South Korea

Founded in 1977, Lee & Ko is a premier full-service law firm in Korea. With more than 880 professionals organized into 40 specialized teams, Lee & Ko is consistently ranked in the top tier in all of its leading practice areas by international publications. Lee & Ko’s foreign and domestic clients benefit from its incomparable breadth and depth of resources, experience and professionalism.

With more than 100 seasoned patent and trademark attorneys, Lee & Ko’s IP group delivers superior legal services focused on helping clients to navigate the complex legal landscape by providing practical and effective solutions. The IP group is dedicated to the protection, transfer, counselling and enforcement of IP rights. With unrivalled experience in advising and representing clients in cross-border patent/trademark disputes and IP prosecution, the IP group has a global reach and is consistently ranked in top-tier categories for intellectual property by numerous global law firm evaluators, including the Legal 500, Asialaw Profiles (Euromoney), Chambers & Partners, IAM, WTR, and Managing Intellectual Property.

Patent prosecution and patent office trials
The IP group assists clients in multiple industry sectors, including biotechnology, specialty chemicals, semiconductors, materials science, electronics, mechanical, pharmaceuticals, telecoms and computer software. The IP group’s patent attorneys have significant experience litigating before the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) in invalidity and scope confirmation actions and freedom-to-operate analysis. The breadth and scope of their experience allow the IP group’s patent attorneys to create robust patents by evaluating patent applications during preparation, filing and prosecution with a critical eye towards enforcement. The combined prosecution, transactional and litigation experience enables the IP group’s patent attorneys to ensure that clients develop valuable patent portfolios which offer the broadest protection while ensuring patent validity and enforceability.

Patent litigation, enforcement and dispute resolution
Success in any litigious matter can mean many things. However success is defined, the IP group produces results for its clients. The IP group understands that clients need a trial team with substantial technical and scientific knowledge, but also substantive knowledge of the law and the rules and procedures governing legal proceedings. Many of the IP group’s litigators have strong technology related backgrounds and skills which cover a wide range of technical fields. The IP group also includes litigators who were former judges specializing in IP law and IP cases while serving on the Supreme Court, the Patent Court or the Seoul High Court, as well as former examiners and administrative law judges from the KIPO. When criminal issues arise, the IP group works closely with attorneys in Lee & Ko’s white collar crime group who formerly served as public prosecutors. Complemented by insight received from senior lead litigators, many of whom have 20 to 30 years’ trial experience, and seasoned foreign legal counsels, the IP group is in a unique position to create an effective trial team that can provide comprehensive legal services framed by technical, strategic, judicial, administrative and international perspectives.

Patent development and counselling
The IP group assists clients in developing and deploying a portfolio of strategic IP assets. Beyond the knowledge of IP matters and underlying technology, the IP group is fully aware that a key component to the success of any client includes the strategic use and licensing of its IP portfolio. The IP group has unrivalled experience in negotiating licensing, distribution and joint venture agreements covering all areas of intellectual property. Besides licence negotiation and drafting, the IP group provides counselling for clients on licensing strategies, IP-related competition law issues and strategic product development and distribution.

Trademark prosecution and portfolio management
Lee & Ko offers strategic counselling, trademark prosecution and portfolio management services to clients around the world. Through its network of international law firms, Lee & Ko currently advises numerous multinational and Korean clients across various industries on trademark prosecution matters in more than 50 countries.

IPTAB practice
Lee & Ko has decades of trademark litigation experience before the Korean Intellectual Property Trial and Appeals Board (IPTAB) and has successfully represented multinational clients as part of its worldwide campaigns involving a series of IPTAB actions. Lee & Ko provides positive results but also coordinates legal strategy with other disputes pending around the world.

Comprehensive judicial enforcement of trademark and related rights
Lee & Ko’s trademark team provides comprehensive enforcement solutions by integrating its investigations, enforcement and regulatory teams. Experienced Lee & Ko attorneys in both civil and criminal litigation formulate the best enforcement strategies tailored to each client’s unique circumstances and needs. Lee & Ko’s team works closely with its criminal practice team to instigate criminal proceedings when appropriate and to gather evidence that may be used to later establish civil liability and support any damages claims. This approach is critical because there is no practical means of civil discovery in Korea. Lee & Ko’s attorneys based in Korea, China and Vietnam provide monitoring services on the production and distribution of infringing goods and counterfeits in these countries and other nearby regions. Lee & Ko’s Chinese and Vietnamese lawyers also provide legal expertise in the relevant local laws.

Customs and border management
Lee & Ko’s trademark team is experienced in pursuing customs and border protection measures when appropriate. These may be pursued along with civil and criminal litigation under the Trademark Act and the Unfair Competition Act. Numerous Lee & Ko professionals have extensive experience working with the Korean customs authorities and former high-ranking officials who provide invaluable insight on this issue.
Lee & Ko’s highest priority is to build lasting relationships with clients by being responsive to each client’s specific needs. The firm has a well-earned reputation for successfully handling landmark matters in many of the most important transactions and cases involving business both in Korea and worldwide. Lee & Ko’s fully integrated team of legal experts – with specialties including tax, fair trade law, antitrust and competition matters, criminal enforcement and defense, as well as corporate practice – is well-suited to protect clients’ trademarks, brands and worldwide reputations.

