Herbert Smith Freehills LLP‘s international arbitration group is ‘a winning team,’ who are ‘continuing to thrive, particularly in the tech sector.’ The contentious offering in the Seoul office is co-headed by Mike McClure KC – an English solicitor who was appointed as King’s Counsel in 2023 – and the ‘dedicated and experienced’ Dana Kim, where the team handles work for a diverse portfolio of clients including private equity firms and others within contentious financial disputes, and a number of major Korean technology and manufacturing firms. The team is also recommended for technology-related matters.

Featuring ‘high-calibre practitioners,‘ Kim & Chang‘s international arbitration practice is ’known to be one of the biggest and best in South Korea,’ with a large market-leading team specialising in investor-state disputes and serious cross-border commercial disputes. Byung-Chol Yoon, who is active as both counsel and arbitrator, leads the practice, handling disputes concerning mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures, often within the construction industry. The ‘stellar’ Sae Youn Kim specialises in commercial international law, handling contentious shareholder matters. Elsewhere, ‘highly distinguished litigator’ Hye Sung Kim represents Korean energy companies, while Chul-Won Lee advises handles work before tribunals in intra-Korean disputes. Ji Hwan Kim and Joel Richardson are also noted.

Lee & Ko ‘s market leading international arbitration practice is ‘extremely adaptable and knowledgeable,’ when handling advising major domestic and international firms on complex high-profile cases. The firm’s roster of highly experienced junior and senior attorneys is now led by Sanghoon Han following the departure of Sean Sungwoo Lim and Robert W. Wachter. Saemee Kim, lauded as the ‘backbone of the team’ handles matters within the engineers and energy industries, and Elizabeth Shin is active in construction cases.

The ‘enthusiastic and diligent‘ international arbitration group at Bae, Kim & Lee LLC is ‘among the most experienced in Korea.’ Co-led by experienced arbitration lawyer and arbitrator Tony Dongwook Kang  and senior foreign attorney Brandon Bang (who is qualified in New Zealand), the team handles the full range of international arbitration matters within the construction and energy industries, as well as joint venture and post-M&A disputes. Junu Kim has a wealth of experience in complex commercial arbitration, working on investor-state and post-M&A disputes, while former judge Hongjoong Kim is an expert in international commercial arbitration, handling shipbuilding matters among others. Another key team member is Woojae Kim who works on Korean civil litigation relating to arbitration awards and cross-border litigation in foreign courts.

Peter & Kim‘s specialist arbitration practice is for some ‘one of the most elite arbitration practices worldwide.’ Kevin Kim, ‘a luminary of international arbitration in South Korea and East Asia,’ and John Bang co-head the Seoul office, with the latter supervising and coordinating multi-jurisdictional court litigation and is present on large portion of the firm's caseload. Specialising in complex commercial arbitration, Yunsoo Shin and Seokchun Yun are both dual qualified in New York and Seoul and routinely advise multi-national clients on heavyweight disputes. Mino Han specialises in construction and engineering disputes, while senior associate Jennifer Yoo is also recommended.

Distinguished by their ‘top-notch‘ and ‘unparalleled’, international arbitration practice, the team at Shin & Kim handles the full range of complex arbitration matters. Practice head Jae Min Jeon leads on commercial arbitration and investor-state disputes, as well as industrial and engineering matters. Youngwon Yoon specialises high-value construction cases, and private equity and joint ventures among other cases within the financial sector. Young Suk Park joined from Baker McKenzie KLP JV in September 2023, and since publication, the team also welcomed Sean Sungwoo Lim and Robert W. Wachter in May 2024, both joined from Lee & Ko, while Rockey Yoo has left the firm.

Operating as a joint venture since October 2023, Baker McKenzie KLP JV‘s highly experienced team continues to specialise in investor-state and complex M&A disputes. Managing partner and firm co-founder Beomsu Kim leads on high-profile investor-state disputes, and frequently represents major Korean conglomerates.  The team also supports major clients within the steel and manufacturing industries. Young Suk Park and Eun Nyung (Ian) Lee departed in September and October 2023 respectively.

