Hyungsoo Lee is a partner in the Corporate and M&A Practice Group. He serves as trusted counsel to leading Korean conglomerates and multinational corporations on high-stakes M&A transactions, corporate governance matters, complex cross-border investments, and international disputes.
Representative Matters
- [Mergers & Acquisitions]
- Advised a Singaporean company on the sale of a Korean semiconductor and LCD equipment manufacturing company
- Advised a French industrial gas company on the acquisition of a Korean industrial gas company
- Advised a Chinese company on the acquisition of a polarizing film business from a Korean company
- Advised a Swedish company on the acquisition of a Korean air compressor manufacturing company
- Advised a U.S. footwear and apparel manufacturing and distribution company on the establishment and operation of its Korean subsidiary and other general legal matters
- Advised a large-scale Korean materials company on the sale of equity in its Chinese subsidiary
- Advised an Austrian company on the sale of a Korean circuit board manufacturing company
- Advised a Swedish company on the acquisition of a Korean semiconductor equipment manufacturing company
- Advised a U.S. cloud computing service company on its equity investment in a Korean IT company
- Advised a U.S. power equipment manufacturer on the corporate restructuring of its Korean subsidiaries
- Advised a Belgian mineral company on the transfer of part of the business of its Korean subsidiary
- Advised a Swedish distribution company on the operation of its Korean subsidiary and other general legal matters
- Advised a German automotive parts company on the corporate restructuring of its Korean subsidiaries
- Advised a Korean chemical company on the acquisition of a high-performance polymer business from a French chemical company
- Advised a Korean copper foil manufacturing company on a Greenfield investment in Poland
- Advised a Swedish company on the acquisition of a semiconductor equipment business from a Korean company
- Advised a Singaporean company on the sale of a Korean car rental company
- Advised a French automotive parts company on the divestiture of its equity in a Korean joint venture
- Advised a Chinese company on the acquisition of a Korean healthcare company
- Advised a Korean separator manufacturing company on a Greenfield investment in Poland
- Advised a German solar inverter company on the transfer of the inverter business of its Korean subsidiary
- Advised a German IT company on the subscription of new shares in a Korean listed company
- Advised a Korean telecommunications company on the sale of its subsidiary
- Advised a German engine manufacturing company on the establishment of a Korean joint venture
- Advised a U.S. semiconductor equipment manufacturer on its corporate restructuring in Korea
- Advised a Chinese company on the acquisition of a Korean casino
- Advised a Korean chemical company on the acquisition of business operations, including plants located in the U.S. and Spain
- Advised a German company on the acquisition of a Korean construction equipment manufacturing company
- Advised a Korean chemical company on the acquisition of business operations, including plants located in the U.S.
- Advised a Finnish chemical company on the acquisition of a Korean chemical company
- Advised a Korean IT company on multiple transactions, including business acquisitions
- Advised a German automotive parts company on the divestiture of equity in a joint venture with a Korean automotive company and business transfer transactions
- Advised an Italian fashion company on the establishment of a Korean joint venture
- Advised a Spanish IT company on amendments to a joint venture agreement with a Korean airline, the establishment of a Korean subsidiary, and contracts related to the installation and operation of IT systems
- Advised a German pharmaceutical company on multiple transactions to acquire equity and business operations of Korean pharmaceutical companies
- Advised an Austrian machinery manufacturing company on the restructuring of its Korean subsidiaries
- Advised an Icelandic company on the restructuring of its Korean subsidiary and divestment of investment funds
- [Dispute Resolution]
- Represented a Korean nuclear power company on a dispute regarding construction defects with a French company
- Represented a German confectionery company on various disputes with its Korean distributor
- Represented a Korean power plant engineering company on construction disputes related to the Barakah nuclear power plant in the UAE
- Represented a U.S. pharmaceutical company on product liability disputes
- Represented a German reinsurer on various disputes regarding refund guarantees (RG)
- Represented a German beverage company on a trademark infringement dispute with a Korean company
- Represented a German semiconductor company on a patent infringement dispute with a Korean company
- Represented a U.S. chemical company on a damages case related to Agent Orange
- Represented a German airline on a damages case related to fuel surcharge price-fixing
- Represented a U.S. private equity fund on various disputes, including stock price manipulation and breach of professional duty, arising from the acquisition of a Korean bank and merger of a credit card company
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Education
| 2013 |
Wharton School (Business & Law Certificate) |
| 2013 |
University of Pennsylvania Law School - LL.M |
| 2006 |
Judicial Research & Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea |
| 2004 |
Korea University - LL.B |
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Work Experience
| 2018-Present |
Lee & Ko |
| 2006-2017 |
HMP Law |
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Admissions & Qualifications
| 2006 |
Admitted to the Korean Bar |
| 2014 |
Admitted to the New York State Bar |
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Awards & Recognitions
| 2024, 2025 |
Selected as ‘Stand-out Laywers’ by Thomson Reuters |
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Publications / Presentations / ETC
- “Public M&A South Korea” (Lexology Panoramic, 2024, 2025)
- “Public M&A South Korea” (Lexology Getting The Deal Through, 2023)
- “Corporate Governance and Directors’ Duties in South Korea”, (Practical Law, Thompson Reuter, 2017)
- “Doing Business in South Korea”, (Practical Law, Thomson Reuters, 2015)
- “Resolving Contract Disputes”, BUSAN – EU Forum, 2015
- “Pitfalls in Contracting with Shipyards”, ECCK Marine & Shipbuilding Committee, 2015
- “Drafting and Negotiating International Contracts in Korea”, Conference in Singapore for Cross-border Business Lawyers, 2014
- “Korean Corporate Governance: Recent Changes”, (International Financial Law Review, 2012)
- “Introduction of Personal Property Securities Legislation”, (International Financial Law Review, 2011)
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