How to Get a Job at a Korean Law Firm
by Brendon Carr
As one of the longer-serving and more, shall we say, “available” foreign lawyers in town (that is to say, my number is published and I always make time for potential future colleagues), I am contacted from time to time by law students and lawyers interested in working as a foreign legal consultant in a Korean law firm. My server logs here on Korea Law Blog show this is a very popular inquiry as well.
Since your friend Brendon is as helpful as he is handsome, here are some tips on how to get a job in Korean law firm:
Speak, Read, and Write Korean. Law is a language-based profession; it’s all about finding answers and communicating those answers to clients. If you can’t speak, read, and write Korean—at some level of professional capability—you will be a cripple in a Korean law firm, dependent on others to do what is, in all frankness, your work. So if you don’t have some capability with Korean, and a commitment to improve, my advice is forget it. When I was a more junior lawyer I found this type of advice (from Sally Harpole, about working in China, where my DLI Chinese would need a year to get to professional-level) too harsh, but now that I’m in my 11th year doing this I know it’s for the best.
I speak, read, and write Korean. When a colleague drops off a court precedent, or an extract from some regulation or statute, I am able to independently read and understand it. While I’m not completely fluent as a speaker, I am a fluent listener (I used to be a spy); Korean lawyers can discuss matters in their own language. This makes the colleague’s life easier, and makes me more valuable to the colleague, the firm, and the client—and, therefore, ultimately more valuable to my family. There’s a danger to knowing too much Korean, at the junior level especially, and that is it increases the possibility of getting stuck with translation work.
If you don’t know Korean now, there are university-level institutes which promise to make you fluent within 12-18 months of intensive study. Some law students and recent graduates have enrolled at these institutes, and concurrently worked part-time at a law firm. (There was a really, really attractive Japanese-American girl doing that at CJ International, one of the predecessor firms to Barun Law.) The institute classes typically run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. daily; if you eat kimbap every day in the taxi on your way to work, you might be able to talk some firm into a 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 or 10:00 p.m. “part-time” schedule. I don’t know how you’d study on that schedule, but it’s your problem anyway. Good luck.
Be Korean. Let’s face it, Korean law firms and Korean lawyers are as nationalistic as any other aspect of Korean society. They are far more welcoming to ethnic Korean compatriots than to foreigners. There are three law firms which have historically been able to accommodate more than a single, token foreign face: Kim & Chang, Hwang Mok Park, and Kim Shin & Yu. Kim Shin & Yu broke apart and its parts went different ways; if you’re not Korean, your best bet is probably with Tom Pinansky, whose Kim Shin & Yu rump group joined Barun Law. Yulchon these days has four non-Korean attorneys, but that seems to be a late development.
For many of you, it’s too late to arrange to be Korean. You chose the wrong parents. There’s nothing you can do about it now. Just be aware that the Korean law firms would much rather hire an ethnic Korean over you.
Go Large. It pains me to say this, as I have worked in the small-firm environment as well as the large-firm environment. The larger Korean firms get the best work—work more likely to need the services of a foreign lawyer. Additionally, the smaller firms tend to be completely dominated by a single lawyer, who may very well be a sociopath. In a larger firm, you can work around a sociopath. But if the sociopath controls everything (i.e., is “the owner"), look out. In my opinion, because it’s hard for someone new in town to know who’s an insane, abusive S.O.B. and who isn’t (Ted Bundy sure seemed nice to those co-eds he picked up and subsequently murdered), small Korean law firms are to be avoided by any new lawyers. I would define a “small firm” as any place with fewer than 20 lawyers, by the way.
At the very least, do your due diligence carefully before accepting any job. Find out who will be your supervising partner. We all know who the sociopaths are, as well as the useless turkeys. If you ask a Korean, they will damn with faint praise and you’ll have to parse every word to find out if the praise is genuine or a coded warning. If you ask me, I’ll tell you straight up whatever it is that I know about any law firm or a particular lawyer within that firm. Don’t be shy. Ask and I’ll tell you.
Come in Person. You can’t do this by remote control in most cases. Get a plane ticket, come to Seoul, and wear out some shoe leather. Yes, if your Dad used to be the President or something you probably can do this by remote control. But for the rest of us (damn you again, Father!), it’s harder to get rejected if they know you as a person. Plus, circumstances change very rapidly. There are many, many lawyers I know who got their start in Korea because they scheduled an “informational interview” with a law firm after being told “Sorry, we’re not hiring”—and surprisingly received an offer over soup!
Use Your Alumni Networks. Koreans are incredible social networkers, but unlike Westerners their core networks are generally set in stone by affiliation with their university. This makes the alumni network so much more important here. So look for your law school or undergraduate school’s alumni in Seoul. Find their group meetings, and go. The people in that group will be able to open doors for you, and will introduce you to others in the network. When I worked at Shin & Kim, for example, I found that six of the then-58 lawyers in the firm were graduates of the University of Washington School of Law’s LL.M. course. At the very least, they will give you good advice—Sally Harpole is a 1978 graduate of the University of Washington School of Law and I’m glad for her advice.
