Dispute Resolution: International Firms | Global

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has a highly regarded global disputes group that operates out of its offices in London and Hong Kong. It fields a team of bilingual lawyers with proficiency in Korean and English. The firm works primarily with major conglomerates in South Korea on contentious issues arising from projects in the energy, infrastructure and engineering sectors, and from equity and debt transactions in the finance industry. It acts for prominent conglomerates, state-owned entities and new technology companies, and also handles inbound work for international corporations operating in Korea. Clients benefit from the firm's extensive industry knowledge, global network and depth of resources.

Peter & Kim is a well-reputed boutique law firm that offers a highly regarded bench of arbitration specialists. The deeply experienced team has a strong market presence in the area of both domestic and international arbitration. The practice represents clients in disputes arising from M&A, investments, construction and development projects before various arbitration tribunals including the ICC, ICSID, SIAC and HKIAC. It is frequently sought after for its capability and experience in handling flagship cases in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region.

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan handles Korea-related work from its Hong Kong-headquartered practice, which enjoys an excellent reputation for its skill in managing headline-grabbing IP and finance disputes. The firm's bilingual team is fully equipped to represent international clients in commercial arbitrations held under a variety of arbitral rules. It acts for high-profile clients and high net worth individuals across numerous sectors, including electronics, heavy industry and private equity, covering an impressive range of issues including IP, product liability and white-collar crime cases. The firm is also singled out for its extensive experience advising Korean conglomerates.

Arnold & Porter combines an office in Seoul with further support from the firm's Shanghai and New York locations and expertise across a range of disputes. It offers experience in cross-border litigation, international trade disputes and class actions on behalf of clients from the engineering, construction, technology and shipping sectors. The team is also well placed to handle international arbitration proceedings arising out of joint ventures and M&A transactions.

White & Case has a well-established Asia-Pacific disputes practice, acting as US counsel in high-profile international arbitration, commercial litigation and international trade investigations. The firm also advises on arbitrations in the construction, energy and natural resources sectors. Its office in Seoul enhances its strong relationships with Korean blue-chip companies in various industries, as well as with government organisations and industry trade groups.

A&O Shearman's team boasts an offering with particular strength in investment treaty and public international law. It has a solid footprint in Seoul, leveraging connections with its offices in Singapore and Hong Kong. The arbitration team often acts for a number of major domestic and international clients, as well as the Korean government.

Freshfields handles Korea-related work out of its Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai offices. Its Korean disputes practice covers a broad range of domestic and cross-border work, with expertise in advising on significant international arbitrations, including investor-state arbitration cases and joint venture disputes involving Korean parties. The firm is well positioned to service multinational clients and leading Korean companies thanks to its cultural and linguistic capabilities and excellent relationships and cooperative interactions with leading Korean firms.

Paul Hastings advises clients on high-stakes and high-value commercial litigation and arbitration matters. The law firm’s office in South Korea focuses on the trade secret and intellectual property sectors for large conglomerates, as well as white collar crime and financial disputes.

Ashurst Korea JV is the first joint venture between a Korean law firm and an international firm. Through this structure, they are able to advise on both Korean law and international jurisdictions. The team regularly handles outbound matters for Korean conglomerates, including HR disputes, criminal defense, and international arbitration cases.

Baker McKenzie JV has a dedicated team of bilingual lawyers with extensive experience in post-M&A and corporate disputes, serving major domestic and global companies. The firm possesses notable capabilities, including advising on high-profile investor-state disputes as well as complex commercial arbitrations.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is active in cross-border litigation and international arbitration on behalf of Korean clients. The firm services a client portfolio spanning a variety of industries, including technology, petrochemicals, electronics and automotive. It leverages support from US offices in New York, Palo Alto and Los Angeles to effectively handle Korea-US disputes.

Watson Farley & Williams handles high-stakes, complex disputes in South Korea with a strong local presence. The law firm mainly focuses on energy infrastructure and shipping disputes, as well as cross-border arbitration in the TMT and finance sectors. The law firm often works for large Korean conglomerates and government institutions.