The conference highlighted the urgent need to strengthen Vietnam’s legal system by developing a highly skilled and strategically trained legal workforce. Participants emphasized the critical role of legal advisory personnel in crafting practical and enforceable legislation. However, the legal sector faces several challenges, including insufficient staffing, inconsistent professional quality, and increasing pressures from digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and international integration. To address these issues, a shift from reactive law issuance to proactive legislative development is essential, supported by robust human resource strategies.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Stefan Samse, Interim Director of KAS Vietnam, commended the Ministry of Justice for its reform efforts and emphasized the importance of international cooperation. Drawing on his experience in Germany and leadership of KAS’s Rule of Law Programme Asia, he referenced Decision No. 916/QĐ-TTg (August 27, 2024), which outlines a framework for developing legal human resources with a focus on transparency, anti-corruption, and specialized recruitment. He also noted that Vietnam’s legal development strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, provides a strong foundation for building a capable and ethical legal advisory team.
The Vietnamese government has prioritized legal human resource development through key policy instruments. Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW and Decision No. 916/QĐ-TTg aim to cultivate a legal advisory workforce with strong ethics, expertise, and practical skills. Meanwhile, Resolution No. 66-NQ/TW proposes competitive remuneration and flexible hiring mechanisms to attract and retain top talent, reinforcing the need for a skilled workforce to ensure effective and transparent legislation.
The morning session of the conference focused on strategies for human resource development, challenges in law-making, and solutions to improve the quality of legal advisory work across all levels. In the afternoon, a training session was held on appraising LNDs, along with updates on the 2025 Law on the Promulgation of Legal Normative Documents, which took effect on April 1, 2025. Passed on February 19, 2025, the law aims to reform the legislative process by enhancing transparency, strengthening judicial review, and ensuring the practicality of legal documents.
Over the years, the Ministry of Justice and KAS have collaborated on annual training programs to enhance legal capacity. The 2025 program is particularly timely, supporting the implementation of the new law and equipping legal officers with the skills needed to draft high-quality LNDs - an essential step toward a transparent and enforceable legal system.
The conference served as a platform for dialogue between Vietnamese and international expert, reaffirming a shared commitment to legal reform through human resource development. It underscored the importance of Vietnam-Germany cooperation in advancing legal modernization. By addressing workforce challenges and enhancing professional capacity, Vietnam is taking significant steps toward building a legal system that meets the demands of a rapidly evolving global landscape.