 

BKL is one of the very few Korean law firms providing fully-integrated IP legal services and has steadfastly maintained such tradition since the inception of our practice in the 1990s. Our IP practice consists of prosecution, litigation and transactions involving all areas of IP.

IP Litigation and Dispute Resolution:

With four prominent former judges specializing in IP on our team (Messrs. Taeck Soo Kwon, Myung Kyu Lee, Kijoong Kang and Junghi Park), BKL has one of the nation’s most renowned IP litigation/dispute resolution practices. Particularly strong in representing clients in the pharmaceutical and high-tech industries, the depth and prestige of our practitioners in this area has set us apart from other IP practices in Korea. Also included in this area is our trade secret practice which encompasses all aspects of litigation, investigation and legal compliance involving trade secrets, in both civil and criminal contexts. The key members of our trade secret practice team are Ms. Jihyun Kim and Mr. Tae Uk Kang, both of whom are also former judges.

IP Transactions:

BKL's IP transactions lawyers provide clients with deep and broad experience in negotiation of IP licence, due diligence, IP audits, and the development of IP portfolio strategies. Our transactional practice advises many of the market-leading companies in the entertainment & sports sectors in connection with IP licensing and technology transfers. Messrs. Mun Ki Nam, Tae Uk Kang and Ingi Min are partners specializing in IP transactions.

IP Prosecution:

As an integral part of our IP practice, our IP prosecution team has represented a number of multinational corporations from a wide range of technical fields, including engineering, electronics, manufacturing, and chemical/pharmaceutical/biomed. Collaboration between our patent prosecution attorneys and other BKL practice groups ensures provision of balanced and comprehensive legal services to our clients.

NAM IP Group is a Seoul-based intellectual property law firm recognized for delivering sophisticated, business-oriented advice to global innovators. Our 180+ professionals—patent and trademark attorneys, attorneys-at-law, patent engineers, technology consultants, linguists, and dedicated support teams—serve clients across semiconductors, electronics, AI/ICT, EVs and batteries, biotechnology/pharma, advanced materials, medical devices, and fashion boutique.

We combine deep local insight with international perspective. Many of our professionals have trained or worked in the US, the UK, Germany, Japan, and China, and we work daily in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese. Diversity and inclusion are integral to how we operate: we recruit globally, maintain gender-diverse teams and leadership, run mentoring and cross-cultural training, support flexible work, and apply merit-based advancement. These practices strengthen collaboration, responsiveness, and the practical solutions our clients receive.

Our services cover the full IP lifecycle—patent, trademark, and design prosecution; oppositions, invalidations, and litigation; FTO and portfolio strategy; licensing and transactions; trade secrets and enforcement; and regulatory interfaces such as Korea’s patent-linkage system. Quality and efficiency are powered by robust processes and technology, including ISO-driven workflows, data-driven concordance/consistency management, and a customized translation engine with expert and attorney review for accuracy and cost control.

Guided by our “PAVE the way for client success” ethos—prestigious, accessible, value-adding, and efficient—we provide seamless execution for inbound and outbound matters and a clear bridge to IP success in Korea.

The firm was established in 2002 by two senior attorneys who decided to leave a large firm environment to create a more focused, efficient and responsive practice. Based on the reputation and capabilities of the founding members, as well as the established trust and loyalty with their clients, the firm was immediately active representing multi-national clients. The firm’s clients are among the most recognized names and leaders in various business sectors, such as software and technology, retailing, luxury goods and fashion, energy, etc.

Since its establishment, the firm has continued to grow, a result of the firm’s uncompromising emphasis on maintaining its reputation for the highest level of service, professionalism and integrity. This philosophy and commitment has been essential in developing and servicing the firm’s prestigious list of clients, whose needs are sophisticated and whose matters have global impact.

The firm is proud of its approach of nurturing very close and personal relationships with its clients, the foundation of the firm’s ability to know its clients and thereby serve their needs more effectively and efficiently.

Intellectual Property Practice

The firm has a strong and diverse practice in all aspects of intellectual property. It is very active with both domestic and international prosecution practice for trademarks, as well as related disputes and administrative proceedings. Aside from prosecution matters, the firm and its members have become particularly well-known for its capabilities in the areas of litigation, anti-counterfeiting and internet related matters.

In the area of anti-counterfeiting and enforcement, the firm has developed a very strong reputation for its effective and creative programs in combating many difficult problems in Korea. The firm represents many brand owners and manages among the most active anti-counterfeiting and trademark enforcement programs in the country.

The firm is also very active with domain name disputes, successfully reclaiming domain name registrations from cyber-squatters for trademark owners. Mr. Tae-Yeon Cho has served on the executive committee for the Internet Address Domain Name Dispute Resolution Committee, the government body that administers Korean domain name disputes. Another member of the firm, Mr. Ik Hyun Seo, serves as a panelist for WIPO with respect to gTLD disputes.

