Recent Developments

Lee & Ko has been selected as one of the “2024 Asia Top 15 ESG Law Firms" by Asian Legal Business for the second consecutive year.

This selection highlights the achievements of a one-stop, full service provided by the firm’s ESG Group, an integrated network of its ESG-related teams dedicated to Environment, Occupational Safety & Health, Compliance, Corporate, Labor, and more. It is noted that the Group has garnered positive reviews for its commitment to advancing ESG regulations in Korea, reflecting its efforts in participating in various government service projects to address legal and institutional shortcomings within the ESG framework and devise proactive measures to bolster support for the ESG industry. In recent years, unwavering endeavors to help enhance the global competitiveness of Korean companies have also been made by the Group, offering preemptive measures in response to anticipating full-fledge due diligence legislation on supply chains, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, on a global scale, as well as undertaking extensive ESG due diligence projects to analyze risks found in their business activities with human rights impact assessments, etc. and to identify areas for improvement. In addition, the Group has successfully represented companies in greenwashing investigations to safeguard their brand value and market trust, while remaining committed to addressing emergent negative connotations associated with greenwashing in society.
 
Asian Legal Business, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, publishes legal industry magazines for the Asia-Pacific region and selects the top 15 law firms in the ESG field in Asia based on experience, expertise, and evaluations from clients and peers.

Lee & Ko has been selected as the only Korean law firm on the "Asia’s Top 15 ESG Law Firms for 2023" by Asian Legal Business.

Lee & Ko has expanded and reorganized its ESG-related practices, which were previously conducted by its Corporate M&A, Finance, Environment, Occupational Safety and Health, Compliance and Labor & Employment teams, into a one-stop, full service team dedicated to ESG. With its extensive and in-depth advisory experience and expertise, the firm is committed to providing top-notch ESG consulting service and legal advice to its clients in their ESG management. In addition to advising numerous global companies on their structuring of ESG compliance systems that meet not only domestic laws but also international standards, the firm also supports the government and companies in every step to implement and advance their ESG systems by identifying the latest developments in ESG trends, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, and providing all-rounded advice to help them take proactive approaches in addressing various domestic and international ESG regulatory risks. In particular, Lee & Ko played a leading role in the successful issuance of EUR 1.5 billion (approx. KRW 2.38 trillion) worth of bonds by the Export-Import Bank of Korea, of which EUR 550 million worth of two-year floating rate notes (FRNs) were issued as green bonds designated exclusively for eco-friendly projects. Such contribution by Lee & Ko seems to have played a significant part in achieving this award.

Asian Legal Business, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters, publishes a legal magazine focused on the Asia-Pacific region. This year, for the first time, the magazine has selected the top 15 law firms in the ESG field in the Asia region, based on evaluations of experience, expertise, clients, and peers.