Legal 500 (2024)

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet’s Tax & Customs practice under the leadership of Senior Partner Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, has excelled in the Legal 500 (2024) rankings with both the practice and individual lawyers receiving lead recognition.

Legal 500 recognition results from rigorous research conducted by The Legalese, a leading directory for the caliber of legal services globally, involving analysis of tax, customs, and related matters and interviews with clients.

Our Tax & Customs practice has received a tier 2 ranking, marking its 10th consecutive year of being highlighted in the Legal 500.

Practice-head Sumet, has also received recognition as a Leading Individual, a distinction earned for 10 years running and cementing his reputation as one of Thailand’s foremost experts in both corporate and personal tax.

Moreover, Senior Associate Sudarat Jirakietwattana, was highlighted as a Rising Star in Tax in her inaugural acknowledgement by the publication. Rising stars are associate-level lawyers who appear frequently in significant matters and are widely cited by peers and clients as having made major contributions to their practices.

Sudarat’s noteworthy client work is defending our client on grounds of good faith regarding import tariff declarations and reached a settlement agreement for the disputed products. Also, she successfully defended our client on grounds of legal regarding the principle of the share transfer and argue the Bangkok Area Revenue office tax assessment.

Clients interviewed by The Legal 500 have noted that BRS’ Tax & Customs attorneys, which also includes Associates Warumporn Chaosanguan, Yanisa Rujirawat and Sataporn Samanyaporn, display “great negotiation skills,” exhibited when they negotiate passionately with officials from The Revenue Department and Customs Department on issues and reached a settlement agreement.

Other clients have remarked that “Sumet Mingmongkolmitr and Sudarat Jirakietwattana have exceptional knowledge….[and] in depth knowledge and principles of law in various fields, especially in taxation”.

Sumet and his team has represented clients in some of the highest impact tax cases over the past years including the following example types of completed tax and customs issues, among others: successfully defending our client on grounds of good faith regarding import tariff declarations and reaching a settlement agreement for the disputed products and succsessfully obtaining a refund on corporate income tax and VAT from the Revenue Department in representing our client, valued exceeding THB 200 million. On being the first Associate from Blumenthal Richter & Sumet to receive the Rising Star accolade, Sudarat said “I want to thank my team member for their hard work and dedication and most importantly, I can’t thank our clients enough for the continued trust they placed in us. It has been incredibly rewarding to see them grow with me and with us over the past six years that I have been here.”

Moreover, Sumet remarks “It has been an honor to serve our all clients over the past years, but has been especially rewarding to receive a tier 2 ranking for our Tax practice in this year, where both our clients and our partners have significantly grown alongside each other.”

 

Robert Schuler’s Real Estate Practice Receives 11th Year of Recognition by Legal 500 (2024)

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet is pleased to announce our outstanding achievements in the latest Legal 500 (2024) rankings.

The firm’s Real Estate team, under the leadership of Senior Partner Robert Schuler and newly promoted Partner Weerasa Makepongtorn, has once again secured recognition for the 11th consecutive year. The practice has been designated as one of Thailand’s top-ranked Real Estate practices, as a testament to our experience in providing specialist advice that is succinct and comprehensive, and which also takes into account the latest industry developments and our clients’ business objectives.

Robert himself has received his 11th individual ranking as a Leading Individual, cementing his standing as one of Thailand’s real estate experts and one of the few foreign real estate veterans in the country.

Weerasa, who has been an integral part of the Real Estate team for 9 years and was promoted to partnership in 2023,  has been instrumental in broadening areas of expertise particularly related to secondary and tertiary market acquisitions and developers and unique challenges.

In addition to the promotion of Weerasa’s to the firm’s partnership and the practice’s leadership, 2023 was another successful year for BRS’ real estate practice as the year brought about many landmark deals including:

-Assisting a Thai private equity fund with strategy development, management, mechanics, and deployment of liquidity financing principally in the resort real estate market.

-Assisting one of the most prestigious universities globally with respect to their land acquisition lease agreement as part of the client’s joint venture to establish a foundation for the development of a tropical medicine research center with Borderland Health Foundation.

