Korea Law Firm Awards 2025

Asia Business Law Journal names the country’s top law firms. Byung Jin Park reports

M&A activity at South Korean law firms has risen in the past year, triggered by recent depreciations of the Korean won. As of December 2025, the exchange rate stood at about KRW1,450 per US dollar, a depreciation of about 20% compared with early 2021.

With lower valuations has come a sharp increase in inbound M&A as foreign companies satiate their appetites for acquiring South Korean businesses.

The value of transactions in which foreign firms and private equity funds acquired controlling stakes in South Korean companies during the first three quarters of 2025 totalled KRW11.42 trillion (USD7.78 billion), nearly five times higher than the same period a year earlier, according to The Korea Economic Daily, the nation’s largest business newspaper by revenue.

These types of inbound investments require sophisticated legal solutions on foreign investment regulations, antitrust/competition matters including merger control review, industry-specific licensing and approvals, foreign exchange, and labour and employment issues.

The best South Korean law firms can guide investors through these legal challenges, as the M&A boost also enables them to expand their international client base and increase revenue via large-scale transactions.

Also in the past year, South Korea’s parliament passed an amendment to the Commercial Act aimed at improving corporate transparency. The amendment increases the obligations of directors, curtails controlling shareholder voting rights in audit committee appointments, and mandates that listed companies hold electronic shareholder meetings and enable remote voting from January 2027.

Meanwhile, a state announcement in September 2025 of plans to dissolve the Prosecutors’ Office in 2026, dividing its powers between two new agencies, has led to law firms hiring a wave of ex-prosecutors who have since left the service. Firms also report hosting seminars to brief corporate clients on the implications of these reforms.

In the wake of such significant events and opportunities, Asia Business Law Journal proudly presents its Korea Law Firm Awards 2025. We identified five law firms we believe to be standouts and, among them, one firm has risen to the top as our choice of Law Firm of the Year.

In 35 other categories, we have four winners of equal standing, listed in alphabetical order. Two other law firms are also recognised as the Best Boutique Law Firm and as the Best New Law Firm, while four international law firms are selected as the Best Foreign Law Firms.

For two consecutive years, full-service law firm Shin & Kim has secured the Law Firm of the Year title, underpinned by its role in many of the country’s most prominent advisory mandates.

In 2025, Shin & Kim continued to handle major deals, further solidifying its market position. Notable transactions included Hanwha Group’s acquisition of a major stake in Ourhome, a major South Korean food service company, Kyobo Life Insurance’s KRW900 billion (USD610 million) takeover of SBI Savings Bank, and Well to Sea Investment’s KRW430 billion (USD291 million) acquisition of SI FLEX, a manufacturer of flexible printed circuit boards.

The law firm has acted for global technology companies such as Qualcomm and Meta in major antitrust matters, while also advising clients ranging from leading South Korean conglomerates to emerging startups. In parallel, Shin & Kim has been delivering compliance advisory services amid South Korea’s increasingly stringent regulatory environment, with a client roster that includes Hyundai Motor Group, SK Group, LG Group, Lotte Group, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Toss and other prominent corporations.

Shin & Kim has achieved an outstanding litigation result in 2025 as well. In the KRW250 billion (USD170 million) damages lawsuit between Asiana Airlines and HDC Hyundai Development Company, the firm represented Asiana and secured victories at all three levels of court, ending the dispute in March 2025.

The lawsuit arose after HDC Hyundai entered into an agreement in 2019 to acquire Asiana Airlines for KRW2.5 trillion and paid KRW250 billion as a deposit. Asiana Airlines later filed a damages claim after HDC Hyundai refused to pay the remaining purchase price, citing a deterioration in Asiana’s financial condition due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Charles Lim, a partner at Shook Lin & Bok in Singapore, praises the law firm. “The lawyers at Shin & Kim in both Korea and Singapore display a good understanding of the local legal landscape,” says Lim. “They are able to effectively advise their Korea-based clients in navigating local issues in their respective regions, including identifying appropriate solutions to potential disputes to achieve the best outcome.”

Bae Kim & Lee (BKL) is a well established full-service law firm in South Korea with 594 Korean bar members as of November 2025. Based on National Tax Service data for 2024, the firm posted revenues of KRW391.8 billion and has exceeded the KRW400 billion mark in 2025.

One of BKL’s most significant achievements in 2025 was securing a landmark victory for the South Korean government, bringing an end to the 13-year-long investor-state dispute with Lone Star.

