 Seoul law firm Bae, Kim & Lee (BKL) has established a new office in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong office is BKL’s 4th overseas branch, adding to its offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Dubai. It will focus on financial markets and regulation. BKL’s newest office will advise investment banks, funds and multinational corporations on Korean financial regulation and a broad spectrum of inbound transactions. The office will also aid Korean clients in accessing Hong Kong financial markets and alternative investment opportunities. BKL sees its new office as a key move given Hong Kong’s position as a financial centre and regional base for many banks and multinationals. “We’ve worked for a lot of Hong Kong-based clients, for a long time,” noted senior BKL partner Keun Byung Lee, who will oversee the expansion of the firm into Hong Kong. “It’s where they make a lot of the investment decisions for Korea, and Asia in general.” The Hong Kong office will be led by partner Tongeun Kim and includes financial regulatory expert Dongwook Kang. With offices at The Hong Kong Club Building in the Central District, the team will combine with their Seoul-based colleagues to supply Korean law advice to the financial sector. The team will also coordinate BKL deal work alongside Hong Kong offices of US and UK-based law firms. BKL was the first Korean law firm to enter China, setting up in Beijing in 2002 and Shanghai in 2008. They also opened a Dubai office earlier in 2015, becoming the first Korean firm to establish a presence in the Middle East, and are on schedule to launch new offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in the second half of this year. |