-Advising on the acquisition of a hotel and additional land source for the expansion of a leading real estate developer in Thailand

-Performing acquisition due diligence for preliminary deal structuring including multiple hotel, residential and retail units in southern Thailand

The Legal 500 is a prominent international directory that annually assesses law firms worldwide, offering a comprehensive overview of the global legal market. With a history of over three decades, the organization continually updates its research program to provide the most current insights into the capabilities of law firms across more than 150 jurisdictions. Rankings are determined through a meticulous evaluation process considering various criteria. The focus is on identifying practice area teams that deliver cutting-edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. This evaluation utilizes feedback from 250,000 clients globally, submissions from law firms, interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and the expertise of a research team deeply familiar with the legal market.

Regarding his recognition by the directory, Robert remarks, “Weerasa and I are dedicated to providing our esteemed clients with top-tier advisory services from a business-oriented perspective. We are incredibly grateful to clients and look forward to continuing to grow with them.”

 

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet’s Continued Recognition by Legal 500 (2024): 3 Practices Areas and 3 Lawyers Ranked

We are pleased to announce our ongoing recognition by the Legal 500 (2024), a prominent global directory spotlighting premier law firms and lawyers.

The directory continues to highlight three of our practices:

– Our Real Estate practice, under the leadership of Senior Partner Robert Schuler, has received recognition for the 11th consecutive year.

– Our Tax & Customs practice, under the leadership of Senior Partner Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, has achieved recognition for the 10th consecutive year.

-Our Corporate / Mergers & Acquisition practice, under the leadership of Senior Partner Andreas Richter, has been acknowledged for the 11th consecutive year.

Furthermore, 3 of our individual legal professionals have earned well-deserved accolades:

-Robert has been acknowledged as a “Leading Individual” for the 11th year, solidifying his status as one of Thailand’s foremost experts in Real Estate law and the hospitality sector.

-Sumet has received additional recognition as a “Leading Individual” for the 10th year, reinforcing his standing as one of Thailand’s prominent tax experts.

-Senior Associate Sudarat Jirakietwattana, who supports Sumet in leading the day-to-day operations of the Tax & Customs team, has garnered her inaugural acknowledgment as a “Rising Star” in Tax.

The Legal 500 is renowned for its comprehensive coverage of recommended law firms and lawyers globally. With over three decades of experience, the publication conducts meticulous research across 120 jurisdictions, interviewing more than 250,000 clients globally, reviewing deal highlights, and analyzing peer feedback from leading private practice lawyers to identify firms and lawyers offering the highest quality services.

Our consistent recognition attests to the exceptional legal services we provide, supporting multinational corporations, family offices, and Thailand’s largest companies in Real Estate, Tax & Customs, and Corporate matters. It underscores our lawyers’ adeptness in solving complex legal issues, offering business-oriented advice, and navigating complex regulatory landscapes in a responsive and personable manner.

We extend our gratitude to our clients for their continued trust and to our Partners and Associates for their unwavering commitment over the past year.

BRS Senior Partners Speak at “Translating your U.S. Legal Education into a Successful Legal Career” Lecture with Georgetown Law at Chulalongkorn University

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet (“BRS”) was delighted to have organized and participated at the lecture titled “Translating your U.S. Legal Education into a Successful Legal Career,” in conjunction with Georgetown University Law Center, one of the United States’ “Top-14” law schools. The event took place at the Faculty of Law of Chulalongkorn University on January 11, 2024.

The panel for this event included Ira Blumenthal, Senior Partner (Georgetown ’94), and Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, Senior Partner and Head of Tax & Customs (Chulalongkorn’90). The panel was moderated by Pimprapat Snidvongs Na Ayudhaya, Manager (Georgetown ’20). Also in attendance were Dr. Poomsiri Dumongvute, Vice Dean at Chulalongkorn University Faculty of Law, and Theerada Towithelertkul (Chulalongkorn’ 17), Associate.