Trusted Partner for Your Global IP Needs

Lee International is one of the most established and internationally recognised intellectual property law firms in Korea. Since our founding in 1961, we have built a strong reputation for delivering end-to-end IP services—spanning prosecution, litigation, enforcement, and transactions—with strategic insight and technical excellence.

Our key strengths include:

Deep Bench of Technical Experts
Our team comprises patent attorneys, former KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office) examiners, litigators, and in-house technical specialists with advanced degrees and industry backgrounds in engineering, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and industrial design.

Integrated Services Across the Full IP Lifecycle
From patent and trademark filing to portfolio management, dispute resolution, and cross-border brand protection, we provide tailored solutions throughout the entire IP value chain.

Global Client Focus
We represent Fortune 500 companies, innovative startups, and leading multinational brands. Our team is particularly experienced in handling complex, cross-jurisdictional matters and ensuring seamless coordination for clients with business interests in Korea and abroad.

Cost-Efficient, High-Quality Outcomes
Clients consistently rely on our ability to deliver business-driven results that are both practical and cost-effective, without compromising on legal or technical quality.

Proactive Monitoring and Enforcement
Leveraging in-house monitoring systems and our expertise in Korea’s Unfair Competition Prevention Act (UCPA), we identify and address potential infringement across sectors—including digital, e-commerce, and social media platforms—before they escalate.

At Lee International, we go beyond traditional IP representation. We are committed to enhancing the long-term value of our clients' intellectual property assets and empowering their growth through strategic, forward-thinking legal counsel. Our dedicated IP TechCenters ensure we stay at the forefront of innovation across sectors such as semiconductors, life sciences, mobility, and digital technologies..

Full-Service IP Powerhouse in Korea

Founded in 2002, MUHANN has established itself as a major IP firm, currently ranked among the best in Korea in terms of numbers of patent and trademark filings. We provide advice and services related to every major industry and all areas of IP law, including patents, utility models, trademarks, designs, trade secrets, unfair competition, domain names, and copyrights.

IP Professionals Offering a Deep Pool of Knowledge and Experience

MUHANN is one of the largest IP law firms in Korea. The firm has breadth and depth in terms of human resources. Our core professionals are each exceptionally talented and recognized as being among the best in his or her field. We have alumni of top universities, former in-house counsels from leading corporations, researchers, former examiners, and former Appeal Board judges. MUHANN boasts a level of capability that is widely acknowledged as ‘first class’.

Knowing the Industries and the Markets

Accumulated industry-specific knowledge and market insight enables us to more quickly and fully understand current needs and concerns and increases speed-to-market and agility. Professionals at the firm can help you understand the Korean industrial and regulatory environment, evolving Korean government policies, and the latest business trends, with respect to intellectual property.

One Step Ahead : Being Prepared Through Advance Planning

Advance planning is critical to maximizing value and minimizing liability for a business that owns or licenses patents, trademarks, copyrights and/or technology. Through preparedness and extensive experience, we are able to identify risk factors that too often are underestimated and work through or around them.

Global Capacity and Network

MUHANN handles complex legal projects spanning multiple jurisdictions for conglomerates, having established strong long-standing relationships with top firms and practitioners all over the world.

E. M. HWANG & PARTNERS is a premier intellectual property (IP) law firm in Korea with over 40 years of specialized experience in overseas IP applications and strategic IP consulting. Since its founding, the firm has built enduring relationships with leading clients, reflecting the trust and credibility earned through decades of dedicated service.

Annually, the firm manages approximately 2,000 IP cases encompassing patents, trademarks, designs, and copyrights. Over the years, E. M. HWANG & PARTNERS has handled more than 30,000 IP filings and portfolios. The firm also actively engages in resolving roughly 150 IP disputes each year, both domestically and internationally.

Our client base includes major Korean corporations such as Hyundai Motor Company, Nexen Tire Co., Ltd., POSCO International Corp., and SKC Corporation, alongside emerging innovators like Kleon Co., Ltd. and Retrobot Co., Ltd. This diverse clientele underscores our ability to serve various industries with tailored IP strategies.

We possess strong expertise in key sectors, including mechanics, electronics, artificial intelligence (AI), and chemistry. For instance, we are currently collaborating with Kleon Co., Ltd. on developing standard patents in advanced technological fields, highlighting our role in supporting innovation.

E. M. HWANG & PARTNERS has been recognized with the highest national rating (Grade A) for four consecutive years (2021-2024) in Trademark Dispute Response by the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KOIPA). Our leadership is internationally acknowledged as well; Vice President and Patent Attorney Sung-Pil Hwang was named among the world’s leading IP strategists by IAM in 2024.

The firm’s team comprises nearly 30 specialists across patent, trademark, and IP strategy departments. We maintain active memberships in global IP organizations such as AIPPI, APAA, INTA, PTMG, ECTA, and LES, ensuring we remain connected to international best practices and trends.

