News Archive

Leaders from the Ho Chi Minh Academy of Politics visited the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law to learn about the system of checks and balances among the branches of government in the United States and in Indiana. The group visited the law school, where they heard from several members of the IU McKinney faculty, and throughout downtown Indianapolis, where they met with many prominent government leaders and members of the judiciary. Their visit took place July 22 to 26, and marked the first time the leaders of the Academy have visited the United States in order to learn about the checks and balances of political powers.

In the photo, delegation members gather with IU McKinney Dean Andrew R. Klein for a photo in the law school's atrium.

The Academy trains the elite officials of all branches of the government of Vietnam. The members of the delegation were Pham Minh Tuan, Director of the Academy; Lam Quoc Tuan, Vice Director of the Academy; Nguyen Tan Vinh, Vice Director of the Academy; Vu Thi Thanh Xuan, Head of Personnel Office at the Academy; Quach Thi Minh Phuong, Head of General Division Office at the Academy; Professor Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa, Vice Dean of Faculty of Criminal Law at Ho Chi Minh University of Law; Nguyen Thanh Han, CEO/Director of the Ltd MTV Logistics Company (GPG LOGS); and Nguyen Ngoc Quang, CEO/Director Cam Thach Sai Gon Ltd Company.

The delegation was welcomed to IU McKinney by Dean Klein and Vice Dean Karen Bravo, who provided an overview on the role of the law school in government checks and balances. They also heard from Professor Shaun Boyne, who discussed the authority of special/independent counsel; Professors Gerard Magliocca and Frank Sullivan, who talked about judicial review, and Vice Dean Mike Pitts, who spoke on the political system, voting, elections, and campaign finance, among other topics.

State government leaders visited IU McKinney to meet with the delegation. Indiana Senator Luke Kenley talked about his role in state government. Members of the Office of the Indiana Inspector General, including Inspector General Lori Torres, '86, Chief Counsel Tiffany Mulligan, '06, and Investigator Sam McGlone talked with the delegation, as did State Ethics Director Jen Cooper.

The group also visited a the Indiana Supreme Court with Justice Steven David, '82, U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson, '83; Common Cause Indiana Executive Director Julia Vaughn; Indiana Governor's Office Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Joe Elsener, and Ice Miller partner Lacy Johnson, '81.

Delegation members were the guests of IU McKinney Professor Xuan-Thao Nguyen. Professor Nguyen is the Gerald L. Bepko Chair in Law, and is the director of the IU McKinney Center for Intellectual Property Law and Innovation. She is an internationally recognized legal scholar, known for her expertise at the intersections of intellectual property, secured transactions, bankruptcy, licensing, and taxation. She is a consultant for the World Bank/IFC on Secured Transactions in China, Vietnam, and the Mekong Region. In her consultant capacity, she conducts workshops and provides drafting comments to National Drafting Committees on Secured Transactions law and international best practices. She works with the Vietnam Supreme People’s Court in the training of judges on Secured Transactions law. She regularly trains bank officials and attorneys in financing law. She currently serves on the Scientific Council, University of Economics & Law, Vietnam National University, shaping the strategic vision of the University. In 2009, Professor Nguyen was a Senior Fulbright Scholar at VNU School of Law in Hanoi. She has served as a Fulbright Scholars Peer Reviewer since 2010.