KL PARTNERS

What KL PARTNERS does

KL Partners is a Seoul-based boutique law firm founded in November 2015 by former Shin & Kim (formerly Sejong) partners Kim Beomsu and Yi Seong Hoon. The firm specializes in international arbitration, investor-state disputes, and M&A/corporate advisory, serving Korean conglomerates (SK Telecom, GS Energy, Kumho Asiana), domestic and global private equity houses (Lone Star, Elliot, Mason Capital, TI Partners, VTI Partners), foreign multinationals operating in Korea (H&M, GEA, Cleanwrap), and the Korean government in cross-border disputes. It also fields adjacent practices in corporate and commercial litigation, tax (including transfer pricing and customs), labor law, criminal defense, administrative litigation, and commercial registration.

The firm operates a partner-led service model: senior partners engage directly from matter inception through closing, supported by a compact team of approximately 16 legal professionals including 4 partners, 8 associates, 2 foreign attorneys, 2 certified public accountants, and 1 certified labor attorney. Pricing is professional services-based — transaction-based or fixed fees for M&A, private equity, and arbitration mandates; hourly billing for ongoing advisory, litigation, and dispute work. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

The firm's strategic differentiator is its November 2023 joint venture with global law firm Baker McKenzie (Baker McKenzie KLP JV) — Korea's first US-Korea joint venture law firm, approved by the Ministry of Justice under Article 2 of the Foreign Legal Attorney Act. The JV combines KL Partners' domestic Korean law and international arbitration depth with Baker McKenzie's 70+ office global network, enabling co-representation on cross-border M&A, foreign-investor inbound mandates, and outbound Korean deals. KL Partners relocated its Seoul headquarters to INNO88 Tower in August 2025 to mark its 10th anniversary.

Name

KL PARTNERS

Legal name

법무법인 케이엘파트너스

Website

https://www.klpartners.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Seoul-based boutique law firm founded 2015, specializing in international arbitration, investor-state disputes, and M&A advisory for Korean conglomerates, PE funds, and foreign multinationals; operates Baker McKenzie KLP JV (Korea's first US-Korea joint venture law firm, launched Nov 2023).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards-Essential Patents (SEP) & FRAND Advisory (BPAHAMAL)

Keywords

• International arbitration services
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Corporate litigation
• Cross-border dispute resolution
• Tax and labor advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory and Dispute Resolution Services: KL Partners generates revenue through professional legal services billed on an hourly rate or transaction fee basis, depending on the nature of the engagement. M&A mandates, international arbitration, and corporate litigation are billed either as fixed fees for defined transactions or hourly rates for ongoing advisory and dispute work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KL Partners is a Seoul-based boutique law firm that provides partner-led cross-border legal services across civil and commercial litigation, M&A advisory and M&A-related litigation, administrative litigation, labor law, criminal defense, tax litigation and advisory, and commercial registration/foreign exchange. Its core focus areas are international arbitration (ICSID, ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, UNCITRAL, KCAB) and M&A transaction advisory for Korean conglomerates, private equity funds, and foreign multinationals.

Product overview

KL PARTNERS (법무법인 케이엘파트너스) is a boutique law firm established in November 2015, specializing in international arbitration, M&A, corporate advisory, and litigation services. The firm operates as a unified legal services practice with no modular product architecture. Its core offerings include civil and commercial litigation, M&A-related disputes, administrative litigation, labor law, criminal defense, tax litigation, and commercial registration services. In November 2023, KL Partners established a joint venture with global firm Baker McKenzie (Baker McKenzie & KL Partners Joint Venture Law Firm) to provide internationally-aligned legal services. The firm employs approximately 15+ legal professionals including attorneys, certified public accountants, and labor consultants serving domestic and international clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Baker McKenzie & KL Partners Joint Venture Law Firm: A joint venture between KL Partners and Baker McKenzie, established in October 2023 as Korea's first US-Korea joint law firm.

