Senior Foreign Attorney
Je Won LEE
Capital Markets
Expertise
Recently reviewed Professionals
As a senior foreign attorney in the Securities & Capital Markets Group, Je Won Lee’s practice is focused on private equity funds and collective investment. Having extensive experience in advising clients and handling the full range of compliance and management issues relating to private equity funds and collective investment activities, he is regarded as a leading expert in this field and has advised clients in relation to the establishment of numerous private equity funds, including the very first private equity fund in Korea. Also being one of the founding attorneys of the Cryptocurrency & ICO Practice Group, Mr. Lee has extensive experience in the ICO area.
Mr. Lee is also highly regarded for his expertise in the areas of venture capital, securities regulations, and compliance issues relating to financial institutions, foreign direct investments, corporate workouts, and M&As.
Mr. Lee is also highly regarded for his expertise in the areas of venture capital, securities regulations, and compliance issues relating to financial institutions, foreign direct investments, corporate workouts, and M&As.
Representative Cases
- Glenwood Credit’s acquisition of Hanwha Advanced Materials
- STIC Investment and Eugene Private Equity’s investment into PT Bank KB Bukopin
- Transfer of convertible bonds issued by ENCHEM of five PEFs
- The following is a representative list of major transactions in which Mr. Lee has played a key role as legal advisor:
- Advice to numerous private equity companies in regard to the establishment and/or registration of private equity funds in Korea, including (among others): KoFC-SKS Shared Growth No. 3 Private Equity Fund; STIC Korea Integrated-Technologies New Growth Engine Private Equity Fund; IBK-AUCTUS Green Growth Private Equity Fund; KDB Value Private Equity Fund 1; Global Bio Development Private Equity Fund 1; Woori Private Equity Fund; and IMM RoseGold III Private Equity Fund.
- Advice to the Macquarie Group in relation to its establishment of Macquarie Korea Opportunities Fund (“MKOF”) and MKOF’s subsequent investment in SK E&S Co., Ltd. and participation in the underwriting of stock and CB issuances by Hanjin Pacific Corporation and Total Terminal Investment (relating to a port operation business spin-off from Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd.).
- Advice to KB-Glenwood Private Equity Fund in connection with the acquisition of Powernet Technologies Corporation, marking the first time a Korean private equity fund acquired control of a company in the process of reorganization.
- Advice to the Korea Land Corporation in connection with the establishment of a rental homes fund and related amendments to relevant Korean laws and regulations.
- Advice to Shinhan Asset Management Inc. in connection with the establishment of the first mezzanine fund in Korea.
- Advice to Shinhan Asset Management Inc. in connection with the establishment of the first senior loan fund in Korea.
- Advice regarding the establishment of the first Korea Venture Fund in Korea.
- Advice in connection with the establishment of EQP Posco Global No. 1 Natural Resources PEF and the acquisition of shares in ArcelorMittal Mines Canada.
- Advice to the 'KDB Value PEF 6' fund in connection with the acquisition of Daewoo E&C.
- Advice to STIC Investment in connection with investments in Posco Energy by STIC managed PEFs, as well as advice in connection with the acquisition of Innocean shares by STIC Secondary Private Equity Fund III.
- Advice to NH-Glenwood PEF in connection with the acquisition of Tongyang Magic Inc. & subsequent Sale of Tongyang Magic Inc. by NH-Glenwood PEF.
- Advice to Hankook Tire in connection with its acquisition of Halla Visteon.
- Advice to numerous foreign and domestic companies in regard to Initial Coin Offerings, including to the Fantom Foundation for the issuance of Fantom Coin, to Hanbitsoft for the issuance of Bryllite Token, to Beyond for the issuance of Energis Token, to Caspian Ltd. for the issuance of CSP Token.
