Sheppard Mullin Opens Seoul Office

SEOUL, KOREA and LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 15, 2012) - Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP announced today the opening of a Seoul office in the Mirae Asset CENTER. The new office, which is the firm's sixteenth location, opens following last month's Korean Bar Association registration of the firm's foreign legal consultant office in Seoul, the final regulatory step needed by the firm to open a Korean office. Sheppard Mullin is among the first three law firms in the United States and the European Union approved to open in Korea.

Partner Seth (Byoung Soo) Kim, previously based in Sheppard Mullin's New York and Los Angeles offices and chair of the firm's Korea practice, is the administrative partner of the Seoul office. Partners Gary Halling and Ken Carl will be integral members of the Korea team and will anchor the U.S.-side of the firm's practice from their offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, respectively.

"Today marks an important milestone for Sheppard Mullin. We are honored to be among the first firms approved and opening an office in Korea. Establishing a Seoul presence is a strategic step in growing and strengthening the firm's global footprint, especially in Asia. Many of our clients have Korean operations and it makes sense for us to establish a presence in Seoul to provide the support and guidance that our clients require," said Guy Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin. 

"I am excited to be back in Korea. I look forward to leading the Seoul office and working more closely with my Korean clients. Sheppard Mullin has long-standing ties with Korean clients and we are committed to those relationships and growing the new office. Initially the office will leverage the success of our finance, corporate, antitrust, IP and entertainment practices, and help us serve current and future clients," Kim commented. 

Sheppard Mullin's Korea-based clients include Samsung, Hyundai Motor, Korea Development Bank, Kookmin Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank and Shinhan Bank.

Kim is a member of Sheppard Mullin's Finance and Bankruptcy practice group. He specializes in commercial law, bankruptcy, bank regulatory matters, and bank acquisition transactions. Kim is a graduate of Seoul National University.

Halling is Sheppard Mullin's Antitrust and Trade Regulation practice group leader. He specializes in international antitrust and unfair competition matters, and has extensive experience in civil and criminal antitrust proceedings involving both federal and state enforcement agencies. Halling is a former Trial Attorney at the Department of Justice, Antitrust Division in Washington, D.C.

Carl is a member of the Finance and Bankruptcy practice group. He specializes in banking law and corporate finance, advising lenders and borrowers in financing transactions and bank clients in regulatory matters. Carl represents a number of major Korean and U.S. financial institutions and companies, including several S&P 500 members.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with close to 600 attorneys in 16 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions. In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100. For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.