Korea’s Bae, Kim & Lee has emerged as one of the leading arbitration practices in Asia
In photo (L-R): Bhushan Satish, India; Umaer Khalil, Pakistan; Grace Chung, Illinois; Hangil Lee, Korea; Soyoung Chung, Korea; Sodam Kim, Korea; Jae Ha Kwon, England and Wales; Jeong-Yeon (Joanne) Bae, Korea; Sun Hee Cho, Australia; Eun Kyung Yoo, Korea; Kyongwha Chung, Korea; Stella Lee, New York & Georgia; Junu Kim, Korea; Matthew J Christensen, New York; Kap-You (Kevin) Kim, Korea & New York; John P Bang, New York & New Jersey; Sue Hyun Lim, Korea & New York; Seung-Hyeon (Alex) Kim, New York; Hongjoong Kim, Korea & New York; David MacArthur, Utah; Woochul Hwang, New York; Sejin Kim, New York; Sangchul Kim, Korea; Pem Chhoden Tshering, England and Wales; Hae In Jeung, Korea; Thomas C Villalon, California
Since its founding in 2002, Bae, Kim & Lee’s arbitration team has established its reputation as one of the biggest names in international arbitration in the region, as well as being the largest arbitration practice in Asia.
The 30-lawyer team’s global approach to international arbitration has helped to create the most diverse legal practice in Korea, with attorneys licensed in Korea, England and Wales, Australia, India, Pakistan and the United States, with language abilities spanning English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Hindi, Tamil, Dzongkha (Bhutan) and Urdu.
The team has earned several highly sought-after awards and the honour of being the first firm in Korea (and just the second in Asia) to have made the GAR 30 list of the most robust arbitration practices worldwide.
Additionally, the arbitration practice also includes two lawyers located in BKL’s Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City offices, respectively, making it the only Korean arbitration practice with members situated across countries.
In addition to commercial disputes, the team has developed a substantial portfolio of treaty-based arbitration and construction arbitration cases. It also regularly handles ancillary proceedings such as actions to enforce or set aside arbitral awards or pursue emergency relief in Korean court, with the support of BKL’s 100-member domestic litigation team, and advises on cross-border litigation. Several team members also frequently sit as arbitrators. The team frequently relies on the resources of the overall firm to provide clients with custom solutions or deal with disputes involving specialised subject matter. Drawing on the knowledgebase and diversity of BKL’s 600 professionals, the team can provide the most optimal staffing to its clients based on the needs of each case.
Finally, cementing its premier position in the field, the team has authored the first comprehensive treatise on arbitration law and practice in Korea in English (Juris Publishing, 2010), with a companion volume in Korean (Pokyongso, 2011), which has recently been updated for 2016 to cover amendments to the arbitration law and the revised international arbitration rules of the KCAB.