E. M. HWANG & PARTNERS continues to strengthen the global IP competitiveness of Korean companies through comprehensive, forward-looking intellectual property services.

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP is one of the world’s largest full-service IP firms. With offices in the United States, Asia and Europe, the firm practices European, German, UK, and US IP law. In addition to all aspects of patent, trademark, and copyright law, including counseling, prosecution, licensing, and litigation, Finnegan provides counseling and litigation services in advertising, privacy, and a wide spectrum of additional IP-adjacent commercial matters, including trade secrets, international trade, the Internet, e-commerce, government contracts, antitrust, and unfair competition. A comprehensive approach to clients’ IP needs and Finnegan’s mega-boutique size underpins its year-to-year, decade-to-decade preeminence in IP litigation and trials across all industries and tribunals.

With Finnegan’s practice centered on intellectual property, the firm can create economies of scale and focus all resources on providing the best tools and teams for clients. Approximately 300 of Finnegan’s legal professionals hold degrees in scientific disciplines (75+ hold PhDs), and the majority are also registered to practise before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), European Patent Office (EPO), the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA), the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO), or the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

With more than 60 years’ IP experience, Finnegan’s global IP enforcement, litigation, and trials practice is comprised of over 250 litigators, including career trial attorneys. The firm handles hundreds of cases and proceedings across all forms of US IP litigation, German patent litigation, and European patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret litigation in courts, including US district courts, the US International Trade Commission (ITC), the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the US Supreme Court, German regional civil courts, UK courts, and the Unified Patent Court. As one of the first firms to file a petition and subsequently argue a post-grant review of a covered business method case following the implementation of the America Invents Act, Finnegan is one of the busiest law firms representing petitioners and patent owners in patent office invalidity proceedings in the U.S. and Europe, including ex parte reexaminations, inter partes and post-grant reviews, nullity proceedings, oppositions, and third-party observations. The firm files approximately 2,500 US and 1,000 foreign patent applications annually.

Finnegan’s trademark practice, renowned for its experience, sophistication, creativity and depth, is comprehensive and follows the life of a mark from selection, clearance, prosecution and maintenance to portfolio management, trademark audits, licensing, watch disputes and litigation. The firm’s trademark clients include start-ups, small and medium-sized companies, as well as Fortune 100 companies. The range of industries represented includes sports and fitness, food and beverage, consumer products, mechanical, manufacturing, clean energy and renewables, entertainment, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, financial services, publishing, the Internet, software, computers and telecommunications, and automotive.

Surveys conducted by legal and business publications consistently rank Finnegan as one of the leading IP law practices in the world. The firm is ranked in the United States for litigation and non-contentious patent and trademark work by publications including Managing Intellectual Property and The Legal 500, which have ranked Finnegan as a top-tier firm in nearly every significant IP category for nearly two decades. The publications cite the firm’s winning record, technical expertise and deep bench of talent in all aspects of IP litigation, including trials, appeals and proceedings at global patent offices, and ITC investigations.

Representative engagements

•    Obtained a $240 million jury verdict for client Promptu in a patent infringement lawsuit against Comcast. The jury found that Comcast willfully infringed Promptu’s patents covering voice recognition technology for TV. 

•    Secured a significant victory for client US Synthetic Corporation (USS) with a precedential decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) overturning an unfavorable 35 U.S.C. § 101 eligibility ruling from the International Trade Commission (ITC).

•    Finnegan represents Subaru in multiple ongoing TTAB proceedings, including cancellations and oppositions.

•    Represented Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. and its licensor The University of Western Australia in patent litigation relating to nucleic acid therapies for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). A federal jury in the District of Delaware awarded Sarepta Therapeutics over $115 million in its patent infringement case against Nippon Shinyaku Co. Ltd. This substantial verdict upholds the validity of Sarepta’s groundbreaking exon-skipping treatment, and the underlying work at the University of Western Australia.

•    Oversees the comprehensive trademark and copyright portfolio for the EMMY and EMMY Award Statuettes on behalf of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, handling all aspects of prosecution and enforcement. This work includes negotiating and drafting license agreements with authorized statuette manufacturers and sponsors, collaborating with Customs and Border Protection to prevent unauthorized imports, conducting due diligence on potential international partners, and managing U.S. and foreign trademark applications, prosecution, and oppositions.

•    Managing the global prosecution of AstraZeneca’s portfolio for Beyfortus® (nirsevimab), the recently FDA-approved extended half-life monoclonal antibody (mAb) aiming to protect all infants entering their first RSV season, when they are at highest risk for severe RSV disease.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, SungAm Suh International Patent & Law Firm has firmly established itself as one of the most dedicated and hard-working intellectual property firms in South Korea. Founded in 1986, SungAm has built a prestigious reputation by combining decades of accumulated know-how with the vibrant energy of a growing, forward-thinking team. Today, the firm houses over 80 dedicated IP professionals and specialists, including highly experienced Korean Patent and Trademark Attorneys, U.S. Attorneys at Law, and former officials from the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). Bound by a philosophy of striving for the best outcomes based on deep client trust, SungAm provides comprehensive, world-class IP services tailored to startups, SMEs, and major global corporations.

