Yulchon law firm news

Covington & Burling has hired experienced life sciences lawyer Shaoyu Chen to be managing director of the firm’s food and drug practice in China.

Korean law firm Yulchon will launch its first Chinese office in Beijing later this month in response to increasing Sino-Korean cross-border transactions.

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Tier-one Malaysian firms Wong & Partners and Shook Lin & Bok have clinched one of the biggest Malaysian merger & acquisition deals this year – the 30% stake acquisition in Hong Leong Assurance Berhad. The deal makes Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance (MSI) the second largest general insurer in the country.

Nishimura & Asahi, the largest of Japan’s “Big Four” law firms, has launched its first representative office in Southeast Asia. The new office in Ho Chi Minh will be the firm’s second overseas venture, after its first international office was launched in Beijing only three months ago.

Korean law firms Lee & Ko and Shin & Kim have both been awarded advisory roles on the landmark privatisation of Woori Finance Holdings (WFH), the country’s largest bank, fending off eight other law firms including Kim & Chang, Bae Kim & Lee and Yulchon to win the mandate.

South Korea's Hanwha Chemicals has recently purchased a 50% stake in Solarfun Power Holdings or US$370m. The deal marks the latest attempt by Hanwha's parent, Hanwha Group, to raise its profile in China through acquisitions and public offerings.

Clifford Chance, Latham & Watkins and Allen & Overy have all landed mandates on Thai Union Frozen’s (TUF) US$903m acquisition of MWBrands, the French parent company of canned tuna producer John West.

Korean law firm Yulchon is advising Seoul-based Honam Petrochemical Corp on its US$1.27bn acquisition bid for a controlling stake in Malaysia’s largest petrochemical maker– Titan Chemicals Corp– one of Korea’s biggest M&A deals this year.

Korean firm Shin & Kim has opened another office in China four years after its debut in Beijing. In addition, the firm has merged with real estate firm Evergreen Law Group.

Yulchon has made up the largest number of associates to partner since launching in 1997.

Thirty foreign lawyers in Korea have been signed up to help the Korean Bar Association improve and update the country’s judicial reporting, publishing and technological systems to international standards.

Asia’s law firms are increasingly offering flexible working arrangements such as adjustable working hours and options to work from home – even allowances to go to the gym

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Kim & Chang has boosted its competition practice by hiring a former chief at the country’s competition watchdog, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KTFC).

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Korean firm Yulchon has strengthened its antitrust practice by hiring a former official from the country’s chief antitrust watchdog, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC)

Demand for lawyers specialising in international arbitration and antitrust matters in Korea is likely to increase as the legal market opens up to foreign firms and international arbitration gains more ground in the country.

Korean firm Kim & Chang has made two major appointments in just over one month, hiring Yulchon partner Dr Youngjin Jung and former patent judge Hoe Kee Lee.