McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP (MLA) announced today that it received all approvals from Korea’s Ministry of Justice to open a foreign legal consultant office in Seoul, South Korea. The U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement – which represents significant opportunities for U.S. and Korean companies to increase trade between the countries – provides for a staged opening of Korea’s legal services market to U.S. law firms.
“McKenna Long & Aldridge has assisted many U.S. and Korean companies and governmental entities in every stage of trade and investment undertakings and dispute resolutions,” said Jeff Haidet, MLA Chairman. In addition to the firm’s long standing representation of Korean companies for U.S. intellectual property matters, an increasing number of MLA clients are expanding operations or otherwise doing business in Korea, particularly in the area of government contracts. “The opening of an office in Korea is a natural evolution for the firm to expand our capabilities in order to meet clients’ needs. We understand the Korean market and have more than 50 years of experience in government contracts and regulatory matters that are part of many complex international commercial transactions. We’re looking forward to leveraging new opportunities for our clients throughout the United States and Korea,” Mr. Haidet added.
MLA has successfully worked with Korean clients on a wide range of matters from intellectual property to products liability litigation, government affairs and government contracts. The firm’s government contracts practice – the first and largest in the U.S. – along with its nationally-recognized government affairs and corporate practices, will provide experienced counsel to both U.S. and Korean clients, which is central to the firm’s full commitment to, and investment in, its clients.
“As a firm, we are highly experienced with the legal, business and cultural practices in Korea,” said Song Jung, MLA Intellectual Property and Technology Practice Chair and a member of the board of directors of The Korea Society. “Our established relationships with leading Korean companies as well as our ties to the Korean business community create vast opportunities for U.S. and Korean businesses seeking to take full advantage of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement,” added Mr. Jung.
The firm’s Seoul office is managed by MLA partner Andrew Park, who is based in Seoul. Mr. Park’s practice is focused on representing multi-national corporations in cross-border transactions, as well as U.S. and Korean clients on intellectual property matters.). He is active with the two largest and most prominent organizations in Korea who represent Korean businesses, as well as with both the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM).
Prior to joining the firm in Washington, DC, Mr. Park practiced as a foreign legal consultant with the largest law firm in Korea for seven years. He previously served as chair of the AMCHAM Intellectual Property Rights Committee and was active in counseling the commercial section of the U.S. Embassy in Korea on intellectual property issues and other matters. Mr. Park is also an arbitrator with the World Intellectual Property Organization.
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