The firm has represented the government since 2012, when Lone Star, a US private equity fund, initiated arbitration proceedings under the investor-state dispute settlement framework, alleging unlawful government interference in the sale of the Korea Exchange Bank. Although an arbitral tribunal partially upheld Lone Star’s claims in 2022, the annulment committee of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes overturned the award in November 2025, sparing the government a potential liability of about KRW400 billion.

Beyond international arbitration, BKL had a busy 2025 advising on private equity-driven inbound investments. Among its notable mandates, the firm acted for the US buyout pioneer, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, on its KRW733 billion acquisition of Samhwa, a major Korean cosmetics packaging company. Hong Kong-headquartered Affinity Equity Partners also turned to BKL for advice on its KRW1.57 trillion acquisition of Lotte Rental, a leading domestic mobility services company.

This year, BKL also received a testimonial from Indonesia, highlighting the firm’s cross-border capabilities. Ayik Gunadi, a partner at ABNR Counsellors at Law in Jakarta, says: “BKL’s lawyers seamlessly bridged the differences between Korean clients’ expectations, understanding and sense of time pressure, and those of Indonesia.

“At the same time, they developed a careful and detailed understanding of Indonesian legal advice to ensure that it would not be misunderstood by the Korean client, given the two countries’ different legal systems.”

Kim & Chang is South Korea’s largest law firm by headcount. As of November 2025, it employs 1,141 South Korean-qualified attorneys, and when foreign lawyers, patent attorneys, certified public accountants, senior advisers and other professionals are included, the firm’s total professional workforce exceeds 2,000.

Widely regarded for its strength across many areas of practice, Kim & Chang saw its intellectual property group emerge as a particular standout in 2025. The group secured victories for Pharmbio Korea in a series of patent invalidation and related proceedings over bowel cleanser tablet technology, with both the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board, and the Intellectual Property High Court upholding the patents’ inventiveness.

The rulings preserved the validity of patents underpinning Orafang, the world’s first approved oral sulphate solution tablet for colonoscopy preparation, a product that has helped create a new market segment amid rising colorectal cancer screening demand in South Korea. The decisions also reaffirmed key principles on assessing inventiveness and rejecting hindsight analysis, while related scope confirmation actions brought by a competitor were dismissed and became final.

As a traditional M&A powerhouse, Kim & Chang also represented a domestic private equity investment firm, Hahn & Company, in its acquisition of an 85% stake in SK Specialty, a global producer of specialty gases essential for semiconductors and display panels, from SK Corporation. Valued at KRW2.6 trillion, the transaction required the buyer to file domestic and international merger filings, which were handled by Kim & Chang attorneys Wan Suk Kim and Eunbee Kim.

Sachin Mehta, a partner at TT&A in New Delhi, speaks highly of the firm: “With their growing regional networks and collaborative relationships with reputable law firms across Asia and around the globe, their clients with multi-jurisdictional interests have come to rely on them as a ‘one-stop shop’ of the highest quality.”

To provide comprehensive and efficient legal services in a variety of sectors, Lee & Ko has more than 40 practice teams with industry specialists, and continues to offer its clients seamless legal services to fulfil their legal needs.

In 2025, Lee & Ko advised Air Liquide, one of the world’s largest industrial gas suppliers, on its acquisition of DIG Airgas in a deal valued at about KRW4.6 trillion, ranking among the largest transactions announced in South Korea this year.

The transaction raised several complex legal issues including the refinancing of existing shareholder loans and acquisition facilities, post-merger integration considerations, and withholding tax obligations on capital gains realised by foreign sellers. The deal was co-led by Lee & Ko partners Hyung Soo Lee, Daehoon Koo and Hyesoo Won, together with senior foreign attorney Allen Hyungi Ryu.

The firm was also involved in several high-profile litigation matters that drew widespread domestic media attention. Among them, Lee & Ko represented Kakao’s former chief investment officer, Bae Jae-hyun, in a stock-price manipulation case arising from the company’s takeover of SM Entertainment, a global company that has produced many K-pop stars. Bae was acquitted at first instance in October 2025, and the case is currently pending on appeal.

Naoki Okamoto, a partner at Midosuji Legal Profession Corporation in Tokyo, says the firm “has excellent professional teams” in each area of law. “Lee & Ko explains Korean laws with cultural background information so that foreign clients would be able to proceed their businesses in Korea with strong confidence.”

