Lee & Ko has once again garnered top-tier recognition across all evaluated categories in the 2025 edition of the IAM Patent 1000. The firm earned the highest band ranking of “Gold” in both patent litigation and prosecution, along with additional distinctions as “Highly Recommended” in transactions and “Recommended” in trade secret litigation. This marks the 11th consecutive year that the firm has ranked in the Gold tier for litigation and the fourth year running as a Highly Recommended firm for transactions. Notably, 10 attorneys and patent attorneys at Lee & Ko have been listed as “Recommended Individuals” across all key practice areas—litigation, prosecution, transactions, trade secrets, etc.—in recognition of their exceptional expertise in the patent field.
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- Litigation: Un Ho Kim, John Kim, Jae Hoon Kim, Keum Nang Park, Hwan Sung Park, and Hayoun Chun
- Prosecution: Hyeon Gil Ryoo and Sungsoo (Sean) Hwang
- Transactions: Hayoun Chun and Yong Jin Cho
- Trade secrets: Hong Seon Kim
Lee & Ko’s IP Practice Group provides legal services catered to clients in response to various IP-related disputes in the United States, Europe, Japan, and other countries by leveraging its extensive overseas network while delivering optimal outcomes in IP-related consultancy and disputes through a nuanced understanding of both technology and law. A prime example of the group’s litigation excellence is its recent success representing Coway in a long-running patent infringement dispute with ChungHo Nais over ice water purifier technology. Following three years of protracted hearings, the Korean Supreme Court issued a final judgment in favor of Coway, bringing to an end the lengthy legal battle between the two companies that spanned 11 relentless years. Widely regarded as the longest-running patent litigation in Korea, this case began in 2014 when ChungHo Nais filed a complaint for patent infringement and damages against Coway. ChungHo Nais prevailed in the court of first instance, with the court acknowledging infringement claims and awarding significant compensation. Amid its multiple, though unsuccessful, patent invalidation attempts, Coway newly retained Lee & Ko in 2022 for the appellate phase, and stepping in at a pivotal juncture, the firm eventually secured a complete dismissal of all claims brought by ChungHo Nais, culminating a dramatic reversal and a landmark victory on behalf of Coway before the Supreme Court in this high-profile patent dispute.
Lee & Ko’s IP Practice Group also successfully represented Wonik PNE in a case involving the unauthorized patent registration of a secondary battery activation device developed by one of its employees in the course of performing official duties, by leading the case from filing a patent ownership transfer suit to securing a favorable ruling on behalf of Wonik PNE. In addition, the group is at the forefront of protecting companies from the leakage or misappropriation of their core technologies through its active engagement in trade secret litigation. As additionally evidenced by a recent court victory on behalf of Naver, where the firm obtained an injunction against unauthorized crawling of real estate listing data, Lee & Ko continues to reaffirm its strong track record across the full spectrum of IP law, including patents, trade secrets, and copyrights. This year’s newly awarded Gold ranking in the prosecution category further highlights its deep bench and outstanding expertise throughout all facets of IP matters.
IAM is a global patent publication released every year that conducts surveys and interviews with patent experts and law firms all over the world, and ranks the best law firms and experts in the patent field by country and sector, based on submissions and client feedback.