Be Polite & Persistent. Finding a law job requires a confluence of several factors breaking your way all at the same time. You have to be the right person (you are!), contacting the right law firm, at the exact moment they have a need. Or your Dad needs to have been the President. For most of us, though (damn you, Father!), you need to be polite and persistent. I worked for two years as an associate at Shin & Kim (where I had a great experience). But it took me three tries to get an offer. When I was a law student, they weren’t interested in offering me a summer job (I think I had the wrong expectation about summer-clerk pay). When I graduated U Dub, Shin & Kim didn’t want to make an offer—and this was even before seeing my transcript! But after two years at Lee & Ko, when I asked again Shin & Kim happened to have a need at that very moment. Good thing I didn’t take rejection personally, didn’t give up, and didn’t denounce them for not hiring me those earlier tries.
Wait Some Years. Have you worked at least three years post-admission in your home jurisdiction? If not, my sincere advice is to put off coming to Korea until you have that three years’ experience. The draft Foreign Legal Consultants’ Act requires a would-be foreign legal consultant to have three years’ experience in order to register as an independent professional, with the promised right to eventually (five years after the law is implemented) form lawful, profit-sharing partnerships with Korean attorneys. Waiting some years may put a crimp in your language study, but believe me, you will want the right to independently exist. Especially if you run across one of the sociopath lawyers.
Get Over Your Salary Expecations. Salaries are lower here, and cost of living higher. Get used to it, kid!
I am sure there are more suggestions to be had. Maybe in the comments section we will learn from some of Seoul’s other foreign legal consultants and Korean lawyers. I’m looking forward to some good tips. Who knows—next year I might need a job myself.
UPDATE 6/22/08: Even though my recommendation is to look to larger Korean law firms first, the truth about your legal career is that the first legal job you find is probably not going to be the last legal job you find. While it’s sub-optimal to be working in a smaller law firm (especially one controlled by a sociopath), working in a smaller law firm beats the heck out of not working. Getting your first entry to the market is more important that being at the very best place you can be. You can always move up later, except if you have been sitting out not working.
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All of this advice applies equally to someone who is aiming to work in accountancy in Korea...I have got a sore neck from nodding in agreement all the way through this post...I would say that even if you think you are fluent in Korean, you are not fluent in the way that is necessary to work in professional services...my vocab is increasing substantially every day and mostly with words that are only to be used at work…
Brendon, For the convenience of your readers here are direct links to the English-language recruitment pages of the more foreigner-friendly law firms that you mentioned (except your firm; I did not see a separate recruitment page for them):
Barun Law
http://www.barunlaw.com/english/recruiting01.asp
Kim & Chang
http://www.kimchang.com/LEGAL/Eng/recruiting/default.asp?globalmenu=4&localmenu;=1
Yulchon
http://www.yulchon.com/intro_en/recruitment.asp
Hi Brendon,
Your post was so helpful! I am a senior at USC and before I go to law school I was hoping to work for a law firm in Korea for a year. Are the hiring policies just as stringent? I am Korean and I do speak it conversationally, but my writing and reading skills are quite poor. If not this, I’ll probably end up teaching English in Korea because I really want to be fluent! Thanks so much
Crystal, you’re welcome.
If you want to work in an area related to trade and investment with Korea, you probably will need more than the “kitchen Korean” that Korean-Americans can learn from their moms in America. One particular deficiency that is typical of Korean-American kids is that they don’t know any Sino-Korean vocabulary. Those are all of the smart words. You don’t necessarily need to be able to hand-write Chinese characters, but you ought to recognize the vocabulary—and it would be better if you were a good reader too.
You can only learn this here in Korea. So if you want to be a “Korea specialist” your idea of coming to spend time in Korea before going to law school is a good one, because it is here where you will get the most opportunities for effective study. The easiest way to learn a foreign language, or improve your second language, is to use it in your daily life.
My suggestion would be to plan on enrolling in a language institute for formal study—such as Seoul National University, Korea University, or the Sogang University course. I don’t think much of the Yonsei course and you will probably not find many people who have much good to say about Yonsei’s Korean Language Institute.
These institutes generally have their classes from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., as I described in the post. Once you’ve come out to enroll in the institute, you can look for the part-time law firm gig. But the law firm job could also follow, if you stay a second year after perfecting your language skills.
Don’t be in a hurry to push through to law school. Doing something else for a year, or two, or five, after graduating from college will only help you.
Sadly, your description of my Korean abilities is all too true! All my Korean comes from the kitchen or from dramas. Did you take one of these language institutes as well? I almost did the Yonsei program last summer; I assumed that since it was a good school their programs would be as well. My priority is significantly improving my language skills rather than gaining firm experience, so at least I now know it’s a long shot.
No matter what you do in Korea, your language will improve here rapidly—with or without a language-institute course. This is because you will be immersed in a Korean-speaking culture and all day long you will be using the language to one extent or another. So if you want to get better, come on out.
I won a Korea Foundation research fellowship in 1995 and enrolled in Yonsei. To my mind, the place is a waste of time.
As another former Korea Foundation fellowship recipient, I have to agree with Brendon that the Yonsei language program leaves much to be desired. Being the biggest definately did not make it the best. If I were in your shoes, I would probably try Sogang’s program.
Once your Korean-language skills reach at least the intermediate level, you could try for a paralegal position at one of the firms that Brendon recommends. One of them might even be amenable to a part-time paralegal position while you continue to study.