Products and services

• Civil and Commercial Legal Services (민사 및 상사) Comprehensive legal services covering civil and commercial disputes, including litigation, provisional measures, and enforcement proceedings across finance, construction/real estate, pharmaceutical/medical, rehabilitation/bankruptcy, intellectual property, and family law. For corporate clients and high-net-worth individuals.
• M&A Litigation (M&A 관련 소송) Specialized litigation services for hostile M&A situations, shareholder disputes, board resolutions, and disputes arising during M&A transactions. For corporations facing M&A-related conflicts.
• Administrative Litigation (행정소송) Legal services including cancellation lawsuits and invalidity confirmation against illegal administrative actions, administrative appeals and hearings, and provisional injunction proceedings. For clients challenging or defending government administrative actions.
• Labor Law Services (노동사건) Advisory and litigation services for employment disputes, handling cases through courts, Ministry of Employment and Labor complaints, and labor committee remedy applications. For employers managing Korean workforce compliance and disputes.
• Criminal Defense (형사사건) Criminal defense services for tax crimes, corporate crimes, and financial crimes, providing rapid assistance from initial investigation through trial proceedings. For corporate executives and companies facing white-collar criminal exposure.
• Tax Litigation (조세소송) Comprehensive tax legal services including corporate tax advisory, tax audit response, tax appeals and litigation, international tax, transfer pricing, customs, and trade law. For enterprises with cross-border tax exposure and tax controversies.
• Commercial Registration and Foreign Exchange (상업등기 & 외국환신고) Corporate secretarial services, commercial registration from establishment to liquidation, foreign investment notification, foreign exchange reporting, and merger filing services. For domestic and foreign companies establishing or operating entities in Korea.
• Baker McKenzie & KL Partners Joint Venture Law Firm Korea's first US-Korea joint venture law firm established in November 2023, combining Baker McKenzie's global network of 70+ offices with KL Partners' expertise in international arbitration and M&A. For Korean and international clients seeking cross-border legal services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully represented Korean government in landmark Lone Star investor-state dispute (ICSID arbitration)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Baker McKenzieflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023KL Partners entered into a joint venture with Baker McKenzie to establish 'Baker McKenzie & KL Partners Joint Venture Law Firm' (Baker McKenzie KLP JV) — Korea's first US-Korea joint venture law firm. The JV received regulatory approval from the Korean Ministry of Justice (October 2023) and officially launched in November 2023. The JV combines KL Partners' deep Korean market expertise and international arbitration capabilities with Baker McKenzie's global network of 70+ offices worldwide. It enables co-representation on cross-border transactions, with Baker McKenzie's clients gaining access to KL Partners' Korean law capabilities and KL Partners' clients benefiting from Baker McKenzie's global reach. The JV is co-represented by Beomsu Kim (KL Partners) and Won Lee (Baker McKenzie Korea Head).
• Yonsei University Law SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2018KL Partners signed an MOU with Yonsei University Law School for 'Law School Special Lecture Sponsorship.' The firm sponsors a semester-long series of at least 4 guest lectures by legal professionals, with Managing Partner Beomsu Kim and others serving as lecturers. This partnership supports talent development and positions the firm among top law school students.
• Thomson Reuters / LawnBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKL Partners co-hosted M&A seminars with Thomson Reuters LawnB platform. Partner Yi Seong Hoon delivered a 6-hour solo lecture on M&A transactions (June 2018) which was approved for mandatory continuing legal education credits by the Korean Bar Association. Approximately 120 participants attended. The seminar series was repeated in 2019 with approximately 120 participants.
• Korea Council for International Arbitration (KOCIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging Partner Beomsu Kim served as President of KOCIA (International Arbitration Practice Society) from 2018-2020. KL Partners maintains close ties with KOCIA for professional development, thought leadership, and arbitration training programs.
• Seoul International Dispute Resolution Agency (SIDRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging Partner Beomsu Kim served as a committee member of SIDRC (Seoul International Dispute Resolution Center) from 2013-2021, promoting Korea as an international arbitration hub.
• Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (KCAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaging Partner Beomsu Kim serves as an advisor/arbitrator at KCAB (Korean Commercial Arbitration Board) International Arbitration Committee. KL Partners handles KCAB arbitration cases for clients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Shin & Kim: Major Korean law firm where KL Partners' founders previously practiced for 16+ years. Directly comparable in M&A and dispute resolution practices and competes for the same Korean conglomerate and PE client base; both serve as feeder firms for senior talent to Korean boutiques.
• Linklaters: Global elite law firm with strong Korea cross-border M&A and capital markets practices. Competes with KL Partners for major cross-border transactions involving Korean targets, acquirers, and PE houses.
• Yulchon LLC: One of Korea's largest full-service firms with strong M&A, litigation, and arbitration practices. Competes with KL Partners on major Korean M&A deals and international arbitration mandates; multiple Yulchon alumni have moved to KL Partners (e.g., Lawrence Shim), reinforcing the talent overlap.
• Kim & Chang: Korea's largest and most established law firm with hundreds of attorneys across all major practice areas. Directly competes with KL Partners for M&A, dispute resolution, and arbitration mandates from Korean conglomerates and global clients, but offers a much broader full-service platform.
• Lee & Ko: One of Korea's top-tier full-service law firms with strong M&A, dispute resolution, and cross-border practices. Competes with KL Partners for major corporate and PE mandates and shares the Korean top-tier client base of conglomerates and financial institutions.

Direct peers

• Baker McKenzie (Korea): Global law firm and JV partner of KL Partners via the Baker McKenzie KLP JV established November 2023. While the firms are partners in Korea, Baker McKenzie's broader network competes for the same cross-border Korean mandates when the JV engagement structure does not apply.
• Herbert Smith Freehills: Global law firm with leading international arbitration practice and Asia-Pacific presence. Competes with KL Partners for cross-border arbitration mandates involving Korean parties and for inbound Korean M&A matters.
• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton: Global law firm with a strong international arbitration and cross-border M&A practice. Competes with KL Partners for Korean cross-border arbitration and sovereign-dispute mandates, particularly in ICSID and investor-state matters.
• Jipyong: Korean law firm with M&A, dispute resolution, and corporate practices comparable to KL Partners. Several attorneys (e.g., Jae Kyung Ahn) previously worked at Jipyong, indicating talent and practice-area overlap; both compete for Korean PE and conglomerate mandates.
• White & Case: Global law firm with leading international arbitration practice and significant Korea-related cross-border work. Directly competes with KL Partners for high-value international arbitration mandates involving Korean parties or Korean-market disputes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/klpartners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KL PARTNERS