Our panelists covered topics such as U.S. legal education, its values and application process, and the competitive advantage offered by Georgetown University Law Center. These advantages, stemming from  its prominent location in Washington D.C. included  global reach, and well-rounded approach to legal education. Furthermore, Ira and Sumet provided insights into how the skills and experience developed during an overseas secondary law degree, positions associates for success in their legal careers. For example, students learn  how to frame their legal advice with a business-oriented perspective and international context. Our Senior Partners also took the opportunity to share “tips & tricks” for thriving in a law firm, ranging from applying for an entry-level associate position to how to continue to grow and succeed in the environment.

“I’ve always believed that a global perspective enhances one’s ability to excel in the practice of law,” remarked Ira. “Georgetown Law played a pivotal role in shaping my understanding of the legal landscape, and it’s an honor to share insights with the next generation of legal professionals.”

Sumet Mingmongkolmitr added, “An international legal education is an investment that pays off throughout your entire career. We express our gratitude to our friends at Chulalongkorn for the opportunity to share our perspectives with the next generation of aspiring lawyers.”

Ira Blumenthal joined by Georgetown Law Dean for BRS Associate Career Development Program Session

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet (“BRS”) was delighted to host Caryn Voland, Dean for Graduate Admissions at Georgetown University Law Center (“Georgetown Law”), during her visit to Bangkok, Thailand. Senior Partner Ira Blumenthal, a proud graduate of Georgetown Law’s Juris Doctorate program (Class of ’94), organized this information session as part of our commitment to the career development program for associates and our support for their continued education.

Ira and Caryn provided associates with an understanding of how, as the practice of law becomes increasingly international, an understanding of U.S. law provides lawyers with a competitive advantage. In addition to sharing information on Georgetown Law’s academic program and application process, Caryn also offered advice on how the LL.M. degree could fit into prospective students’ various career paths.

Furthermore, Ira discussed how obtaining a second legal degree at Georgetown Law provides junior to mid-level associates with many intangible personal and professional benefits. These benefits include access to a global alumni network and exposure to the life experience of living in Washington D.C.

Ira remarks, “BRS’s Associates have always distinguished themselves from their peers at other firms by their business-oriented perspective. The process of spending time in a foreign country and growing as a person, not just as a lawyer, adds to one’s ability to frame legal practice in a variety of contexts. Georgetown Law has played a noteworthy role in my career as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and investor.”

Georgetown Law, based in Washington D.C steps away from the Supreme Court of the United States,” is one of the United States, “Top-14” law schools.

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet’s Tax receives first team ranking on Chambers & Partners as a Band 2 Practice

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet (“BRS”) ’s Tax & Customs Practice, led by Senior Partner Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, received its first practice ranking on Chambers & Partners 2024, ranking as a Band 2 on Tax Practice Area, which was recently released this month.

Although the individual recognition of Sumet Mingmongkolmitr, one of Thailand’s respected authorities on Tax & Customs, as a Band 3 individual may not come across as surprise to members of the legal community, we at BRS are particularly elated to share news of the first time his team has achieved their ranking, as this recognition attests to the more holistic caliber of not only Sumet, but also of his Associates and the development of his practice.

BRS’s Tax & Customs Practice has seen rapid growth over the past years with Sumet bringing in an impressive rostrum of Associates with bespoke experiences at leading global Tax matters and advising in-house at Thailand’s largest corporations. The team is bolstered by the leadership of Senior Associate Sudarat Jirakietwattana, who assists Sumet in leading the team’s day-to-day operations.

Sudarat, who has worked with Sumet for over 6 years, was promoted to Senior Associate at the beginning of this year. A seasoned tax lawyer, she is highly regarded for her expertise in taxation, customs law, and general corporate matters. Specializing in advising both multinational and domestic corporate clients, she excels in intricate corporate tax issues such as customs duty exemption, business import, and Tariff Code. Her proficiency extends to corporate matters, where she has a proven track record of providing meticulous corporate law advices to high-net-worth clients. This includes guidance on business setup, employment, school operations, tourism and wills. Sudarat demonstrates professionalism in providing customs and tax advice to clients, particularly when they are facing complex issues such as goods inspection and categorization with Thai local authorities like the Customs Department and the Revenue Department.