Dear Brendon,
Being a Dutch intern at one of the ‘foreign friendly’ law firms you mentioned, I have to say your post, beside making me grin, is very interesting to me. I guess I am one of those who want to become a ‘Korean specialist’. However, as far as I can tell, I am suffering from two major disabilities...one being unable to speak Korean (although I am independently studying after work, with slow but steady progress)..the second not having a status as an independent lawyer yet.
In 2005, I studied at Yonsei but did not take Korean classes, for reasons very well explained in your post. I received my LL.M last year and will need three years of national legal experience to receive status of independent lawyer. Being 24, I feel like being on a crossroad...As of this moment, my greatest wish is to work for a Korean law firm for over a year to study Korean, Korean life and gain valuable experience on the Korean/International legal field.
My question is the following: What would you, with all your experience on this topic, recommend me to do in my situation? Would you tell me to follow my desired path? Perhaps to start studying Korean full-time for at least a year? Or rather go back to the Netherlands to receive that independent status? What would in the end be the advisable route?
Best regards,
Nik
Nik,
Thanks for writing. First of all, how I envy you to be 24 and have your whole life and career’s path open in front of you. All choices are possible.
If you want to live and work in Korea as a foreign legal consultant, you have to be admitted as a lawyer somewhere. So the first order of business is to get your professional licensing straightened out; I think it’s advisable, for reasons stated in the post above, to gain three years’ experience in your home market because that’s what the Foreign Legal Consultants’ Act—at least its current draft—will require you to have.
But you’re 24. If you want to be a “Koreanist”, you have to learn the language. Acquisition of a second language (or third, or fourth—you’re Dutch, after all) is easiest while you’re still young. Getting licensed as a lawyer, however, is done in your native language. No matter how hard you work on picking up Korean, you’re not going to forget Dutch.
So my advice is stay here and work on language, then go finish up your professional licensing in Holland. You’re 24. If you spend three years diligently studying Korean and working to the extent possible in the Korean language, and go back to Holland for three years, you’ll still be able to get started on your professional career here by the age of 30.
And that is the average age for legal professionals to start their careers here in Korea, and also in the United States, I believe.
So that’s what I have to say about that. Give me call sometime and I’ll buy you a nice lunch. You have your choice of Burger King or McDonald’s, anything you want from their kids’ menu.
Dear Brendon,
Thank you for your timely answer. Your advice is very helpful to me, although you gave me a new dilemma to think through....Burger King or McDonald’s....I wish I’d remember which one included those cute little toys....
Seriously, I will definitely consider your advice and it would be great to meet you for lunch and learn about your experiences in Korea and the Korean legal field sometime.
Thanks again.
My Korean is reasonable but probably not at a lawyer level. I would like to be able to negotiate/speak with Korean lawyers.
Would you be able to guide me to a text book or similar that I could purchase from Korea please? My brother is currently working in Korea so I will have him bring over the books from Korea.
I think this may be the best way to improve my Korean without living in Korea? And I dont think there are any courses that could be called Korean for Lawyers…
What would be your thoughts?
When is the best time to apply to Korean firms?
I am graduating in May 2008 and will likely take the New York Bar Exam in July 2008.
Alex, the best time to apply to a Korean law firm is right now. Remember that getting a job here—like getting that first legal job anywhere—requires a confluence of three factors: The right place, the right person, at the right time. You may be the right person, but if you wait until all the jobs are filled you will have missed the right time. If you apply too early, well, you still have an advantage over others—you become a known quantity.
But you can’t really do it by remote control. It’s easy to say no to a resume.
The only way to get “professional level” Korean is to use the language on a daily basis, to solve problems in your life—because skill comes from repetition and familiarity. So I would say stay away from textbooks and try to find “live” materials to work with—watch television, read books and magazines, and when something is unfamiliar, ask someone around you or look it up.
I am a Korean-American attorney who has been practicing for about 5 years now.
I just recently accepted a position with a large Korean company working in its legal department.
I was wondering if you had any suggestions or advice on what it would be like once I start working.
I am not new to Korea, but the last time I was there was 1998 (I taught English for a year).
Any suggestions or advice would be much appreciated.
I am planning to apply to Korean firms soon, but do Korean firms hire over the phone, or do I have to plan a trip over there.
Also, can you list some of the major firms?
I’m pretty sure your first question is discussed in the post above. Put yourself in the shoes of the employer for a minute: Would you be more impressed by a phone interview, or a guy who was motivated enough to get on a plane and come present himself in person?
As for the second question, no—I’m not going to get into that. Your definition of “major” and mine may be different. And law is a research-based profession. Do some research.
Hi Brendon!
I wish I had found this site earlier. Thanks for your insights into the Korean legal profession. I am also deeply interested in working in Korea.
I was just curious though about what changes you will expect in the near future (after 3-5 years) in the Korean legal field. I heard Korea is planning some multi-stage opening of its legal market to foreign law firms, and I also heard the KOR-US FTA (if passed) will also cause some dramatic changes.
I am a senior in college applying to law schools for the upcoming Fall 2008. I’m a 3rd generation Korean-American and conversation in Korean/Japanese, but I cannot write/read either very well. What advice would you give to someone like me, assuming I get accepted to law schools? Should I defer and go to Korea and attend these institutions? If so, how would you propose I pay for the costs of living/studying in Korea cause I expect it is quite expensive.