Founded in 1997, Yulchon is the youngest firm among this year’s Best Overall Law Firms and has also emerged as the fastest growing, gaining rising prominence in the legal market. In 2025, Yulchon was appointed to advise Naver on the merger between Naver Financial and Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

Yulchon also advised Shinsegae Group on its joint venture with Alibaba Group to combine Gmarket and AliExpress Korea, in a transaction valuing the merged business at about KRW6 trillion. The tie-up is expected to reshape South Korea’s e-commerce market by creating a stronger challenger to current market leader Coupang, while leveraging Alibaba’s global platform to support the overseas expansion of South Korean sellers. The agreement was signed in December 2024 and is currently under review by the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC).

Yulchon has long been recognised as a powerhouse in tax law and is currently advising the Ministry of Economy and Finance on legislative research and the drafting of a legal framework for the domestic implementation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Pillar Two framework, the qualified domestic minimum top-up tax.

The mandate covers an analysis of international legislative trends and proposals for amendments to Korean tax laws to support a stable and effective adoption of the new rules in line with international tax standards.

Pranav Atit, a partner at Trilegal in Mumbai, speaks highly of Yulchon: “They are working on the best deals and are known for their service levels and depth of understanding of the Korean market and Korean clients,” says Atit. “The firm has been consistently providing top service, and works very well with regional firms to provide holistic advice.”

DLA Piper’s Seoul office is led by Daniel W Lee, the firm’s country managing partner and head of its South Korea practice, who also served as the inaugural president of the In-House Counsel Forum, South Korea’s oldest association of in-house counsel. Following the addition of Brian Youn and Jang Hyuk Yeo as partners in February and December 2024, respectively, the Seoul office has expanded to a team of nine professionals.

With foreign legal consultants who are qualified US lawyers, the firm has developed strength in advising on cross-border transactions between South Korea and the US.

In September 2025, the firm advised Korean biotechnology company Celltrion, which has a market capitalisation of about KRW49 trillion, on its acquisition of a drug substance plant in Branchburg, New Jersey, from global pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly for about KRW460 billion. This acquisition is seen as a significant transaction that provides Celltrion with a foothold for expansion into the US market.

The firm has also represented Korean Air in its acquisition of Asiana Airlines, including obtaining merger control clearances across multiple jurisdictions.

Greenberg Traurig was named one of the Best Foreign Law Firms in 2024 for its work advising on overseas bond issuances, and the firm continued to advise on similar transactions in 2025.

The firm represented UBS as the sole lead manager in a Swiss public offering by Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) of CHF100 million (USD126 million) in notes due in 2030. The transaction was signed and closed in March 2025, with the notes listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. KOGAS is a statutory corporation responsible for the distribution of natural gas in South Korea, and is one of the world’s largest importers of liquefied natural gas.

Greenberg Traurig added Jason W Lee, a former senior foreign attorney at Kim & Chang, and Yoon & Yang, as of counsel to its Seoul office in 2025, bringing the team to nearly 10 professionals and positioning the firm to advise South Korean companies and funds operating overseas on a broad range of global legal issues.

Since opening its Seoul office in 2016, Latham & Watkins has built its presence by advising domestic companies on complex cross-border transactions and dispute resolution matters.

In February 2025, the firm advised on LG CNS’s KRW1.2 trillion IPO on the Korea Exchange’s KOSPI Market, the largest IPO in South Korea since 2022. In addition to its size, the IPO was complex from a cross-border perspective, as it included an international offering conducted pursuant to rule 144A and regulation S in the US.

The Latham team was co-led by Seoul office counsel Diona Park, with support from associate Yejin Kim. LG CNS is an IT services company affiliated with South Korean conglomerate LG Group, providing services in areas including cloud computing, smart factories and cybersecurity.

Latham & Watkins also advised on several significant cross-border transactions in 2025, most notably DB Insurance’s acquisition of Fortegra, the first acquisition of a US insurance company by a South Korean insurer. Fortegra is a global insurance company established in 1978, with a diversified product portfolio that includes specialised insurance tailored to high-risk segments, as well as credit and surety insurance products.

The transaction, on which the Latham team advised DB Insurance, was valued at KRW2.3 trillion and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.

2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the Seoul office of White & Case. The office is staffed by foreign-qualified lawyers who are native Korean speakers, combining deep local knowledge with extensive international experience.

