Shin & Kim

Managing Partner: Sinseob Kang
Number of fee earners: 500+
Number of lawyers: 400+
Asia Pacific Offices: Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City

Firm Overview:
Now in its 38th year, Shin & Kim is one of the largest and best-known law firms in Korea. The diversity and breadth of experience offered by over 500 professionals (including Korean and foreign attorneys, patent attorneys, tax attorneys, certified public accountants, customs specialists and other advisors) have kept the firm at the forefront of changes in the global financial market and international business environment. The firm’s practice continues to expand, particularly in China and Vietnam, with the increase in intra-regional cooperation and investments.

Main Areas of Practice:

Mergers & Acquisitions:
Shin & Kim has represented both foreign and domestic clients in many of the largest cross-border M&A transactions and hostile takeovers in Korea. The firm also specialises in providing legal services relating to foreign direct investments and has extensive experience of assisting US, European, Asian and other foreign clients in establishing subsidiaries, joint ventures, branches and liaison offices in Korea.

Securities, Finance, Capital Markets & Banking:
Shin & Kim advises on all areas of banking, corporate finance, capital markets, and derivatives. Most of the leading foreign banks and financial institutions in Korea are clients of Shin & Kim. The firm’s practice areas include issuance of equity or debt by Korean issuers, IPOs, securitisation, structured finance, project finance, and derivatives, as well as regulatory compliance work.

Corporate & Commercial:
The firm advises on all aspects of general corporate and commercial law relating to the operation of foreign-owned companies in Korea. These include negotiation and drafting of complex contracts, such as joint ventures or shareholders agreements, as well as contracts with suppliers, distributors and commercial agents, licensees, or employees.

Antitrust & Competition:
Shin & Kim has represented many private companies, both Korean and foreign, in their dealings with the Korean Fair Trade Commission, whether in the context of notification of M&A transactions or of investigations by the KFTC for unfair trade practices. Shin & Kim’s fair trade and competition team includes former officials of the KFTC.

Litigation:
Shin & Kim is recognised as one of the premier firms in Korea for litigation. The firm has been involved in many landmark cases, including its recent representation of the Samsung Group in the largest litigation ever filed in Korea.

International Arbitration:
Shin & Kim’s experienced arbitration practitioners represent the firm’s clients in large complex arbitrations all over the world and under the rules of all major arbitral institutions, including the ICC, SIAC, HKIAC, LCIA and KCAB.

Intellectual Property:
Shin & Kim’s IP team handles both contentious and non-contentious matters. The firm is active in trademark, patent, copyright, design, trade secret, unfair competition, and internet domain name matters. The firm has an integrated team of 40 lawyers and patent attorneys handling IP matters, supported by more than 50 specialised staff.

Labour & Human Resources:
Shin & Kim provides comprehensive legal services for Korean and foreign clients on all aspects of labour and employment-related matters, including employee dismissal, severance pay, collective bargaining and labour union disputes and employment-related issues in M&A transactions.

Real Estate:
Shin & Kim has built an active and efficient real estate practice, which represents institutional lenders, developers, corporations and foreign investors in all real estate matters.The firm assists clients in commercial real estate purchase or sale transactions, leasing, deal structuring, in addition to financing issues.

Taxation:
The firm’s tax lawyers, together with a team of certified public accountants, advise multinational and domestic clients on the full spectrum of tax issues, including tax optimisation in structuring M&As, tax audits and issues such as transfer pricing and permanent establishments.

TMT:
Shin & Kim’s TMT practice group has been at the forefront in advising clients in the broadcasting and telecommunications industries with respect to regulatory advice, M&A and dispute resolution. The group is comprised of industry professionals who have ample experience with the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Korea Communications Commission, and other government agencies.

FCPA, Anti-Corruption & Compliance:
Shin & Kim has extensive experience in advising and defending clients in matters involving the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the UK Bribery Act and Korean anti-corruption laws.