Thanks Brendon,
~Alex
Oh, and another thing I forgot to ask is whether Korean is necessary in a large “major” law firm (over 100 lawyers). I would think that for lawyers working in the international department of a large law firm, English is golden and there is little need for Korean.
Alexander,
Brendon’s comments about the importance of Korean language skills—“If you can’t speak, read, and write Korean—at some level of professional capability—you will be a cripple in a Korean law firm, dependent on others to do what is, in all frankness, your work. So if you don’t have some capability with Korean, and a commitment to improve, my advice is forget it.”—were not limited to small and medium-sized firms.
These days there are an increasing number of Koreans who complete college in Korea (i.e., they are native Korean speakers), go to a top U.S. law school, gain experience at a top U.S. firm, and then apply for positions in Korea. With a growing supply of such candidates, why would a big Korean firm want to hire someone who can’t speak Korean?
- FA
Actually, if he were white I’d say “Go for it.” Koreans are willing to tolerate all manner of ignorance by white people. If you can gasp out Where is the bathroom? there will be people nodding and smiling approvingly for ten years. (If you’re black or brown non-ethnic Korean, well, then life will be probably harder for you.)
With a Korean face, I wouldn’t recommend it. Ethnic Koreans are expected to be much more competent with Korean than obvious foreigners. In fact, a kyopo who can’t read and write is often privately suspected to be either a hopeless retard or an arrogant traitor. Or both. That doesn’t seem to be helpful to a professional career.
As for how to support study, there are two possibilities: Teach English to rich Koreans for W50,000 to W70,000 an hour for private lessons, and slave away in a law firm as a part-time editor/translator paralegal for W1,000,000 to W1,500,000 per month. It seems eminently doable if you’re not a cocaine addict and can find a low-cost place to stay (hasuk-chip is the way to go if you don’t mind the nosey ajumma all up in your business).
thanks for your responses.
i am a bit surprised by the view towards kyopo...is that really the norm view among Koreans or is it part of the extreme? If it’s the former, i am quite disappointed to hear about that.
As for teaching english private lessons, surely that wont be enough to live in Korea and pay for the tuition costs of a Korean language program? And how can I do paralegal editor/translator work for a law firm if i am not very literate in Korean (hence the reason im studying in Korea)?
Do you expect American law firms to be able to establish offices in korea in the near future? What legal opportunities do you find in Korea for Korean-Americans who are not completely fluent in Korean?
Best,
Alex
Alex, although I’m a very available person, I may not be the best person to ask about the Korean-American experience in Korea. That’s because I’m the handsome white prince who can gasp out Where is the bathroom? plus a little extra in Korean. My experience will inevitably be different from yours.
Who should you ask? I’m guessing there is a Korean-American students’ association at your school. (Knowing the Korean tendency to factionalize, I’ll bet there are two such associations.) Ask some of older Korean-American students, especially any who’ve already lived and worked in Korea. Better yet—ask your parents.
Hi there Brandon,
Your blog is really helpful and has provided a lot of useful insight for which I must thank you.
I received my undergraduate law degree from a common law jurisdiction and my Korean ability is fluent. I can read, write and speak fluently but not to a professional standard unfortunately.
I noticed you advised one reader to take up paralegal jobs in Korean law firms. I was wondering what advice you could give me for what I should do over a 2 month summer? I wish to improve my Korean and Korean legal knowledge however due to my non-US background, short period of time and korean abilities a paralegal job appears to be out of the question. Any help or advice would be much appreciated!
Best,
Jackson
Jackson, two months’ work is better than no months’ work. So I would say come to Seoul and find something to do. Experience is how you’re going to improve.
Don’t worry about a “non-US” background. It’s not the center of the universe, you know.
Jackson, Several of the better Korean law firms have summer intern/law clerk programs that you should qualify for. They generally require a minimum two-month commitment, which would be short enough for you. The pay isn’t great, but the experience and the opportunity to develop your Korean legal vocabulary could be just what you’re looking for.
Hi Brendon,
this is site is really helpful.
You recommend Alex to apply for a job right now. But as far as I understood one needs three years’ practical experience according to the Foreign Legal Consultants’ Act. Do you know by accident if the German practical legal training (similar to the Korean judicial and research training)get accepted as practical training?
The Foreign Legal Consultants’ Act has not been passed, nor do I believe it will be passed anytime soon.
If your question is whether you can complete German practical training in Korea, to my knowledge if you work in Seoul under the supervision of a licensed German attorney you will be able to claim that time in satisfaction of some part of the required practicum.
My firm Hwang Mok Park has a German attorney and we have last year supervised the training of one wonderful young (fresh-faced enough to be mistaken for my son, in fact—hurray) Korean-German attorney who has qualified and is now in the legal department of a major German conglomerate. There are at least two other Korean firms I know which also have German attorneys who could (don’t know if they would, just that they “could") also supervise part of your training.
(For would-be Hong Kong and England and Wales solicitors, I also know of at least one HK/UK solicitor who completed six months of his two-year trainee contract here in Seoul, by agreement of the Law Society in Hong Kong.)
If your question is whether the Korean Ministry of Justice would accept the German practical legal training of would-be lawyers as equivalent to some or all of the post-admission experience requirement under the Foreign Legal Consultants’ Act, my guess (just a guess) is ”no”. The objective of the experience requirement is to place a barrier in front of entrants to the profession—one cannot expect much flexibility on their part.
