Partners

Pimvimol (June) Vipamaneerut

Partner, Employment

Key Practices

Qualifications

  • LLM, University of Southampton
  • LLB, Chulalongkorn University

Pimvimol (June) Vipamaneerut leads the teams handling non-contentious employment and transportation and logistics matters within Tilleke & Gibbins’ commercial group. Her major areas of practice are employment law and transportation and logistics. June has been recognised for her legal excellence by various publications and is ranked as a leading labour and employment lawyer in Thailand by Chambers Asia-Pacific, The Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and Asialaw Leading Lawyers.

June advises clients on various aspects of labour and employment laws, with a focus on labour protection, employment agreements, termination of employment, labour unions, transfers of employment, due diligence in mergers and acquisitions, work rules and regulations, social security, and workmen’s compensation. She represents several major multinational clients ranging from automobile manufacturers, electronics manufacturers, insurance companies, international airlines, petroleum companies, pharmaceutical companies, shipping companies, and telecommunications companies.

In addition to her employment practice, June also advises clients on transportation and logistics matters. Her work in this space includes advising on maritime disputes, carriage of goods by sea, charterparties, cargo recovery, ship arrests, and release of ships. She also advises on ship financing, sale and purchase of ships, ship registration, and ship mortgage. June and her team of attorneys provide pragmatic, detail-oriented, and focused, advice.

For several years, June has been involved in drafting and revising numerous publications on Thai labour and employment law, including those for the World Bank, Lex Mundi, Multilaw, the American Bar Association, and the Centre for International Legal Studies, as well as business-focused articles that have run in such publications as Director Magazine and the Bangkok Post. She also writes legal content for Oxford Business Group and Oxford University Press publications.

A leader in business and law, June is a frequent contributor to various seminars and committees in Thailand and around the region. She is a regular speaker at HRM Asia’s annual Asia Employment Law Congress and Tilleke & Gibbins’ Annual Employment Law Forum, and she has also contributed to events organized by the United Nations, the World Bank, the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand, the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the Danish-Thai Chamber of Commerce, and the Bangkok Shipowners and Agents Association. June is currently serving a three-year term as Jurisdictional Council Member for Thailand, and Vice-Chair of the Employment & Immigration Law Committee of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association, having formerly sat as Vice-Chair of the Insurance Committee and Chair of the Membership Committee.

  • Developed a restructuring strategy to effect proportionate employee terminations at the intermediate management level for a multinational financial services company. The restructuring would also give greater responsibility to senior managers. This created the dual objectives of (1) negotiating fair severance packages for intermediate-level management personnel in the face of strict labour laws and (2) imposing greater work requirements on senior-level managers without incurring claims of effective termination. We were successful in implementing the changes without any employee objection, and today our client’s employee culture is much improved.
  • Assisted a client in its global restructuring, which required a reduction in the headcount of its Thai operations. The client sought our expertise in reducing the number of employees, while avoiding the potential for litigation relating to unfair termination. We crafted a multi-tiered solution involving voluntary resignation packages that employees would happily accept. As part of this solution, we advised the client on strategies for communicating with its employees regarding the restructuring. Ultimately, the client met its goal in headcount reduction and continues to operate in Thailand.
  • Represented a multinational supplier and services provider to the petroleum industry in the establishment of their Thailand operations. Our client’s goal was to take a regionally flexible approach that would ensure continued growth of the business in the region. We worked closely with our client to develop a strategy allowing for the minimisation of tax exposure for the company, while ensuring compliance with applicable employment laws.
  • Assisted a well-known provider of tools and hardware in resolving executive employment issues. This situation was very sensitive, but we managed to provide for an amicable departure without litigation.
  • Advised a global telecommunications company on various labour and employment matters. Among them, we helped this client to rationalise a broad range of global employment policies. In addition, we consulted on the many issues inherent to multi-jurisdictional expatriate employment matters.
  • Acted on behalf of a global supplier of high-pressure cylinders in the establishment of company operations in Thailand. Ramping up to establish a factory in Thailand, the company wished to engage a highly qualified engineer to handle various tasks related to initial operations and establishing the factory. We developed a strategy to provide for a strong employment relationship, while providing for the flexibility and accountability necessary for the future.
  • Advised on a full range of employment and labour law issues following a major acquisition of a chain of retail stores. With a focus on employee benefits and rationalisation of working conditions, the work also involved standardising employment forms, policies, and contractual terms for thousands of employees.

Chambers Asia-Pacific
Employment – Band 1 

Pimvimol is “very responsive, pragmatic and practical.”

“She is a very capable lawyer, and we have had a good experience dealing with her. She listens to our needs and is able to deliver advice that is sound and easy to understand.”

“She is very responsive and provides clear and concise advice that is commercial.”

The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific
Labour and Employment – Leading Partner

“Pimvimol Vipamaneerut leads the team and is our primary point of contact. She is always available and gives very commercial and sound advice.”

“Pimvimol Vipamaneerut is very responsive and pragmatic in her advice.”

Asialaw Leading Lawyers
Labor and Employment – Distinguished Practitioner 

  • Jurisdictional Council Member for Thailand and Vice-Chair of Insurance Committee, Inter-Pacific Bar Association
  • Past Vice-Chair of Insurance Committee, Inter-Pacific Bar Association