Established in 1977, Lee & Ko is a premier full-service Korean law firm with 550 professionals practising in 40 practice areas. Apart from its offices in Seoul and Pangyo, the firm also has offices in Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
The firm is strong across all transactional practice areas including banking and finance, M&A, private equity, capital markets, project development and finance, and restructuring and insolvency.
The firm also routinely provides services to clients that require legal assistance in countries such as China, Japan, Vietnam and other southeastern nations, India, the Middle East, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States, North and South America, and Europe.
The banking and finance team has been actively advising borrowers and lenders on a broad range of financing and finance-related mandates, including general banking, project finance, acquisition finance, structured finance and securitisation, trade finance, lease and transportation finance, derivatives transactions, insurance, and the development of financial products.
In the capital markets, the firm was particularly active in debt issuance, advising both issuers and underwriters, as well as in securitisations. Active industry sectors include banking and financial services, government-owned financial institutions, social infrastructure, energy, natural resources, mining, manufacturing, construction and materials. On the equity side, the firm continues to be active in handling IPO transactions and block trades. The capital markets team and the corporate team welcomed partner and partner Allen Hyungi Ryu in 2024.
In the project area, the team continued to cover work in inbound and outbound transactions involving infrastructure, PPPs, solar power, onshore and offshore wind, fuel cell power plants, data centres, logistics and biomass energy projects.
Key clients of the firm include Brookfield, Equis, Korea Development Bank, Kookmin Bank, NH Investment & Securities, Samsung Securities, Standard Chartered Bank, Korea Development Bank, The Republic of Korea (Ministry of Economy & Finance), LG Energy Solution, and Hanwha Energy.
"What stands out most about Lee & Ko is their deep understanding of acquisition finance and their ability to provide both commercial and regulatory insights that go beyond typical legal advice. Their team is highly responsive (in fact, I work with multiple law firms in the domestic market and Lee & Ko team is possibly the fastest and most accurate responses I have seen in the domestic market), pragmatic, and solution oriented – even at the proposal or structuring stage, they are willing to discuss legal implications on a no-name basis to help us evaluate the feasibility of a transaction early on. Their extensive experience with syndicated financings involving a large number of lenders also makes them an invaluable partner for complex transactions, as they can anticipate and navigate multi-party concerns efficiently. Their consistent professionalism and commitment to client success are what make them our go-to legal advisors." (Banking and finance client)
"We work with Lee & Ko on multiple projects every year and this relationship has continued for more than 10 years. We also work with other law firms but Lee & Ko stands out on: responsiveness (immediate call backs, email replies and feedbacks – timing important for our business) and expertise (most knowledgeable legal advisor in terms of financing – we always use Lee & Ko especially for financing deals with complex structures and large size deals)." (Banking and finance client)
"Lee & Ko is the law firm that established the framework for acquisition financing loan agreements and possesses extensive knowledge in the field." (Leveraged finance client)
"They are very professional and responsive. They care about the issuer and are always looking out for the issuer's best interests.” (Debt capital markets client)
"The transaction involved a tight timeline and required coordination across multiple stakeholders. Lee & Ko provided prompt, precise and commercially grounded legal advice that consistently aligned with the lenders’ interests. They proactively identified and addressed potential legal and regulatory risks, enabling us to proceed with confidence. Their ability to coordinate with the borrower’s counsel, the sponsor, and other parties helped minimize delays and ensured that the transaction remained on track.” (Leveraged finance client)
"In-depth understanding of business." (M&A client)
"Lee & Ko distinguishes itself from other law firms in Korea through its unique combination of legal acumen and deep industry knowledge. The team was ideally structured, bringing together experienced aviation and M&A lawyers to deliver exceptional service. This capability is evidenced by their successful handling of a wide range of matters, including M&A transactions, aviation-related regulations, and more. " (M&A client)
"Lee & Ko's M&A team has great expertise and excellence in considering and presenting even what clients do not think of. In particular, by utilizing the expertise derived from rich experience in SPA negotiations, they led the negotiation results in favour of the client. In addition, when we asked for advice on legal issues that needed review, they quickly provided answers, so there was no inconvenience in conducting the deal." (M&A client)
"The Lee & Ko team are quick and precise with a wide range of expertise, especially in Korean capital markets law. They do not hesitate to set up calls and meetings or to draft legal documents or e-mails for their clients and are the best at what they do." (Private equity client)
"Services: professional skill and prompt feedback. Offerings: reasonable and economical. Team, well prepared and organized. Expertise: project financing, energy and infrastructure, M&A, dispute resolution." (Project development client)
"Professionalism, attention to detail, understanding client's needs." (Project development client)
"Speed of service, value for money, strong reputation in franchising and competition in South Korea, one partner leading and coordinating the advice of many practice groups to make sure it is aligned." (Restructuring client)
"She is highly responsive, commercially minded, and always calm under pressure. She has a vast experience and deep understanding of acquisition finance and is quick to identify and explain complex legal issues in a way that is clear and actionable. Her ability to offer practical guidance – even at the preliminary or structuring stage of a deal – makes her an invaluable resource. She is also proactive in keeping us updated on deal progress and potential legal considerations, which helps our team manage internal expectations more effectively."
"Myoung Chul Kwak is a first-generation legal advisor in acquisition financing, with extensive knowledge and experience in the field."
"Myoung Chul Kwak has consistently demonstrated deep expertise and extensive experience in Korea’s acquisition finance market, having been involved in nearly all major transactions in recent years. Drawing on this background, Myoung Chul Kwak provided practical and insightful legal advice that enabled our transactions to move forward efficiently. Myoung Chul Kwak’s commercial understanding of the lender’s position and ability to articulate those interests clearly in negotiations have been particularly valuable. Myoung Chul Kwak's strategic guidance has helped us navigate legal complexities with clarity and confidence."
"He is communicative, quick and precise in his response and has an in-depth knowledge of the Korean capital markets laws and relevant cases. He is able to suggest creative solutions to complex cases."
"Good work in project financing, energy and infrastructure, M&A, business development management, risk mitigation, and communication."
"I was impressed by his professionalism and expertise demonstrated during the drafting of M&A transaction documents (e.g., SPA), as well as his logical reasoning in effectively supporting our positions during negotiations with the counterparty. Also, his strong client-centric mindset consistently helped us identify and consider aspects we had previously overlooked or not anticipated."
"Specialist knowledge of sector/industry, understanding client's needs, attention to details."
"Above all, he has a skill that comes from rich experience. He actively communicated with the client on all matters at the right time, helping the client to manage the deal smoothly. He actively helped clients make rational decisions by presenting common cases, general criteria, etc., when clients were having trouble making judgements. Leading the negotiations, he has brought favorable results to clients."
"She is a leader in the capital markets space amongst Korean firms in Korea. She is very responsible to clients and is good value for money. She is very proactive in protecting her client's interests."
"Responsive to our requests, takes the time to understand our business, strong knowledge of franchising laws."