But we shall have to see. Once the law is passed and MOJ begins processing applicants there will be more guidance on interpretation of the statutory language.
Brendan, thank you for your response.
So it means that you are a foreign legal consultant without having an independent status? The thing is I will be admitted as a lawyer this year and then I have to decide whether I will come to Korea and study the language (I only speak “Kitchen-Korean") or will start working in Germany. If I wait three years I’m afraid that I never make going to Korea.
Hi Brendon,
Thanks for this very informative website and taking the time to answer the questions. This information is incredibly difficult to find so what you do here is greatly appreciated.
I would also like to work in Korea but I’m begging to think it’s too late for me. I will be 30 years old this year, I still have two years of law school left and my Korean is extremely basic (though I can say Where is the bathroom? and similar having learned a bit during a one year long teaching stint).
Perhaps I could add that though I’m not fluent in Korean, I do speak three European languages fluently, have a very basic grasp of Japanese (including some ability to read and write) and some knowledge of Chinese. I also have a strong commerce and science degrees to go with the LL.B. I’m finishing here in New Zealand.
I’d be willing to put in the time to gain fluency in Korean but I am worried my age would count against me by the time I’d be hirable (fluent). How much of a factor do you think my age would be? Also would my other language abilities (and perhaps my academic background) make up, at least a little bit, for the fact that I’m not fluent in Korean?
I’m very keen to work in Korea so I’m prepared to be very flexible but on the other hand I’m worried that my patience could prove to be my downfall. I’m currently under the impression that it’s harder to get a job in Korea, as a lawyer, than in the other major Asian nations.
Best Regards,
Stan
That is correct. There is no foreign legal consultant in Korea who has an independent right to provide legal services except in the employ of a Korean lawyer or law firm. If the Foreign Legal Consultants’ Act is passed the foreign legal consultant will be permitted to offer services based on the law of his or her jurisdiction, if he or she has three years’ experience in that jurisdiction.
If you’re older than 30, I’d think Korea is one of the few legal markets where you would not be substantially disadvantaged by age. Korean lawyers get admitted at a very late age—something I will write about more in the future.
But if you think you’re going to get fluent with any foreign language after the age of 30, then you must really be talented.
Hi Brendon,
Your suggestions have allowed me to gain much more knowledge as to the process of acquiring a job at a korean law firm. It has definitely reshaped my expectations and plans for the future.
What I would like to ask is do these tips also apply if I am applying for a summer clerkship position at a korean law firm? I am currently in my second year of law school in Melbourne, Australia. I am interested in applying for a summer clerkship position in one of the more foreigner-friendly law firm that you’ve mentioned above. I thought it would be a good opportunity to improve my Korean and gain some insight into the culture during the time. I am currently self-learning some basic Korean as I am not from a Korean background. Would it be a good idea to enrol in a part time language course during the time I’m there?
Regarding the law firms, I’ve noticed that Barun offers summer clerkship positions for law students during summer and throughout the year. In general do you think the firms would require the successful applicant to have a good grasp of the language? Also are the travelling and accomodation expenses paid for by the firms or would I have to arrange it myself? Could you give me some pointers as to how the selection process for summer clerkships work in general?
Thanks Brendon,
Linh
Dear Linh,
I’ve not said that Kim & Chang, Yulchon, HMP and Barun are the only Korean law firms likely to hire a foreign law student as a summer clerk. There are a number of firms in the market—it’s really become a very competitive market, really—and all of them are likely to be hiring summer clerks. So apply everywhere. Send me your resume and I’ll throw it to our committee.
That said, the only summer clerk applications likely to be considered in respect of law students who don’t speak Korean would be coming from ethnic-Korean candidates at “top 10” US law schools whose parents are rich and/or powerful (and those people make sure their kids speak Korean). I wouldn’t stake all my hopes on getting a job at a Korean firm if I were not in that position.
Accommodation is sometimes arranged (in lieu of a large part of the meager salary), but air fare is almost always the candidate’s responsibility. The summer job is really an investment by you.
Hi Brendan,
May I first say that it is very kind of you to let all of us curious newbies pick your brain. Let me explain my story. I am 25 years old and graduated from law school in May of 2006 (just for the record I left high school a year early which should explain how I got out of law school at such a young age). I am currently living and working in incheon as an english teacher. I have passed the bar exam in the state of Kansas and I am licensed in both the state and federal courts of Kansas. After the bar I worked for about six months as a law clerk on a death penalty case, but decided I wanted to have an experience abroad so I came here as a teacher with the hope of getting either a good university job or finding something in the legal field. I am tempted to ak the broadest question, “what can I do in the legal field here and how do I break in?” Perhaps more specific questions are better. First, what do American lawyers do here exactly (e.g. transactional law, corporate law, international law) and how much do they work (I’ve seen korean working standards firsthand in a mere hogwan where teachers work as much as attornys back home and was wondering if law firms here work their employees to death)? Second, my korean is a tad above the survival level (I’ve been here 5 months I can ask “where is the bathroom” and “bring me this,” or “go there"), but by no means is it good, I am white (boardering upon pale) and I have found this to work to my advantage, what do I need to do to get a legal job? What are my chances? Is pounding the pavement the key?