This acquisition aims to bridge preventive wellness and medical care, leveraging Samsung’s wearable technology to create a connected care ecosystem. The value of the transaction, announced in July 2025, was not disclosed.

White & Case advised Samsung Electronics again, on its acquisition of Germany-based FlaktGroup in a transaction valued at EUR1.5 billion (USD1.68 billion). According to European investment firm Triton, FlaktGroup is Europe’s largest supplier of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The deal represents Samsung’s largest acquisition since its USD8 billion purchase of US audio and automotive electronics company Harman International Industries in 2017.

In addition to its M&A work, White & Case was active during the year in representing South Korean private equity funds in multiple Singapore International Arbitration Centre arbitrations arising from acquisition-related disputes, as well as advising on related enforcement proceedings.

Tax-focused boutique firm GAON Law Group received the Best Boutique Law Firm award for its role in overturning a 33-year Supreme Court precedent, enabling the National Tax Service (NTS) to tax royalties derived fromunregistered foreign patents used in South Korea.

Until September 2025, the Supreme Court had held that, under the principle that patent rights are exercisable only in the jurisdiction of registration, royalties paid for foreign patents not registered in South Korea were not subject to tax. In a dispute between SK Hynix, one of the country’s largest semiconductor companies, and the NTS Icheon District Office, both the trial and appellate courts ruled in favour of SK Hynix.

However, acting for the NTS at the Supreme Court level, GAON successfully argued that royalties paid for technology used in South Korea constitute Korea-source income, even if the relevant patents are not registered domestically, and are therefore taxable.

According to an official NTS press release, the amount of tax at issue in similar tax appeal cases alone exceeds KRW4 trillion. The NTS described the ruling as “an important decision that opens a new chapter in the field of international taxation”. The GAON team was led by managing partner Namkyu Kang, with additional input from partner Seungjun Lee and associate Jaeyun Shim.

Willaw Patent & Law Firm was established in 2023 by a group of patent attorneys with entrepreneurial experience. The firm is based in Yeouido, a major financial hub in Seoul.

The firm’s clients include a K-beauty brand whose products are sold through Costco, the membership-based warehouse retailer. Willaw also acts as a partner firm to Fastfive, a major shared office provider in South Korea.

Managing partner Jiheon Bae has experience advising early-stage companies. Prior to establishing Willaw, he co-founded and served as chief operating officer of Second Ocean, a startup in the fishing industry. He currently also serves as a judge at the Korea Institute of Startup and Entrepreneurship Development, a public institution under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Bae draws on his experience as a startup co-founder and in securing investment to advise clients on patent strategies aligned with their business development and growth stages. Willaw has signed a memorandum of understanding with Yonsei University in Seoul and is collaborating with the university to support startups founded by students.

Other award highlights

Yoon & Yang’s cross-border team had a busy year in 2025, securing both inbound and outbound investment awards.

In April 2025, Yoon & Yang successfully advised NAU IB Capital on its acquisition of a 100% stake in Sun Fluoro System, a Japan-headquartered semiconductor equipment company, in a transaction valued at about JPY26 billion (USD170 million).

While this deal was not among the largest globally by size, it involved significant cross-border legal and regulatory complexities, as Sun Fluoro System operates subsidiaries across multiple jurisdictions including South Korea, Taiwan, China and the US.

Three months after the closing of the Sun Fluoro System transaction, Yoon & Yang advised on another outbound deal in which Hanwha Life Insurance acquired a 75% stake in US brokerage firm Velocity Clearing.

According to Hanwha Life Insurance, the transaction marked the first entry by a South Korean insurance company into the US securities market. The transaction value was not officially disclosed, but local media reported the deal to be worth about KRW250 billion.

In November 2025, Yoon & Yang entered into a strategic collaboration with VILAF to launch a South Korea-Vietnam practice unit, further enhancing its cross-border capabilities.

On 1 January 2025, Jipyong began the year ambitiously, with the appointment of Gee Hong Kim and Haeng Gyu Lee as new managing partners.

Throughout the year, Jipyong remained active in the capital markets sector, advising primarily small and medium-sized companies pursuing listings. One of its clients was domestic entertainment firm The Pinkfong Company, known for the popular children’s song, Baby Shark.

Cuckoo International (MAL), the Malaysian arm of South Korean home appliance maker Cuckoo Homesys, also turned to Jipyong when it was listed on Bursa Malaysia in June 2025. Lee, one of the new managing partners, co-led this Malaysian deal.

