About
We have advised our Korean clients on their key business decisions since the late 1970s. The majority of our work involves cross-border transactions and multi-jurisdictional disputes with international parties. Our global reach and local presence makes us one of the largest law firm practices in the Asia Pacific region. Our dedicated lawyers represent Korean global corporates, international banks, insurance companies, shipping and shipbuilding and trading companies as well as international insurance establishments which underwrite Korean business. Over the years we have developed an excellent knowledge of Korean culture and its professional and social ways of life. This experience gives us a deep understanding of the Korean market and how to efficiently progress cases and transactions for our clients. We provide a full range of commercial legal services, advising on inbound and outbound investment, contract negotiation, dispute resolution, joint ventures, finance, intellectual property, M&A, shipping and offshore contracts and projects. ### Languages - English - Korean ### Staffing Figures - 500 Number of lawyers - 7 at this office
Office locations
Seoul
Seoul
Stephenson Harwood Level 21 Two Ifc, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro Youngdeungpo-gu, 07326 Republic Of Korea Seoul South Korea
Practice areas
Lawyers in this office
Alan Ward
Alan Ward is a partner at Stephenson Harwood specialising in regulatory litigation and investigations. He advises financial institutions and corporates in navigating high-profile investigations commenced by agencies such as the Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") and Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA"), along with internal, non-public investigations into allegations of financial and non-financial misconduct and irregularity. His client base includes major banks, asset managers, and trading houses, corporates across sectors and high-profile public bodies, who value his ability to handle their most sensitive and business critical matters. Alan has represented firms, directors, senior managers and traders in many of the most high-profile and significant investigations of the past two decades. He has represented individuals in two of the largest insider dealing prosecutions commenced by the FCA and acted for senior traders and manager in relation to the global LIBOR and foreign exchange investigations, including successfully representing clients at trial. In 2025 he represented a trader and a corporate, in two separate regulatory actions concerning allegations of market manipulation. Clients value Alan's collaborative and practical approach, which combines deep technical knowledge with a focus on identifying and managing risk in a proactive and proportionate manner. His experience in complex cases underscores his reputation as a trusted advisor in regulatory and corporate crime matters. · Regulatory Litigation
Michael Kim
Michael is the office managing partner of the Seoul office. He is an expert in litigation including alternative dispute resolution. Michael advises on a wide range of shipping, shipbuilding and offshore, international trade and commercial litigation issues including charterparties, memoranda of agreement, shipbuilding and offshore construction contracts, marine and commercial insurance, agency agreements, letters of credit and commercial notes. · Litigation
Stuart Burrell
A partner with an extensive range of shipping litigation and international arbitration experience, Stuart specialises primarily in the handling of shipbuilding, offshore and onshore construction disputes as well as dry shipping and general commercial matters. · Shipping Litigation