Even i my Korean in 2 years will be fluent with good knowledge of Korean law language. And in 2 years i’ll finish my law studies. what about my chances of become legal advisor in Korea.
I’m from Europe, so knowledge of EU law is essential, but i’m really concern about studying Korean law. i know that i have a lot of time. i’m 23 (in Korean age) and some fine talent for lawyear works. so i have to get know Korean law, yes?
Brendon, thanks for the enlighting posts and comments. Could you speak a bit about the role of long-term foreign legal consultants? For example, could one ever become a full equity partner at a Korean law firm?
That’s my objective, as it has been since I met some foreign lawyers in 1992, but it will have to wait until the Foreign Legal Consultants Act is passed—and then five years after that. I may be dead by then (I’m 38 already).
Ben and Szkudlar,
Youth is on your side. Start language study now and keep at it. If you want to work in a Korean firm, you will need the language—not because the Korean lawyers can’t speak English (new Korean lawyers frequently have astonishing skills), but because you don’t want to be a freeloader.
Come say hello if you’re in Seoul.
Brendon,
Thanks for the advice I’m currently working on my korean and I think it is coming along. I guess my follow up question is: Will non-fluency in korean preclude me from getting a job in a firm? I have no intention of being like the myriad other foreigners here who stay for months or even years without picking up any korean past “yo-gi-oh.” It’s just at the present time my korean lacks something to be desired.
Also, let me apologize for misspelling your name in my previous post, and I’d love meet you and pick your brain some more if and when you would have the opportunity, I come into Seoul often.
Thanks again,
Ben
Brendon -
Hoping that you could provide more details, given your comment that salary was lower in Korea. I’ve heard that some experienced foreign legal consultants (especially US ones) receive fairly high salaries at some Korean firms (probably the larger ones). However, whether due to person given as example (no/little experience), source of info (friend of a cousin of a friend) or salaries quoted (no offense, but can’t imagine Korean firms paying the insane NYC scale), I’ve always been dubious but could not locate any material on this issue. What can a foreign legal consultant expect from a large Korean firm if (1) newly-admitted with no experience, (2) 3-6 years of solid experience, and (3) 7+ years of experience? For convenience, let’s assume that candidate graduated from upper-tier law school (but not Harvard/Yale - Koreans still blinded by this), and has fairly sophiticated corporate/finance law experience from a reputable NYC firm (vs. general practice at small firm). Not looking for hard figures - general estimates would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Thanks for the great information! I wish I found this site earlier.
I’m a 3L looking to graduate this May. I’m a “kyopo” - actually have a very good grasp in both English and Korean, and so I am serious about working in Korea. I’m hoping to get some tips on what I should do right now. I’ve applied to about 10 law firms in Korea in the past month or so, but w/ not much luck. Have to say I am a little bit frustrated - actually rather depressed - I’ve already got a few rejections. I’ve mostly stopped searching any more at this stage because I was getting the impression maybe this is not “the right time” to apply.
Some of the replies said, try to get some experience in the US first and consider re-applying in 2-3 yrs. But personally, that is not the course I want to take. Is it really not possible to start fresh off law school in the Korean market if you don’t have the US lawyer experience?
Also, you mention about “coming in person.” So I’m considering the possibility of flying to Korea after the bar exam in July and doing my job search there. Problem is, I don’t even know where I’m going to stay - all my families are in Canada - and the ideal thing for me is to get an offer while I’m here and that would be before May and the start of the bar review course. And I’m starting to feel the chance of that happening is real slim. Should I continue to send my applications or maybe put a stop for now and restart once the bar exam is over? Wouldn’t that be too late? Any advice on this?
Thank you so much for putting up a blog like this. I’m definitely bookmarking this one.
Jason
Jason, thanks for the kind words.
Keep plugging away—you might only have a 10% chance of finding that position you want if you come out to Seoul, but you’ll have a 100% chance on not getting what you want if you give up.
Where to stay? Here’s my recommendation: Book one night in a place that’s available on-line, then walk around Seoul to find a “love hotel” for W40,000-60,000 per night. Move over there for the second and successive nights of your trip. Love hotels are often bright, clean and well-equipped with a jacuzzi and an interesting collection of videos. You can probably negotiate a weekly rate; you might get even more of a bargain if you let the hotel operator use your room while you’re out for the day.
E-mail and call the firms you’re interested in, contacting a foreign lawyer at the firm. (We’re a softer touch, and have a hard time saying “No.") Express an interest in an “informational interview” even if they’re not hiring; you’re interested in the Korean market and would like to know people here for your future career. Make similar calls to the headquarters of major Korean corporations—you’d like to speak to a foreign lawyer in their legal department about life in Seoul.
Bring a nice suit and a couple of dress shirts. An expensive tie makes even a cheap suit look expensive.
As an alternative “in” to the Korean market, apply to the Tokyo and Hong Kong offices of international law firms. They do most of their Korea-related deals from those offices. This does mean buying two more plane tickets, though, and spending more money on hotels.
Jason (Comment #42) -
You should take into account the current draft bill re: foreign legal consultants and its requirement of 3yrs experience in home jurisdiction. I’ve seen little mention re: potential impact on those in Korea if/when this bill becomes effective, but don’t think that there’s any “grandfathering” provision.