Jipyong’s real estate practice was notably active in several high-profile transactions during the year. The firm advised the buyer on the acquisition of Centre Point Gwanghwamun, a prime office building in central Seoul, in a transaction valued at KRW432 billion that closed in October 2025. Jipyong also acted on the sales of other major Seoul office assets including Gangnam N Tower (USD460 million) and Seoul International Tower (USD608 million), all of which were completed during the year.

Most recently, Jipyong advised Singapore-based private equity firm Pole Capital on its acquisition of the former Sheraton Palace Hotel site in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. The transaction, valued at KRW460 billion, was completed in late November 2025.

D&A, formerly known as DR & AJU, made a fresh start in 2025 by rebranding its official English name, with the change taking effect on 1 October 2025.

Since the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (SAPA) came into force in January 2022, increasing the risk of criminal liability for corporate executives, D&A has distinguished itself by becoming the first South Korean law firm to operate a SAPA Compliance Certification programme (SCC).

Through this initiative, more than 100 corporations have achieved certification, and D&A is building a strong track record in the compliance and corporate governance sector, as well as in labour and employment practice areas.

D&A’s antitrust and competition practice is also notable, comprising about 40 professionals including lawyers and senior advisers formerly with the KFTC. The team provides end-to-end services covering regulatory investigations, compliance and risk management, and dispute resolution, with dedicated sub-teams for advisory and incident response. Its clients include LG Electronics, Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Department Store.

Amid the recent growth of South Korea’s defence industry, One Law Partners recruited Su-Dong Lee and Tae-Hwi Lee as partners in February and April 2025, respectively.

Su-Dong Lee served as a military legal officer for 24 years, and his last position was the chief of the legal affairs division of the air force headquarters. Tae-Hwi Lee also served in the military for 26 years and retired as a colonel.

Following these additions, One Law Partners established its military affairs and defence industry legal team in April 2025, citing the rapidly evolving global security environment and the increasing strategic importance of the defence sector. The team was recently engaged by the Korean Ministry of National Defence as legal counsel in a litigation matter in relation to unjust enrichment, valued at KRW45 billion.

The firm also established its ESG Centre in 2021, and has since been providing legal advisory and consulting services in the ESG (environmental, social and governance) field.

The centre is currently advising on a range of ESG-related matters, including analyses of ESG disclosure risks and the development of response strategies, as well as risk reviews of corporate governance and sustainability reports for major South Korean companies. Its clients on ESG matters include Korea Real Estate Investment & Trust, Hyundai Glovis, and Seoul Housing and Urban Development Corporation.

Barun Law’s IP practice is led by Eung Se Lee. Lee served as a judge for 21 years and joined Barun in 2012 as a partner, focusing on IP rights.

The firm represented an inventor (the plaintiff) in a dispute over employee invention compensation related to a microorganism with weight-loss effects. The invention was patented under the employer’s name and later commercialised through a subsidiary, generating substantial royalty income.

In July 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled that the invention qualified as an employee invention, that the statute of limitations had not expired, and that the defendant was required to pay compensation to the plaintiff.

Barun uncovered historical employee invention compensation rules to rebut the defendant’s limitations defence, and successfully established the inventor’s contribution, leading the court to award a significant compensation amount.

In August 2025, Barun also launched the Corporate Strategy Research Institute to provide comprehensive ESG management advisory services. The institute is currently conducting internal audits at the request of audit committees of large corporations in South Korea. It also advises on procedures for the appointment of corporate audit committee members under the Korean Commercial Act, which was amended in 2025.

DLG Law Corporation specialises in technology and new business sectors, and has been providing legal services since 2017. In the past year, the firm has focused on global expansion, including opening an office in San Jose, California, to support South Korean companies’ outbound investment into Silicon Valley.

DLG also established a joint venture called DLG & AP with AP Law Office in Bangkok in March 2025, which was the first South Korean law firm JV in Thailand.

The firm notably advised a tax platform service on whether its online operation, including the exposure of the banners of affiliated tax firms and the payment of advertising fees, could be regarded as a violation of the Certified Tax Accountant Act.

While there was a risk that this operation could be characterised as “solicitation” or “intermediation” under the act, DLG proposed amendments designed to clearly distinguish the method of advertising exposure, the structure of the affiliation and the limits of the platform’s role.