Education
| 2003 | Indiana University School of Law Completed SJD Course Work. |
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| 1997 | Seoul National University Graduate School of Law - Ph.D. |
| 1996 | Harvard Law School - LL.M. |
| 1990 | Seoul National University Graduate School of Law - LL.M. |
| 1988 | Seoul National University College of Law - LL.B. |
Work Experience
| 1997-Present | Lee & Ko |
|---|---|
| 2003-2004 | White &Case LLP (New York Office) |
| 2007-Present | Member of Alternative Investment Committee, National Pension Service |
| 2007-Present | Member of Foreign Investment Committee, National Pension Service |
| 2016-Present | Member of Alternative Investment Committee, Public Officials Benefit Association |
Languages
| Korean and English |
Awards and Recognitions
| 2008~ | Selected as a Leading Lawyer in the practice area of “Capital Markets “ by AsiaLaw Official commendation from the Minister of Strategy and Finance of Korea |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Selected as a Notable practitioner in the practice area of 'Corporate and M&A, Investment funds' by IFLR1000 |
Publications / Presentations / ETC
- 'Research on International Protection of Trademark Rights' Seoul National University LL.M. Thesis (1990)
- Young-Il Yoo and Je Won Lee, 'Protection of Minority Shareholders in Stock-Limited Companies,' published in Ulsan University Social Science Journal, Vol. 5, Issue 1 (1995)
- Je Won Lee, 'Commentary on Small-and-Medium Sized Enterprise Cooperative Associations Act' in Jeok-in Hwang and Gi-bu Yeom (Eds.) Treatise on Cooperative Associations Act (1995),
- Je Won Lee, 'Conflicts of Interest Among Shareholders in Publicly Held Companies in Korea,' Harvard Law School LL.M. Thesis (1996)
- Je Won Lee, 'Bailee Liability' in Gi-won Choi (Ed.), Research on Commercial Act Court Precedents (1996)
- Je Won Lee, 'General Shareholder Resolutions and Major Asset Transfers' in Legal Research, Vol 4 (1997)
- Je Won Lee, 'Legal Research Concerning the Role of Institutional Investors in Relation to the Managerial Structure of Large Enterprises' Seoul National University J.D. Thesis (1997)
- Je Won Lee, 'Check Discounting and Check Lending' in Legal Research, Vol. 5 (1998)
- Je Won Lee, 'Role of International Investors in Relation to Publicly Listed Companies' in commercial Law Research, Vol. 17, Issue 1 (1998).
- Je Won Lee, 'Examination of Laws Concerning the Exercise of Share Voting Rights by Institutional Investors' in Listed Companies Association (2000)
- Je Won Lee, 'The Legal Nature of Debt-Equity Swaps' in Securities Law Research, Vol. 1, Issue 1 (2000)
- 'Private Equity and Venture Capital', The IFLR Guide to Korea, (2002)
- 'Public and Private Securities Offerings in Korea: An Overview of Public and Private Offering Classification Rules and Related Regulation Statement and Other Requirements,' Journal of Korean Law Vol.2 No.1, (2002)
- 'Financial Institutions Warm to Private Equity', International Financial Law Review, (2005)
- 'To Do or Not to Do - A Question for a PEF Manager', Asian Legal Business Issue 6.9, (2006)
- 'A Myriad of Opportunities (Korean Investment Funds)', A Special IFLR Supplement,(2007)
- 'Korean Real Estate Investment Funds Investing Abroad', AsiaLaw Korea Review, (2007)
- 'Private Equity Funds: Marketing and Regulatory Issues,' Korean Business Law: The Legal Landscape and Beyond, (2010)
- Je Won Lee & Jungwhan Lee, 'Freedom to Grow (Korean Real Estate)', International Financial Law Review, (2011)
- Co-author (with Mark B Rolfson) of South Korea chapter in Willem J. Calkoen (Gen. Ed.), Securities World, Third Edition, The European Lawyer Publications Ltd, (2011)
- Je Won Lee et al., 'Hedge Fund Interests and Investment Strategies' Treatise, Published by Korea Financial Research Institute (2012)
- Je Won Lee, 'Restrictions on Option Investments by Private Equity Funds' in BFL, Issue 63, Published by Seoul National University Financial Law Center (2014)
- Je Won Lee, 'Mechanism for Protection of Principal and Recovery of Funds in Relation to Minority Shareholding Investments' in BFL, Issue 67, Published by Seoul National University Financial Law Center (2014)
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