CHAWON IP is a Seoul-based IP firm providing patent, trademark, design and IP strategy services. The firm has strong expertise in AI, robotics, mobility, cybersecurity, communications, cosmetics, biotechnology and chemicals, supporting clients in prosecution, valuation and commercialization.

Pine IP Firm is a premier Korean intellectual property law firm headquartered in Pangyo, the "Silicon Valley" of South Korea. We provide a full spectrum of IP services, including strategic patent and trademark prosecution, IP litigation, and portfolio management. Our firm excels at bridging the gap between cutting-edge innovation and complex legal frameworks, ensuring that our clients' intellectual assets are maximized and protected.

With a specialized focus on technology-driven sectors, Pine IP Firm represents a diverse portfolio of clients, ranging from high-growth startups to global market leaders. We are proud to act as a trusted IP partner for major corporations, including Kakao Bank (Fintech), Hyundai IFC (Heavy Industry/Materials), and Thermo Fisher Scientific (Biotech/Life Sciences). Our multidisciplinary team of patent attorneys combines deep technical expertise with legal acumen to deliver business-oriented solutions in an ever-evolving global market.

We are an IP Litigation powerhouse for technology, life sciences and health technology in patents, trade secrets and commercial litigation with unparalleled trial success at all levels at each forum and venue. Our approach integrates our practices to provide businesses with comprehensive intellectual property protections. Our litigation expertise and experience also gives us an edge in advising our clients on the likely outcomes of litigation, including in the context of corporate acquisitions and portfolio management. Our approach, which supports “small firm” key partner attention with the “large firm” resources ensures our clients receive effective and efficient representation at every stage of the case. We are committed to helping clients structure the most comprehensive and workable enforcement and defense for all aspects of their intellectual property. 

Bench and Jury Trials at the U.S. District Courts

• We have litigated and counseled on patent and trade secrets issues across a wide range of industries, including software, hardware, electronics, chemical processes, telecommunications, consumer goods, manufacturing, sales, financial services, and pharmaceuticals.
• We are also experts in §101 invalidity challenges with a near-perfect record in district court and the Federal Circuit, pursuing and obtaining attorneys’ fees, and obtaining wins in Federal Circuit appeals.
• We are experts in the nuances of life sciences patent litigation, including Hatch-Waxman Act and biosimilars patent litigation under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act, and the intersecting FDA regulatory regime in which these cases operate. 

PTAB Proceedings

• We have handled over 400 post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board, on behalf of both petitioners and patent owners across a wide range of industries.
• Our attorneys have been hailed as ones who can be “trust[ed] . . . with crown jewels, and have been described as “PTAB mastermind[s],” “PTAB trial guru[s],” knowing the PTAB “like the back of [their] hands,” and “understand[ing] all the rules and subtleties of IPR proceedings better than anyone I’ve ever worked with.”
• Our attorneys worked on the first ever PTAB proceeding on the technology side and also led the first ever successful defense of a pharmaceutical patent.

ITC Section 337 Investigations

• We represent both complainants and respondents, and have been at the forefront of recent cutting-edge decisions at the ITC. 
• We have served as counsel in more than 60 Section 337 Investigations, and have appeared before each of the Presiding Administrative Law Judges (ALJs), including multiple successes before Customs in ensuring our clients’ products are not excluded from the United States. 

International Arbitrations

• We represent clients in all aspects of litigation related to arbitration, including bringing and defending motions to compel arbitration, obtaining and opposing interim and protective measures in aid of arbitration, seeking and opposing recognition of arbitral awards, seeking and opposing the annulment of arbitral awards, and disputes over the taking of evidence in the US in aid of international arbitrations and foreign litigation.
• We regularly draft, advise, and teach courses on the drafting and interpretation of arbitration and forum-selection agreements in circumstances ranging from simple two-party deals to complex commercial transactions involving multiple parties, jurisdictions, and applicable laws. We recognize that each matter is unique and strive to meet our client’s objectives in the most cost-effective manner.

Supreme Court and Appellate Review

• We have top-notch appellate capabilities and can handle an IP litigation matter from start to finish. 
• Our lawyers are skilled in the art of written and oral advocacy, as well as in simplifying technical arguments for generalist Federal Circuit judges.
• We devote our practice to the craft of conceiving and presenting argument on complex, law-intensive issues, bringing to bear our many years of experience in areas of law that cut across traditional legal disciplines, such as constitutional interpretation, damages, procedure, and jurisdiction. 

The IP landscape is transforming with the rise of AI, and PI IP LAW is at the forefront.

PI IP LAW combines unparalleled expertise in AI patent prosecution with visionary implementation of AI technologies in legal practice.