Apart from her professional role, Sudarat is also a prominent member of the BRS office as the Head of BRS’s Internship Committee. Motivated by a passion to promote legal education and career, Sudarat manages the firm’s internship program, leading recruiting and marketing efforts at the faculties of laws of various Thailand’s leading universities. She is frequently a speaker at Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University on panels promoting the BRS and the legal profession.

With Sudarat at the helm, Sumet’s team is further supported by Warumporn Chaosanguan, who joined his team from major Audit firm, bringing expertise in delivering comprehensive tax opinions and advice to multinational and domestic clients, offering support during tax audits, and providing expert assistance in reviewing tax-related transactions. Rounding out the team’s expertise are Yanisa Rujirawat, who was also a legal consultant at one of the major Audit firms as well as an in-house advisor for one of Thailand’s leading conglomerates, having extensive experience in advising multinational and domestic clients in corporate and commercial transactions, and Sataporn Samanyaporn, who plays an integral role in providing customs, legal and regulatory compliance advice to companies engaging in various industries, i.e. logistics, technology, trading, and manufacturing. “In many ways, I am prouder of this team recognition than my own,” remarks Sumet, “I am incredibly proud of the diverse yet complementing strengths and experiences of my team. Thank you to all of our clients for your continued trust in our team.”

BRS’ internationally ranked Tax and Customs practice is well-reputed and advises on all aspects of domestic and cross-border taxation. Our lawyers are experienced in the full range of business tax and customs matters, among other areas such as corporate matters, labor, education and tourism.

 

 

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet’s Real Estate and Tax Practices Garner Individual and Practice-Wide Rankings on Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific (2024) Guide

Blumenthal Richter & Sumet (“BRS”) is pleased to share that two of our most prominent practices and lawyers have continued to gain international recognition for their outstanding work in the Real Estate and Tax market.

Ranked as a Band 2 practice in the 2024 guide, BRS’ Real Estate practice has received its fifteenth listing in Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific, a testament to the team’s experience in advising multinational corporations, institutional investors, private equity funds, SMEs and entrepreneurs on a wide range of transactions, involving various types and classes of real estate assets.

Senior Partner Robert Schuler, Head of Real Estate Practice, was also listed as a Band 2 individual marking his eight year of recognition by the leading global directory.

The Real Estate team, led by Robert and bolstered by recently promoted Partner Weerasa Makepongtorn, an attorney highly skilled in assisting foreign and local clients in navigating the complexities of establishing and successfully developing their businesses in Thailand, boasts a formidable reputation in advising on the legal aspects of stages of property acquisition including hotels & resorts, retail, mixed-use and residential properties.

Moreover, BRS’ Tax practice has received its inaugural listing on the directory, opening strong as a Band 2 practice.

BRS’s Tax attorneys, led by Senior Partner Sumet Mingmongkolmitr and supported by Senior Associate Sudarat Jirakietwattana, who has worked with Sumet for 6 years, are known for their acumen in advising on structuring complex business transactions and arrangements and delivering pre-emptive tax solutions and investment strategies to meet a diverse range of local and international legal requirement.

Sumet himself further received his seventh listing in Chambers Asia Pacific as an Band 3 individual. “To make our debut on this list is incredible,” remarks Sumet, “But more so, to break in at Band 2, is something I could not be prouder of. I am also incredibly delighted to hear of continued success from Robert, who I have had the pleasure of working with over the past 20 years.”

 

 

 

 

 

It has come to our attention that a phishing email falsely purporting to be a message from Blumenthal Richter & Sumet has been circulating.

What actions should you take:

  • Avoid interaction with any links or attachments in suspicious emails.
  • If a suspicious email has been received it should be immediately deleted.
  • Do not respond to the sender’s request for any personal information.

We are actively investigating this matter and have notified relevant local authorities. If you have any questions or need assistance, contact us at [email protected]. Thank you for your attention and cooperation.