As a result, its client was able to minimise elements that could give rise to criminal liability and to refine its business model to avoid breaching professional practice regulations while operating its service.

Sean Kim, co-founder and chief operating officer at an AI-focused venture studio called CarbonBlack in Seoul, says that DLG demonstrates “a rare combination of a deep understanding of deep-tech startups and an exceptional grasp of their underlying business models”.

“Their responsiveness is outstanding, and they consistently approach issues from the client’s perspective, thinking alongside us rather than merely advising,” adds Kim. “Having worked with the team since my previous AI media startup, I consider DLG one of the most reliable and trusted partners I’ve worked with.”

LAB Partners is a boutique law firm specialising in banking and finance. Established in 2018 by a group of lawyers formerly with Kim & Chang, Shin & Kim and Lee & Ko, the firm advises a range of Korean conglomerates, with clients including Lotte Card, Shinhan Card, KB Securities and Hyundai Capital Services.

The firm advised Lotte Card on its domestic issuance of USD300 million in asset-backed securities backed by credit card receivables. In the transaction, Lotte Card, as originator, transferred its existing and future credit card receivables into a trust, which issued investor interest, seller interest and subordinated seller interest.

The bonds were issued by a special purpose vehicle established for the transaction, Supreme Thirty-Second Securitisation Specialty, which subscribed to the investor interest and issued the bonds to the initial purchaser, Antalis, a European investment management company. This transaction closed in September 2025.

LAB Partners also advised on a multi-jurisdictional transaction involving South Korea, the Cayman Islands and Singapore. The firm acted for Shinhan Card in connection with the cross-border issuance of EUR170 million and USD200 million in asset-backed securities backed by credit card receivables.

LIN is a mid-sized law firm in South Korea that has recorded rapid growth in recent years. In its inaugural year in 2017, the firm reported annual revenue of KRW1.1 billion, which had increased to KRW38 billion by 2024. In July 2025, LIN merged with real-estate boutique Daeji Law Firm and is currently in negotiations for a potential merger with Barun.

The firm launched its AI Industry Centre in December 2024 to advise AI companies on global compliance and regulatory matters. A key member of the centre is Tae Eon Koo, who joined the firm in 2019 following the merger of his boutique practice, TEK&LAW, with LIN.

Since 2022, Koo has served as a non-governmental member of the digital platform government committee under the Korean presidential office. Among LIN’s clients are the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Korea Internet and Security Agency, a quasi-governmental body.

It has also been active in the field of patent litigation, representing Autoliv, a Swedish automotive safety supplier. Autoliv is currently engaged in airbag patent disputes in South Korea with Hyundai Mobis, an automotive parts arm of Hyundai Motor Group. These cases have attracted media attention over whether they will clarify the uncertainty surrounding Hyundai Mobis’ airbag business.

 

Koo received praise from Sung Kim, the co-founder and CEO of Upstage, an AI-specialised company based in San Francisco, California: “Koo has been leading AI-focused legal solutions by combining a deep understanding of AI with legally sound and persuasive approaches. This ABLJ award represents a well-deserved recognition of the team’s expertise and innovative approach.”

Muhann Patent & Law Firm is composed of professionals with experience in patent practice, as well as former in-house counsel at conglomerates, researchers and examiners at the Ministry of Intellectual Property.

The firm advises several major gaming companies in South Korea, including Nexon and Netmarble, and has recently handled complex patent prosecution matters, contributing to its receipt of the award. One example is Nexon’s patent titled “Method and Device for Providing Digital Content Targeted to a User”, which was registered in May 2025. The patent describes an apparatus that receives device log information related to user behaviour collected by a mobile terminal capable of accessing a server.

Muhann also has a track record of registering well-known trademarks. The firm handled the registration of the Nexon and Netmarble brand names in 2008 and 2004, respectively. More recent trademark matters advised by Muhann include Huckleberry, an imported car management platform operated by SK Networks, and PARATA AIR, which conducted its first flight in August 2025.

“Muhann is a respected Korean IP practice known for its comprehensive trademark and copyright expertise,” says Vivien Chan, a founding and senior partner at Vivien Chan & Co in Hong Kong.

“We worked closely with the firm on multiple trademark prosecution matters for various high-profile Korean companies, such as a leading global manufacturer in the outdoor apparel and textile industry.”

