Asialaw Profiles
The Guide to the legal markets of the Asia-Pacific

Kim & Chang has bolstered its labour and employment practice with four new hires from Deliotte: senior adviser Won Bae Kim from the Ministry of Employment & Labour, senior consultants Byung Jeun Kim and Seong Hoon Kim, and consultant Chang Se Lim.Peers ... [more]

Kim & Chang has bolstered its labour and employment practice with four new hires from Deliotte: senior adviser Won Bae Kim from the Ministry of Employment & Labour, senior consultants Byung Jeun Kim and Seong Hoon Kim, and consultant Chang Se Lim.

Peers compliment department head Paul Cho and characterise him as “very good, and very active in the labour and employment area”.

In a case worth US$10 billion in potential damages, partners WH Kim and YH Park defended GM Korea, formerly GM Daewoo Auto & Technology, in a lawsuit involving more than 1,000 employees. They alleged that the calculation of their ordinary wage was not in compliance with the law. The case was notable for intense media scrutiny and its potential impact on GM Korea’s reputation.

Co-head CW Hyun and attorneys WJ Kim and DI Seo handled a case for Hutchinson Korea Terminals against several powerful labour unions, including the Busan Port Trade Union, affiliated with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions. Hutchinson was undergoing aggressive restructuring that resulted in the company’s workforce being downsized by over 60%. The firm defended the company against wrongful termination cases that were brought by laid-off employees.

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Lee & Ko has acted for an impressive list of clients this year, including Deutsche Bank Group, Pfizer, GE Aviation and Blizzard. Though partner Seung Kyu Lee left the firm to become a court judge, he was replaced by new hire, partner Tong Keun Seol.Peers ... [more]

Lee & Ko has acted for an impressive list of clients this year, including Deutsche Bank Group, Pfizer, GE Aviation and Blizzard. Though partner Seung Kyu Lee left the firm to become a court judge, he was replaced by new hire, partner Tong Keun Seol.

Peers appreciate the firm’s expertise in the labour and employment space, especially head of practice Chu Wan. “He’s knowledgeable and has a lot of experience,” says one practitioner.

A highlight was the firm’s handling of Deutsche Bank Group’s replacement of traditional severance packages with retirement pension plans in order to provide greater stability for Korean employees upon requirement. The complex change required collective bargaining with several parties, including labour unions, and reporting to government authorities.

Partners Wan Joo, Tong Keun Seol and Seung Jae Lee also advised Pfizer Korea on reaching a settlement regarding employees committing illegal acts and filing lawsuits against the company. The Lee & Ko team managed to negotiate a settlement to the dispute.

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Bae Kim & Lee is expanding its labour and employment practice, adding a handful of associates for increased capability and depth. Head of practice Jeong Han Lee’s expertise is respected by clients and peers alike.In a key dispute this year, Lee and partner ... [more]

Bae Kim & Lee is expanding its labour and employment practice, adding a handful of associates for increased capability and depth. Head of practice Jeong Han Lee’s expertise is respected by clients and peers alike.

In a key dispute this year, Lee and partner Chang Hwan Lee successfully advised the National Agricultural Cooperative Foundation in several cases regarding fixed-term contracts. Employees argued that their fixed-term clauses were illegal under the Act under the ‘protection of fixed-term and part-time employees’, and that their dismissals were invalid. The firm ultimately prevailed as the court ruled that the fixed-term clause in the contracts was legitimate.

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Hwang Mok Park advises clients on a variety of employment issues including severance pay, pensions and mandatory processes under labour and employment law. Foreign legal consultant Brendon Carr is the firm’s leading light in this space, with his litigation ... [more]

Hwang Mok Park advises clients on a variety of employment issues including severance pay, pensions and mandatory processes under labour and employment law. Foreign legal consultant Brendon Carr is the firm’s leading light in this space, with his litigation abilities making him a standout and versatile asset. Though he specialises in technology, his expertise transcends practice areas.

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The size of the labour and employment practice at Shin & Kim has held steady this past year, and yet the firm has completed an impressive body of work. Lead partner Young Seok Ki has advised large corporations such as ACE Group, Warnaco, Deere & Co and ... [more]

The size of the labour and employment practice at Shin & Kim has held steady this past year, and yet the firm has completed an impressive body of work. Lead partner Young Seok Ki has advised large corporations such as ACE Group, Warnaco, Deere & Co and Korea Bank on various matters.

In March 2011, Young Seok Ki, together with Michael Chang, Kyoung Soo Chang and Sang Hoon Han, advised ACE Group on employment matters during its acquisition of New York Life Korea.

Young also acted for advertising company Grey Group in a dispute in which an expatriate general manager alleged unfair dismissal. The case, which concluded in October 2010, included a debate about whether an expatriate senior officer was eligible for protection under Korean law.

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Yulchon’s labour and employment practice has excelled this year under lead partner Hee-Chul Kang.In a landmark case, partner Il Bong Moon advised the Korea Railroad in a case involving KRW14 trillion in damages for an illegal strike organised by the ... [more]

Yulchon’s labour and employment practice has excelled this year under lead partner Hee-Chul Kang.

In a landmark case, partner Il Bong Moon advised the Korea Railroad in a case involving KRW14 trillion in damages for an illegal strike organised by the union. The dispute was over how to calculate damages resulting from illegal strikes. The Supreme Court of Korea ruled that damages could be calculated based on expected earnings from projections of past earnings.

The firm also dealt with a case involving the termination of employment. The employee was alleged to have infringed internal intellectual property issues, and the case required both intellectual property and employment law expertise.

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Kim Chang & Lee maintains its place on the rankings due to its strong team, which includes partner Doo-Hee Cha who joined from Shin & Kim in January 2009. The firm specialises on individual employment relations, collective labour relations and labour ... [more]

Kim Chang & Lee maintains its place on the rankings due to its strong team, which includes partner Doo-Hee Cha who joined from Shin & Kim in January 2009. The firm specialises on individual employment relations, collective labour relations and labour issues relating to corporate transactions.

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Barun Law Barun Law has been active in the labour and employment areas in Korea and elsewhere. A highlight case was handled by senior counsel Thomas Pinansky, who advised Richard Garriott regarding his unfair dismissal by video game developer NC Soft ... [more]

Barun Law

Barun Law has been active in the labour and employment areas in Korea and elsewhere. A highlight case was handled by senior counsel Thomas Pinansky, who advised Richard Garriott regarding his unfair dismissal by video game developer NC Soft in a dispute worth US$28 million. The firm also represents large multinational corporations like Walmart and Barclays.

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