Present in the Korean market through its Hong Kong office, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP‘s highly experienced team sports ‘a deep bench of superb arbitration lawyers,’ who frequently represent major Korean clients in complex arbitration cases. Managing partner of the Hong Kong office and head of the international arbitration practice in Asia, John Rhie handles commercial and investment treaty work, multi-jurisdictional litigation and white collar crime cases. Qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales and Queensland, Duncan Watson KC handles private equity among other financial services, while also working within the energy, manufacturing and intellectual property industries. Senior associate Tom Brebner has extensive experience in private equity disputes and trading, often acting for major Korean clients. Another key team member is Lillian Li, dual qualified in Hong Kong and New York, who handles insolvency related proceedings and public law litigation.

 

White & Case LLP (Foreign Legal Consultant Office)‘s international disputes practice specialises in construction work, handling high-profile and complex contentious work for a range of major Korean contractors and clients. The team is spearheaded by Singapore-based Matthew Secomb, who handles a range of commercial disputes, while the team advises on strategic and transaction-linked disputes, and contentious matters for blue-chip clients. Another key team member is London-based David Robertson, another construction expert, who also handles work for engineering, energy, and infrastructure projects.

Yoon & Yang LLC’s experienced team handle a broad range of international arbitration matters, with a particular focus on construction, commodities, and intellectual property. The team also handles complex and high-value matters within trading sand insurance. Senior foreign attorney Sam Kim is dual qualified in New York and in Seoul and an expert in energy construction projects, while Junsang Lee advises on investigations in the aerospace industry. Arriving from the Doha office of Pinsent Masons LLP, international construction and arbitration expert Joseph Lee is further bolstering the office from September 2023. California-qualified senior foreign attorney Myung-Ahn Kim is another key team member.

Yulchon‘s international arbitration team is headed by esteemed arbitration counsel and arbitrator Yun Jae Baek, who in addition to his counsel work is currently serving as an arbitrator number of arbitral institutions, including the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board and the ICC. Jeonghye Sophie Ahn handles a range of corporate and commercial disputes, including matters with intellectual property and media elements. Jae Hyong Woo deals with treaty arbitration cases, international construction projects and pharmaceuticals. Woo Suk Jung is another key team member, who handles a broad range of commercial arbitrations.

Continuing to advise from its Hong Kong office, the team at Clifford Chance handles a wide range of multi-jurisdictional arbitrations relating to Korea, particularly in the oil and gas, and construction industries. Thomas Walsh in Singapore leads the Korean disputes practice, with expertise in post M&A, private equity and tech-related disputes. Paul Sandosham - managing partner of the firm's Singapore venture Cavenagh Law - specialises in energy, infrastructure and resources disputes for South East Asia, and Sachin Trikha, advising from the London office, is also recommended.

Advising from their office in Singapore, Clyde & Co Clasis Singapore is co-headed by Ik Wei Chong, the managing partner and director who focuses on shipping and marine insurance, Eugene Tan, and Nicholas Sykes who handles property and energy insurance, and large scale engineering and construction disputes. The team specialises in project disputes within the insurance, shipping, and shipbuilding industries, with arbitration experience under a range of arbitral rules including the Singapore International Arbitration Centre. Sean Hardy is also recommended.

Jipyong LLC‘s international arbitration practice stands out for its involvement in multijurisdictional civil and post-arbitration lawsuits. Team head Jinhee Kim leads on notable cross-border litigation and antitrust cases. Gee Hong Kim assists in representing major Korean and international clients before domestic and international courts. Another key member of the team is Bernard K. Ham, who has expertise in pharma sector matters.

After expanding its international arbitration practice in 2022, Mayer Brown‘s team continues to be active in the energy and power sectors, with two of the recent arrivals still involved with longstanding defence procurement and construction-related arbitrations. The practice is jointly led by managing partner Yu-Jin Tay, Menachem Hasofer, and Geoffrey Chan, and the team handles the full-range of renewable power and natural resources related disputes. With two decades of international arbitration experience, Kay-Jannes Wegner joined from Kim & Chang in May 2022, and focuses on cross-border disputes in telecommunications and joint ventures. Senior associate Edern Coent also joined from the same firm in April 2022.