Founded in 2013, our firm has established an outstanding reputation as Korea's pioneer in AI patent practice, backed by exceptional technical expertise and proven track records in representing cutting-edge technology startups across computer vision, smart factory solutions, AI-based drug development, VR/AR, and robotics. Our attorneys embody the spirit of AI envisionists, not only protecting clients' innovations but also championing the AI transformation of traditional IP legal work.
Many of our clients, including globally recognized AI startups backed by Samsung and NVIDIA, trust us to build and manage high-value IP portfolios that support their IPOs and global expansion. Our work extends beyond prosecution, offering strategic consulting, litigation, and IP commercialization. Through our IP Scale-Up and IP Build-Up programs, PI IP LAW has helped clients develop robust portfolios and achieve record valuations in M&A and IPOs.
Our expertise encompasses comprehensive IP Commerce solutions, including licensing, anti-counterfeiting, and border enforcement. As one of the first Korean firms to implement the trademark co-existence procedure, we have developed custom templates to guide clients through this innovative framework. Our international, multilingual team, with professionals from China, Latin America, and Korea, provides a truly global perspective and operates across a trusted network spanning over 120 countries.

First-tier IP Firm in Korea

FirstLaw P.C. is a law firm engaged primarily in the practice of IP law.  FirstLaw P.C. was founded in 1988, and since then has rapidly grown to become one of the leading IP law firms in Korea.  Throughout the span of three decades since its founding, the Firm has consistently enjoyed the reputation for its quality services as a top-tier IP firm in Korea.

FirstLaw’s practice encompasses all aspects of intellectual property, including patents, utility models, trademarks, designs, domain names, trade secrets, licensing, intellectual property portfolio development and management, and other related areas.

 

Talented and Dedicated Professionals

FirstLaw’s patent attorneys hold advanced degrees in various technical and scientific disciplines, such as computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biotechnology and chemistry.  By combining the depth of education and experience with up-to-date knowledge of jurisprudence, rules and procedures of various jurisdictions gained through the Firm’s long-term overseas education programs, FirstLaw’s attorneys provide clients with the most efficient IP prosecution services.

 

IP Protection Activities

In addition to IP prosecution activities, the Firm specializes in protecting the valuable IP rights of its clients.  FirstLaw’s attorneys formulate comprehensive enforcement programs, which seek to prevent infringement in the marketplace, as well as successfully prosecute and defend infringement actions when they arise.  They also develop domestic and global litigation strategies and coordinate multi-jurisdictional litigation in cooperation with outstanding lawyers in other countries with whom they have established cooperative relationships for many years. 

FirstLaw P.C. has also been actively involved in various IP-related transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, cooperative research and development agreements, consulting and employment agreements, non-disclosure agreements and licenses.

 

Chemical/Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Practice Group

Among the three (3) patent groups, the chemical/pharmaceutical/biotechnology practice group provides outstanding legal services by virtue of its members’ accumulated technical knowledge, information pooling and extensive practice experience in patent filing, prosecution, trial, litigation, licensing, and counseling in extensive chemistry-related areas encompassing organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, textile, agrochemical, food engineering, new materials, and semiconductor manufacturing processes and materials.

 

Electronics/IT Practice Group

The electronics/IT practice group concentrates on protecting the cutting-edge technologies of clients based on its diverse experience and in-depth knowledge.  Group members possess expertise and a broad range of experience in the fields of semiconductor devices, display systems, wired/wireless communications, computer hardware and software, electronic control systems, electronic components, nanotechnology, and online businesses, among others.

 

Mechanical Practice Group

The mechanical practice group meets the needs of clients in a wide variety of technology areas including general mechanics, automotive and aeronautical instruments, mechatronics, control devices, measurement instruments, medical equipment, and nuclear power generators, to name a few.

 

Trademark/Design Group

In the trademark/design group, attorneys assist clients in the strategic selection, application, registration, management and enforcement of trademark, design and domain name rights in a cost-effective manner.  They also help clients prevent third-party misappropriation of trademarks and names by opposing registration and seeking cancellations of existing registrations at the Korean Intellectual Property Office and before various national and regional patent and trademark offices under the Madrid Protocol.

 

Litigation Group

Lastly, the litigation group is proud to provide each client with customized, high-quality, and efficient legal services in a cost effective manner.  FirstLaw’s trial lawyers are armed with deep understanding of technology in various fields, in addition to legal experience and expertise.  The litigation group has been engaged in a number of major patent infringement actions and has been highly successful thanks to its dedicated and close working relationship with the clients. 

 

Last updated 28th August 2019

WE ARE AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW FIRM.
WE BELIEVE TECHNOLOGY & OUR IMAGINATION WILL MAKE A BETTER WORLD.
WE ARE HERE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

Our professionals also have industry experience with prestigious companies, universities, and research centers in Korea and overseas. Some have experience at KIPO as a former patent examiner. We seek to employ the most talented graduates who then undertake extensive in-house training and have a senior member act as a mentor.