Brendon -
It’s been a while… hope you are well. Do you know anything more about this? Also, if you ever have the interest/time, would appreciate a post on Korean law firms and practice of hiring former govt’ officials as “advisors” performing no legal function. I find this concept/practice troubling on many levels. Case in point: Despite its reputation, I’ve heard less than positive things re: Kim & Chang and questionable non-legal “wheel greasing”. Given that the practice of law in Korea is very different from most other countries, is this generally viewed as standard part of legal business in Korea?
As always, thanks for your time and efforts on this blog.
Hi, Brendon. Your writing interests me because I have been exploring the possibility of relocating to Korea in three years. I am a Korean native and have been practicing law in America for the past 5 years. I believe my Korean skill is above average (I lived the first 28 years of my life in Korea, and received 20 years of formal education, including a graduate program, in Korea). In America, I went to law school in 2000 after rasing my children as a stay-at-home mom for 10 years and started practicing law in 2003. I worked as an associate attorney for a heavy litigation firm for 2 years and, then, started a law partnership with another lawyer in 2005. While I have built a successful practice in the areas of business transaction and commercial litigation here in America, I have always had a desire to go back to my home country if I can have an opportunity to continue my legal career in Korea. However, one of my biggest concerns is my “age” because, when I was in Korea, Korean employers would prefer the younger to the experienced. I will hit “50” in 3 years, and I want to know whether any Korean firm would want to hire a 50-year old, American litigator with 8 years of experience. I would appreciate your advice. Thanks.
Jarien,
As you well know, age is always a problem for Koreans because it has the potential to upset the social structure of the organization. The other 9th-year lawyers—the junior partners—will be 35-40 years old. I think you being 50 will definitely be a factor. Fifty makes you older than almost everyone there.
That said, after about the fifth or sixth year, most lawyers enter a realm where they are more or less all competent. Clients certainly never ask a 50 year-old lawyer how much experience she has—they presume she’s been at it 25 years.
If I were in your shoes, as a native Korean speaker with exceptional overseas living experience and language ability, I would look to join a US firm with a Korean practice and Hong Kong/Tokyo offices. Those firms are going to look to open up here in Seoul and you’ll do better with the strength of a major firm behind you.
NYC Lawyer—I’m not going to run down Kim & Chang (for this). And I don’t necessarily believe that having many skilled and experienced non-lawyer advisors—so long as they’re not simply bag-men—is a detriment to a law firm.
The Attorneys’ Act reserves to lawyers and law firms the exclusive right to represent clients for a fee in their dealings with the government. This means lobbying (by lobbying I do not mean “bribery") is only lawful when undertaken through a law firm. Where else are the “senior advisors” to go and do their thing?
And I’m not going to denounce senior advisors for being non-lawyers. A foreign lawyer is also a “non-lawyer” from the perspective of the Korean bar. Yet the foreign lawyer is a key member of the client-service team.
For an internal meeting here at our firm, I actually did a comparison of the non-lawyer professional headcount of the 10 largest firms in Seoul. As it happens, the largest and fastest-growing firms are the ones which have the largest proportion of non-lawyer fee-earners (by this I mean foreign-licensed attorneys, who may or may not be Koreans; CPAs; patent attorneys; and “senior advisors"). And the one Korean law firm which is rising like a rocket happens to have the highest proportion of foreign attorneys overall.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence. That correlation says to me the market demands a wider array of services than just domestic litigation, which is what the training of Korean attorneys prepares them to do. Korean law firms—like Kim & Chang—that “get over themselves” enough to work well with non-lawyer fee-earners provide services more in tune with what the market demands, and they are rewarded for it.
In response to Comment #42 -
I heard about the new legislation requiring 3 yrs of native practice for foreign lawyers. I don’t have the exact source but I also heard this will only apply to those attorneys that will work in the US law firms that get to station in Korea and so long as you stick w/ the Korean firms, you’re okay (Is this right Brendan?). Whatever the justification is for this law, I still think it’s too harsh and potentially there is some chance it might be repealed if enough people decide to go against it. So personally I wasn’t too worried about it.
Brendan,
I have couple more questions I wanna ask. Hope you can help me on my making decisions.
First of all, about the age issue in Korea - as brought up in the above comments, I too am a little bit older than avg law students - but not as old as Jarien above. I’m 33 (American age). I guess after all I’m not that old but I understand as a first year associate, I’m still older than most other peers. Will this be a factor too in my case?
My second question is about the type of legal practice, actually goes to the choice of legal practice you want to involve in. Basically to frame my question, how will your first legal job influence your career overall? Still too vague. Let me illustrate. Basically the situation is, having the science background, I’m interested in going into the intellectual property practice - particularly interested in technology licensing at this point. I have biology/biochemistry background, so the ideal ground for me would be in the field of bio/life-sci/pharmaceutical and so on I suppose. Now here’s the dilemma. Since I’m somewhat desperate about finding a job now, should I settle with something other than those areas? I have a possible job lead right now and it’s a corporate counsel position in the field of - I’d say - electrical engineering. Since I feel I would do much better if I’m put to biology related work, should I ignore this lead and move on? Honestly at this point, I just want to get hired and not worry about it anymore. But again, from my previous industry experience, I know once you set foot on something, it’s hard to break out. Any advice on this?