NAM IP Group is led by managing partner Ben (Beyong-ho) Yuu, who has previously served as senior in-house counsel at global companies including SK Hynix, Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics. In 2024, the firm transitioned from a general partnership to a limited liability partnership with 12 partners, expanding to 14 partners in 2025.

The firm’s clients include Schiek Sports, a US-based fitness and lifting gear brand that owns the international registration for the “SCHIEK” trademark. NAM IP Group recently identified six trademark applications in South Korea, including “SCHIEK BELT” and “SCHIEK STRAPS”, which incorporated a dominant element of its client’s trademark and covered goods identical or similar to those of the client. The firm submitted information briefs at the pre-publication stage for all six applications, citing a likelihood of confusion, and successfully protected the client’s trademark rights.

It also resolved another matter for a different client without litigation. The firm acted for a manufacturer of Pilates equipment that had terminated its distribution agreement, after which the former distributor continued marketing the products in a manner suggesting it remained an authorised reseller.

NAM IP issued a cease-and-desist letter, setting out the alleged legal violations and demanding the immediate cessation of any commercial activities implying an official relationship with the client. The distributor subsequently accepted the claims and provided written confirmation that it would discontinue the disputed conduct.

In the past year, VEAT Law Firm has advised clients across multiple industries on matters involving AI including regulatory, data protection and business structure issues. The firm’s name, VEAT, is derived from “venture and technology”, reflecting its focus on advising venture-backed and technology-driven businesses.

VEAT is frequently engaged by venture capital firms in South Korea to conduct legal due diligence on AI-related startup investments. As part of this work, the firm analyses target companies’ data acquisition frameworks, the lawfulness of their training data, and legal issues arising from algorithm development and model training.

The firm also reviews compliance with relevant regulatory regimes, including the Personal Information Protection Act, copyright laws and the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, and identifies potential post-investment regulatory risks to support informed investment decisions.

VEAT also advises on matters relating to the metaverse, virtual convergence services, robotics and mobility, which are the key areas of the TMT sector. In August 2024, the Virtual Convergence Industry Promotion Act came into full effect in South Korea, and Doyoung Song, a managing partner of VEAT, participated in the legislative process, contributing to the development of the regulatory framework for the sector.

Currently, VEAT is advising the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, a quasi-governmental agency, on potential legislative efforts aimed at ensuring that regulations do not unduly hinder the development of robotic technologies.

Daeryun Law Firm reported annual revenue of KRW112.7 billion in 2024, placing it among the top 10 law firms in Korea by revenue for the first time.

In November 2025, the firm opened a New York office, marking its first overseas presence outside South Korea. When announcing the expansion plan in May 2025, Kukil Kim, a managing partner at Daeryun, said the New York office would focus on advising corporate clients on international transactions, overseas expansion and market entry.

Daeryun receives our trademark litigation award for the first time. The recognition follows the firm’s handling of a complex trademark infringement dispute in which the central issue was “legitimate prior use”.

In this case, Daeryun acted for a client that relied on a trademark registered at a later date to challenge an earlier registered mark, and sought injunctive relief. The dispute required the client to demonstrate that it had used the trademark in business prior to the registration of the competing mark.

Daeryun presented extensive evidence regarding the client’s business history, the continuity of trademark use and relevant commercial practices, arguing that the mark had been first used by the client without any intent to engage in unfair competition. The court ultimately issued a judgment in favour of the client, recognising the prior user’s business interests while reflecting prevailing market practice.

In June 2025, arbitration-focused firm Peter & Kim opened its second office in Perth, Australia, following the establishment of its Sydney office. At the launch of the Perth office, Kevin Kap-You Kim, a senior founding partner of Peter & Kim, told ABLJ that Perth’s strong resources sector, and its shared time zone with major arbitration hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong make it a convenient location for business operations.

Peter & Kim also co-advised the South Korean government, alongside BKL, in the above-mentioned dispute with Lone Star. Kevin Kap-You Kim led the case prior to co-founding Peter & Kim in 2019, when he was a partner at BKL.

The firm is also involved in some of the country’s largest arbitration proceedings. It is representing Korea Electric Power Corporation, South Korea’s largest electric utility, in a London Court of International Arbitration case against its own subsidiary, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power, concerning additional costs incurred during the commissioning of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE.

According to an anonymous independent arbitrator based in Singapore and Seoul, the firm’s expertise extends well beyond South Korea: “I see them go up against the major international law firms, including the large US and Magic Circle UK firms, and they are every bit as good as any of them.”