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EU law firms now able to set up joint ventures in South Korea

July 1, 2016 - 10:48 By Korea Herald
[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s legal consultation market is now fully open to European law firms, with the third stage of related clauses of the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement taking effect on July 1.

As such, European law firms are now able to set up joint ventures with Korean law firms. A JV law firm can hire Korean lawyers and provide consultations on Korean law. 

Lawyers offices in southern Seoul. The Investor (Park Hyun-koo)


In anticipation of the changes, the National Assembly passed the revised Foreign Legal Consultant Act in February, but included a number of limiting clauses.

According to the revised act, a JV can only be established by the headquarters of Korean and foreign law firms. In addition foreign law firms’ stake in a Korea-based joint venture is limited to 49 percent.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)