Hi Brendon,
I believe that I may I have found this page at just the right time. Now for the introduction; I’m a 22 year old junior attending the University of Pittsburgh double majoring in Chinese literature, Communications and Rhetoric along with a minor (although it should be a major TT) in Korean. I should mention that I have aspirations to attend law school after I finish my undergrad.
However, I’m currently participating in the language program offered at Konkuk University (an excellent program for anyone who is seeking a quality KFLI experience) and I am in the 5th level out of their 6 level program. The past few weeks I’ve been unable to sleep as a result of endless nights anguishing over my future and the current path I’m on.
Actually one of the main reasons I’ve been so stressed is because I’m thinking of transferring to one of the SKY universities. There are three reasons why I am seriously considering this 180. One is so that I will/or hopefully should be near at near native speaker fluency. The second reason being I am in desperate need of an internship or a tour at a law firm (specifically in Korea where I would ideally like to work). Being in Korea would make that easier I believe. The third reason is that I could also work on my “classroom Chinese” by easily traveling to China/Ditto for Japanese (a new hobby).
Oh my mother is of German descent and my father of Polish decent. So that should be self explanatory. I’m sorry I’m all over the place right now, I believe you remember that time in life were you felt like one decision will change the rest of your life and at the same time you’re anguishing over all of your past decisions. Or maybe that’s just me. Anyways, my Korean reading (hanja), writing (hanja), listening and speaking proficiency are relatively high, but as you said I lack the “office language ability” which again is why I want to attend college in Korea/participate in an internship.
I see that your last reply was a few months ago, but if you can find time, please tell me what you think about my situation/ideas for attending school in Korea/any advice you may have. I’ll be waiting earnestly for any words of wisdom. Until then…
Best,
Matthew Ferrick
Matthew, in my opinion the language institute at Konkuk is no more or less well-regarded by the general public (and hiring parties of law firms), so if you’re thinking of transferring to the language institute of one of the SKY universities, I would reconsider.
If you’re thinking about the ambitious step of enrolling as an international student in the regular curriculum of one of those universities it’s a different story altogether. I know a couple of foreign residents of Korea who are graduates of Korean universities, and the social networks they established through the school connection have been very important to them personally and professionally. It never hurts to have friends, and Koreans generally make their friendships through kinship, school and work.
You’re young. I say go for it. You might even go to law school here.
Hi Brendon,
What are your thoughts on a non-US graduate/lawyer working as a foreign lawyer in a Korean law firm? Ive just graduated from an undergraduate law degree in the UK and am preparing to qualify in England and Wales by securing a training contract in the UK. All the foreign lawyers in Korean law firms are dominated by US lawyers and so is there simply no need for a laywer qualified in England and Wales? (I am interested in Capital Markets work and am a “ethnic Korean from the UK/HK").
Thanks,
Andy Hong
I have met Australian, English, French, German, Canadian, and PRC-licensed foreign attorneys working at Korean law firms, as well as Americans, so they certainly are out there. I’m sure Brendon has better insight on the demand for them and how they come to be hired.
Brandon,
Thank you for having such an informative website up and running.
I am part Korean and am considering becoming fluent in Korean, especially since a professor I talked to believes that will help me become more marketable. However, I am a rising 3L and this will be my last year in law school.
(1) Should I take a year off and study at Sogang for fluency or (2) should I wait until after I take the bar and THEN take a year off and study? (3) Is a second language that beneficial?
Potential problems with the second option is that I am afraid employers will think I am not serious about law because I am doing something nonlegal for a year.
What are your thoughts?
Thank you in advance.
Dear Brendon:
I am a 26 year old Korean-American who just recently graduated from Pepperdine Law School. I am fluent in conversational Korean and probably have a 2nd grade proficiency level in reading and writing. I will be taking the California Bar Exam this July and am considering moving to Korea. While I have not yet decided whether I want to practice law in CA or not, I have always wanted to live in Korea and experience the culture and history of my ancestry. While I am not expecting a high paying position in Korea, I would love to learn what options I have in obtaining temporary employment in Korea (anywhere from 3 months to a 2 year commitment). Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thank you,
Lillian Kae
Hi Brandon,
Thank you so much for your advice. Very helpful! I am an attorney with a few yrs of experience and have an interview date set with a large firm in Korea. Can you kindly provide any tips about how to interivew in Korea? Some of the questions I have are:
- one to one interview vs. group?
- with foreign attorneys or Korean partners?
- in Korean or English?
- as intimidating as interviewing process in the US?
- what kind of questions will be asked?
- what would they want to know from a potential FA candidate?
- is it common for Korean employers to ask my salary info or my salary expection?
I guess you would say the answers depend on which firm but I am still interested in hearing general comments from you. Thank you!!!
So many questions…
Rising 3L—It’s always easier to take detours in your career while you’re still in law school, rather than after graduating. Things like a mortgage payment tend to keep you on the straight and narrow.
I think a second language is helpful to any human being. Whether Korean is a helpful language, given its place in the larger world, depends on whether you already have some connection to Korea. If not, I would learn some other language. These days Portuguese seems pretty interesting.
Lillian—My best advice is find a job, any job. Now that you’re out of law school you need to start working immediately. Otherwise people will think there’s something wrong with you.