Interview with: Youdy Bun, Managing Partner

Youdy, the founding partner of Bun & Associates, shares the firm’s perspective on the current Cambodian market and its approach to legal matters.

The firm not only provides legal advice but also connects clients with industry experts who possess both local knowledge and an international perspective.

At Bun & Associates, the team collaborates on transactions. This full-service team includes legal and tax professionals from diverse backgrounds, trained across multiple continents, including Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America. The team is qualified in both civil and common law jurisdictions and features lawyers licensed in New York State.

As the firm approaches its 20th anniversary, Youdy expresses a commitment to celebrating this milestone while prioritizing client needs. The goal is to maintain excellence in client service and expand the firm’s focus areas to better support clients’ businesses.

 

What do you see as the main points that differentiate Bun & Associates from your competitors?

 A key strength of our firm lies in how we engage with clients from the outset. We begin by listening carefully to their goals and understanding the full context of each matter. Through this process, we help clients identify additional considerations and opportunities that may not be immediately apparent but are critical to achieving more effective and lasting business results.

Building on this understanding, we provide advice that goes beyond purely legal considerations. Our solutions are practical, commercially focused, and designed to support our clients’ long-term strategic business priorities.

Our collaborative approach further distinguishes us. As a full-service legal and tax firm, we work seamlessly across practice groups and specialties, combining diverse expertise and experience to deliver well-rounded, integrated solutions. This ensures that every aspect of a client’s matter is addressed holistically.

We also stand out for our exceptional team—highly skilled professionals with diverse backgrounds and a strong track record in handling complex, high-value matters. As the largest law firm in the Cambodian market, we are the go-to firm for clients dealing with time-sensitive and sophisticated transactions, offering the depth and agility needed to respond quickly and effectively.

Our team combines deep local expertise with extensive experience working on cross-border transactions. This unique combination means we understand the nuances of Cambodian law while having the capability to manage the demands and coordination required for sophisticated international deals.

Ultimately, it is our commitment to truly understanding client needs and delivering business-oriented solutions that sets Bun & Associates apart.

 

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

We anticipate continued growth in several key practice areas, primarily driven by Cambodia’s economic trajectory and strategic government initiatives:

• Energy & Infrastructure (especially Renewables): Cambodia’s goal of sourcing 70% of its energy from renewable sources by 2040, along with broader commitments to carbon neutrality, is driving increased activity in the energy sector. Legal work in this space is accelerating, particularly around non-utility scale solar projects and large-scale infrastructure developments. Our team has been advising on a range of matters, including project structuring, regulatory compliance, and grid-related upgrades, reflecting the growing complexity and scale of renewable energy investment.
• Digital Economy & Fintech: Momentum in Cambodia’s digital transformation – driven by policies like the Financial Transparency Corridor (FTC) and the rapid growth of online platforms – is expanding the need for legal guidance in digital commerce, payment systems, and platform regulation. Businesses are also preparing for the introduction of the Personal Data Protection Law, which is expected to reshape compliance standards. We are working closely with clients in this sector to help them navigate regulatory change and align their operations with emerging legal requirements.
• Public-Private Partnership (PPP): The government’s 2025-2035 infrastructure roadmap places a clear emphasis on PPP-led development in transport, energy, and public services, creating substantial opportunities for private sector involvement. This has prompted early engagement from both local and international investors. We are currently supporting clients through various stages of PPP projects, including project structuring, contract drafting, and negotiation with relevant parties. As momentum builds and implementation frameworks become more defined, we expect this area to see significant legal activity over the next year.
• Competition Law & Regulatory Advisory: Cambodia’s competition law framework remains in its early stages, but regulatory processes and enforcement practices are becoming more established. As the regime continues to matures, we anticipate both challenges and opportunities for businesses operating in the market. We have been assisting clients with early compliance strategies, pre-merger filings, and regulatory engagement. Our work on some of the earliest merger filings in Cambodia have given us insight into how the regime is developing in practice and where legal support is increasingly needed.

 

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

 We take client feedback seriously and conduct quarterly reviews to identify and address any service or technical shortcomings, including training needs for our professional team.

We are committed to changing how we operate and manage the firm and to prioritizing the retention of young talent. As dedicated internationalists, much of our work comes from Magic and Silver Circle firms. Our goal is to overhaul the firm’s management structure by devolving responsibilities to specialists, allowing partners to concentrate on client service and fostering strong client relationships.

Our focus is shifting towards expertise in specific sectors rather than being strictly organized by practice groups.

 

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Our firm has strategically integrated advanced technology to transform the delivery of legal services, ensuring we provide maximum value to our clients. Our approach is anchored in three core pillars: seamless communication, absolute information security, and accelerated expertise.

By equipping our lawyers with powerful internal tools for rapid legal research and analysis, we free them from administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on what truly drives results—crafting innovative and effective legal strategies to achieve our clients’ best possible business outcomes.

Our AI legal database, Bunlaw AI, offers instant access to laws, regulations, and summaries of legal precedents, enabling faster and more accurate research and legal strategies.

 

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

At Bun & Associates, we believe that regardless of the size or value of a client’s matter, it is essential to understand their business, listen to their needs, and conduct thorough research. In complex transactions, we take an innovative approach to navigating regulatory challenges, ensuring our clients comply with applicable laws and regulations while minimizing risk exposure.

Our advice integrates both legal and tax expertise. In this constantly changing legal landscape, we strive to exceed our clients’ expectations. We provide a comprehensive perspective on all transactions, allowing our clients to benefit from our extensive legal knowledge and practical experience.

In addition to delivering legal advice, we prioritize client service and relationship building, instilling these values in all our professionals from the outset.

 

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

In Cambodia’s dynamic and ever-changing market, clients increasingly seek stability and strategic guidance from law firms. They want lawyers who can expertly navigate current complexities while remaining ahead of future shifts, providing adaptive and progressive strategies. Today, our clients are facing unprecedented uncertainties—from tariff issues and supply chain realignment to geopolitical tensions and rapid technological transformation. In response, we are strategically building specialized teams with the knowledge and skills to help clients navigate these challenges confidently and clearly.

There are many reasons why clients turn to us for clarity and direction. We pride ourselves on delivering consistent and reliable management of their legal matters, giving clients the confidence that we can smoothly tackle any challenges that may arise. Clients appreciate partnering with a firm like ours, which combines a rich history in the market with international expertise, allowing us to offer valuable insights that align perfectly with their business goals.

At Bun & Associates, we’re deeply committed to enhancing our strategic direction to better serve our clients. Our aim is to continuously improve the quality of our services and outcomes while broadening our areas of expertise.

As we approach the milestone of celebrating 20 years of success in the near future, we reinforce our reputation for delivering innovative and complex transactions. Our aspiration is not only to remain a top-tier law firm in Cambodia but also to actively shape best practices within the legal and business landscape. We remain dedicated to fostering sustainable and impactful projects that create value for both our clients and the wider business community.