Our goal is to continue to provide high quality solutions that are tailor-made for each client. Our litigation team also works closely with outside teams if we feel this is to our client’s advantage. By working with our clients we are able to help guide them along the path that they choose to achieve the results they are seeking

-Min Son, Ph.D. / Managing Partner

Kim & Chang's Intellectual Property (IP) Practice is the top rated IP specialized practice in Korea, and uniquely combines our recognized expertise in IP with the resources of Korea's leading general practice law firm. Our IP Practice boasts the deepest and most experienced roster of IP attorneys, patent attorneys, former Patent Court Judges, foreign attorneys, and technical specialists in Korea.
As one of the largest general practice law firms in Asia and with a wealth of knowledge gleaned from handling many of the most important IP cases in Korea over the past 50 years, Kim & Chang is able to offer comprehensive legal solutions for all your IP and IP related needs.

With over 450 professionals including IP litigators, patent attorneys and foreign IP attorneys, and over 600 patent engineers, trademark paralegals, and support staff, we cover the full scope of IP rights. Our patent professionals have specialized technical backgrounds in numerous fields, including biotech, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. Many of our professionals also have extensive experience as judges, prosecutors, or Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) examiners, and their experience and know-how is invaluable in obtaining positive results for our clients. We work closely with other practice groups within the firm, including general corporate law, mergers & acquisitions, competition law and customs, in order to advise our clients on any IP-related legal issue they may encounter in Korea.

The following is an exemplary list of services provided by the patent group:

• Patent infringement litigation and pre-assertion due diligence;
• IP Trial and Appeal Board litigation (invalidity and scope confirmation actions);
• IP arbitration (domestic and international);
• Antitrust and fair trade violations arising out of IP-related matters;
• Domestic patent prosecution (preparing, filing and prosecuting patent applications before KIPO);
• Foreign patent prosecution (preparing patent applications and preparing responses to office actions in foreign jurisdictions);
• Prior art searching (for litigation and licensing);
• Patent infringement and validity opinions;
• Freedom-to-operate opinions (for product clearance);
• Patentability opinions;
• Disputes arising out of patent agreements;
• Assignment of patent rights;
• Joint development, ownership and exploitation agreements;
• Patent and technology licensing;
• Patent portfolio development via indigenous innovation, patent acquisition or divestment projects;
• Employment contract disputes concerning patents;
• US litigation support, including pretrial discovery document review and deposition support (e.g., by attorneys admitted to US bars); and Patent Due diligence.

Yulchon is a full-service law firm headquartered in Seoul, Korea, advising on a full range of specialized practice areas, including corporate & finance, antitrust, tax, real estate & construction, dispute resolution, intellectual property & technology, and labor & employment. With more than 720 professionals, in addition to its main office in Seoul, Yulchon has six overseas offices in five jurisdictions and has 10 regional practice teams covering the world.

Yulchon was established in 1997 by a group of top legal professionals to create “a community of legal experts combining their talents,” the literal meaning of Yulchon. Since its founding, Yulchon has grown rapidly without any mergers or acquisitions, becoming an acknowledged market leader among Korea’s law firms. Today, Yulchon lawyers rank among the very top practitioners in the country and work together in multidisciplinary teams to provide the highest quality of legal services to its clients.

Furthermore, as Korea’s leading provider of pro bono legal services, Yulchon takes on matters in various areas of public interest law together with Onyul, a public interest affiliate Yulchon established in 2014. Our pro bono efforts include works related to non-profit organizations, community development, charitable fund-raising, tax litigation support, refugee assistance, and adult guardianship.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Yulchon is structured around seven major practice groups: Antitrust/Competition, Corporate & Finance, Tax, Dispute Resolution, Real Estate & Construction, Labor & Employment, and IP & Technology. Each group is recognized as leaders in their respective fields and consistently ranks among the best practices in Korea for their work on high-profile and landmark transactions. These groups are supplemented by a number of smaller practice teams focusing on specific industry, region or subject matter which has enabled our clients to benefit from the comprehensive breadth of a full-service law firm and the expertise and experience of a specialist practice. We constantly develop new practice teams to meet the needs of our clients in the ever changing business and regulatory environments. Our healthcare practice team, cyber security and privacy practice team, and internal investigations team are excellent examples. With extensive experience and influential government and regulatory resources, our attorneys and professionals are equipped and committed to provide unparalleled legal, strategic and business advice. Our success is grounded in our devotion to provide technical expertise and service capabilities at the highest level, supplemented by the industry know-how essential to achieve our clients’ business objectives. Furthermore, in cooperation with a network of reputable international law firms, we provide our clients, both domestic and foreign, with integrated and comprehensive services found only in preeminent international firms.

IP PRACTICE GROUP

The following qualities indicate that Yulchon’s IP & Technology practice is exceptional.

