Baker & McKenzie, a leading international law firm, has gained approval from the Korean authorities to open an office in Seoul. It will be headed by Nam Hung Paik, a lawyer with 25 years’ experience advising Korean and multinational companies.
The office will open on May 21, and will be the firm’s 73rd office throughout the world and its 15th in Asia-Pacific. Initially it will be staffed by three lawyers and will be expanded gradually, according to a statement yesterday. The Seoul team is part of Baker & McKenzie’s Korea practice, comprising more than 40 lawyers spread across the firm’s offices.
According to the statement, the Korean outbound market is a key focus. Baker & McKenzie gives legal advice to Korean clients on several matters, including: development projects, mergers and acquisitions, financing of overseas enterprises, banking and finance, antitrust advice, intellectual property rights, employment issues, disputes, corporate compliance and international capital requirements.
The firm claims particular expertise in the energy, mining, infrastructure, manufacturing and communications sectors, as companies expand into new markets.
“We have worked with Korean clients for many years as they have looked for new opportunities and expanded across the globe,” said Eduardo Leite, chairman of Baker & McKenzie’s executive committee. “We look forward to being able to service them through our base in Seoul.”
Founded in 1949, Baker & McKenzie employs more than 4,000 locally qualified lawyers and 6,000 professional staff in 45 countries. Global revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, were $2.313 billion.
Over the past two years, Baker & McKenzie has opened offices in Peru, Morocco, South Africa, Turkey and Qatar. Most recently it announced that it will merge with the United Arab Emirates firm Habib Al Mulla, establishing its presence in Dubai from July 1, 2013.
