Baker McKenzie has added leading international arbitration practitioner Sung Woo (Sean) Lim as a partner in Baker McKenzie & KL Partners Joint Venture Law Firm (Baker McKenzie KLP JV). Lim brings over 30 years of experience in arbitration, representing leading Korean companies and multinationals across a full range of disputes, including: cross-border joint ventures and M&A; finance and capital markets; sale of goods, supply contracts and franchise agreements; product liability; construction and energy projects; maritime, shipping and aviation; intellectual property; sports; and international treaties. He has led many high-profile cases that have set major precedents in Korea, and has conducted numerous complex multinational arbitration cases seated in various jurisdictions. Lim is highly regarded in the international arbitration arena, and has played a significant role in shaping the practice of international arbitration in Korea. He has served on various industry bodies, including as vice-president of the Korean Arbitrators Association and president of the Korean Council for International Arbitration (KOCIA). He is currently president of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB) sports arbitration committee, and a member of the management committee of the Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center (SIDRC). Lim is also a member of the Law Reform Commission for Amendments to the Korean Arbitration Act, the Law Reform Commission for Amendments to the Korean Arbitration Rules, and the Law Enactment Commission for Enactment of the Commercial Arbitration Promotion Act, making him the only Korean practitioner to participate in all three active projects related to arbitration practice. His outstanding contribution to the development of commercial arbitration in Korea was recognized by an award from the Ministry of Justice in 2017. Prior to joining the firm, Lim served as co-head of the international arbitration practice of a Korean law firm. He is admitted to practice in Korea and New York, and holds an LLM from Cornell University, New York, and an LLB from Seoul National University, Korea.