• Members: Our team is 100% devoted to IP, and it is populated by former judges, former KIPO administrative patent judges and patent examiners, former in-house counsel, and attorneys with technical degrees in various fields. We also have senior advisors who served as a congressman of the National Assembly and former data privacy officials.
• Excellent Track Record: We are happy to report that we built on last year’s successes by receiving favourable decisions in the district court and higher courts.
• Specialists in high stakes, contentious IP matters: We consistently serve as counsel for bet-the-company contentious matters and often obtain favourable rulings.
• Industry Sector Strengths: Yulchon’s IP Practice is at the forefront of key IP litigation and transactions, and we represent leading companies in virtually all industries, including: Healthcare, Semiconductor, Entertainment and E-commerce.

LEADING IP LAW FIRM IN KOREA

Y.P. Lee, Mock & Partners is an IP law firm providing a full range of services in all fields related to intellectual property. The firm consists of around 340 employees, including more than 170 IP attorneys and attorneys-at-law, working together to provide the firm’s full range of services to the full satisfaction of both domestic and overseas clients.

Y.P. Lee, Mock & Partners has been often referred to as the largest IP law firm in Korea, but this is only one of the many ways to describe our firm. We have always strived to provide quality services to our clients. Since our inception in 1985, we have evolved and grown in size, but our motto of “Best Service to the Full Satisfaction of the Clients” has remained the same.

Comments from our foreign clients such as “The applications prepared by your firm are better than any other ones from Korea” and “We have no reservation in recommending your services to our clients” are among the most honorable accolades we have received.

 

UNDERSTANDING CLIENTS

Y.P. Lee, Mock & Partners is dedicated to fully understanding the needs and concerns of our foreign clients, many being Fortune 500 companies. Providing a high quality prosecution service in order to obtain strong and effective IP protection for our foreign clients requires much more than simply overcoming language barriers. Our IP attorneys possess a wide range of legal expertise in various IP legal systems as well as in-depth knowledge of various technical fields, and they offer a dedicated service to meet the demanding challenges faced by each of our foreign clients.

 

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND NETWORK

Y.P. Lee, Mock & Partners annually handles around 7,100 overseas patent and trademark applications around the world through hundreds of our foreign associates. Our abundant experience of foreign prosecution and in-depth understanding of various foreign IP systems enable us to provide effective and reliable services to our numerous domestic and foreign clients.

 

FULL COVERAGE OF IP MATTERS

The spectrum of our service covers all aspects of intellectual property and technology. Our professionals’ knowledge and experience cover a wide range of technologies, such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, materials, chemistry, electrical engineering, mobile communications, nanotechnology, computer hardware and software, semiconductors, mechanical engineering, mechatronics, healthcare related technology, and so on. Highly experienced trademark attorneys also provide quality services for trademark cases.

In addition to our strong prosecution practice, for which we have been ranked as a top tier firm in Korea by several IP survey institutions, we are also active in technology and IP rights analysis, performing due diligence, IP consulting, licensing, IP portfolio management and more.

 

STRENTH IN IP DISPUTES

Y.P. Lee, Mock & Partners provides well reputed service in IP dispute matters. In collaboration with Yulchon, a top tier litigation firm that we formed a strategic alliance with in 2008, our litigation team has handled a number of high profile IP dispute cases, including Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics, in Korea.

 

OUR VISION

Members of Y.P. Lee, Mock & Partners share a unified vision and the same values. One of our principal objectives is to serve our clients by establishing stable, reliable, and long-term relationships. Another is to understand and anticipate our clients’ needs and interests and to continuously enhance our services to fully satisfy every need of our clients.

YOU ME Patent & Law Firm is a leading IP boutique firm in Gangnam, Seoul. Powered by an international
workforce of 230+ patent, trademark, and design attorneys, paralegals, and attorneys-at-law, we bridge the gap between IP prosecution and litigation to align the protection of client IP assets with coordinated strategies that maintain long-term value and support business growth.

We represent domestic and international clients ranging from household names in electronics and healthcare to SMEs, educational institutions, and individuals, all of whom trust us to protect their creations with maximum efficiency and long-term profitably. To date, we have protected client IP in over 135 jurisdictions, established a strong network of over 780 international associates, and remain committed to extending our legal footprint.

Our multidisciplinary team of patent attorneys and attorneys-at-law provides comprehensive pre- and -post-grant prosecution services. They draft complex specifications, translate applications fluidly across Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese, and secure proper IP documentation to build highly defensible portfolios. Beyond daily representation before the Ministry of Intellectual Property Office (MOIP) and Patent Courts in reissue, reexamination, validity, and opposition proceedings, they excel at mitigating early risk. Through meticulous planning and experience, they implement strategic maneuvers that minimize costs, optimize timelines, and meet client commercial needs.

Our trademark attorneys are experts in all areas of trademark, design, and copyright matters. They file and prosecute applications before the MOIP, while representing clients in opposition, invalidation, and cancellation proceedings. Supported by the firm’s attorneys-at-law, our professionals protect high-value assets ranging from software to works of art and literary creations, and initiate and defend high-stakes infringement suits through every level of the judiciary, including the Supreme Court.

By prioritizing the long-term global impact of new innovations, our firm is dedicated to protecting and preserving all client IP through creatively tailored legal and strategic mechanisms.