Bae Kim & Lee Lawyer Reflects on Pioneering Legal Foundations and Commitment to Integrity

Former South Korean Minister of Justice Bae Myung-in, a co-founder of the leading full-service law firm Bae, Kim & Lee LLC (BKL), has died at the age of 93, according to reporting from Law.asia.

The managing partner of the firm stated that Bae laid the foundation for Bae, Kim & Lee by pioneering new areas at a time when the role of legal professionals was more limited than it is now and operated with a firm belief in the right path.

Founding and Evolution of BKL

Bae, Kim & Lee was established in 1980, beginning when founding partner In Sub Kim opened a law office in central Seoul. The organization underwent several structural changes in its first decade, reorganizing as a joint law office in 1986 and officially becoming a law firm in 1987.

The firm adopted the name Bae, Kim & Lee (BKL) in 1995 and relocated its offices to the Gangnam district in southern Seoul in 1998. By 2000, BKL had established a full-service platform to broaden its legal capabilities.

In 2007, BKL became the first law firm in South Korea to change its legal structure to a limited liability company. The firm also integrated public interest initiatives into its business model, establishing an internal Pro Bono Committee in 2001 and later founding Dongcheon, a public interest foundation dedicated to pro bono work, in 2009.

International Expansion and Market Presence

Under the foundation laid by its co-founders, BKL expanded its operations beyond the Korean market to serve international clients. The firm opened its first overseas office in Beijing in 2004.

Further global expansion occurred in 2015, when BKL became the first major Korean law firm to open an office in Dubai. During the same year, the firm opened additional offices in Hong Kong, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

The firm continued its international growth by opening a Singapore office in 2021. Domestically, BKL expanded into the hub of start-up and venture activities by opening an office in Pangyo in 2018 and moved its primary offices back to central Seoul in 2020.

Recent Recognition and Strategic Growth

BKL has maintained a position as one of Korea’s most innovative national law firms, a designation awarded by the International Financial Law Review. The firm’s commitment to professional development is reflected in its recognition by Asian Legal Business (ALB), which named BKL the Employer of Choice 2025 for the 17th consecutive year.

In the 2025 ALB Korea Law Awards, the firm was recognized as both the Maritime Law Firm of the Year and the International Arbitration Firm of the Year.

To strengthen these practices, BKL has recruited high-level international talent. The firm added Chris Mainwaring-Taylor, a former partner at Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman) with over 23 years of experience in London, Paris, Dubai, and Singapore, to its International Arbitration Group. BKL hired senior U.S. Attorney David Pyun from Kim & Chang to enhance its real estate practice, focusing specifically on cross-border investment and development deals.

The firm continues to engage with emerging financial technologies and regulatory frameworks. BKL recently hosted an AMCHAM Korea seminar regarding stablecoins and the future of financial markets, discussing the implications of Phase 2 digital asset legislation in Korea.