Herbert Smith Freehills LLP announced today the official opening of its Seoul office. The office opens for business today, 15 April 2013.
The world’s 12th largest economy and the 4th largest economy in Asia, South Korea is an investment market with significant potential globally. Free trade agreements with two of its main trading partners—the US and the EU—recently came into force. These provide for broad and deep liberalisation of trade in goods and services, including legal services, and permit US and EU law firms to open offices in South Korea for the first time.
Herbert Smith Freehills is already an established adviser to a number of Korean corporates on international transactions, projects and disputes in Australia, the Middle East, Africa and other territories. Establishing an office in Seoul is a significant step for the firm, enhancing its offering to Korean clients and driving further expansion in the region and around the network.
The Seoul office will primarily focus on outbound work: M&A, anti-trust, projects and disputes, in the energy, natural resources, infrastructure and technology sectors. The office opens with two partners, three associates, a paralegal and two business services members of staff. It will be headed by disputes partner Tony Dymond and corporate partner Lewis McDonald, who are relocating to Seoul from London and Singapore respectively. They will be joined by associates Tom Marshall, Tom Walsh and Dana Kim and paralegal Hyunsoo Kim.
The office will be situated in Centre 1 Building 67 Suha-dong, Jung-gu Seoul 100-210 Korea.
Jonathan Scott, Herbert Smith Freehills’ senior partner commented:
“Our office opening in Seoul is one of the key synergy projects for our newly merged firm. As an international law firm with the largest integrated Asia Pacific presence and capability, Herbert Smith Freehills is perfectly placed to assist South Korean clients on their international expansion activities. We have long-standing experience in advising clients on outbound investments in a range of jurisdictions, including the more difficult territories and emerging markets, and look forward to offering our expertise to our clients in South Korea. I would like to thank Tony and Lewis and the rest of the team for signing up to launch the new office and wish them every success in Seoul.”
Tony Dymond said:
“South Korea is an extraordinarily dynamic place, both commercially and culturally. I feel hugely privileged to be a part of such an enthusiastic and talented team opening an office in a jurisdiction so full of potential. That we are able to do so is a testament to the hard work of a group of people in the firm who, over a number of years, have built relationships with Korean corporates, state owned enterprises and law firms. It has been made possible by those who are navigating the novel regulatory terrain of the Korean market, and by the teams delivering the top quality business services on which we and our clients will be relying.”
Lewis McDonald said:
“I’m very excited to be moving to Seoul and to be given the chance to be part of the team launching a new office there. Although it is a new market for international firms, we already have a significant practice advising Korean clients on outbound energy and natural resources deals in Australia, the Middle East and elsewhere. We’ll be looking to build on that and to link up Korean clients with our practices around the network.”
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