William Y. Kim
Partner, US Lawyer & Foreign Legal Consultant in Korea
William Kim is a partner in the Corporate Department of Ropes & Gray and chairs the firm’s Korea Practice. William Kim is the first foreign lawyer in Korean history to be registered in Korea to practice as “Foreign Legal Consultant” and heads our firm’s Seoul office (known under the Korean rules as “Foreign Legal Consultant Office”). Bill represents and advises Korean multi-national companies and their U.S. subsidiaries in matters related to corporations, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, cross-border transactions, project development and project finance. Bill also represents and advises many technology-oriented Korean companies in technology transfers, complex licensing arrangements and intellectual property litigations. Bill currently sits on the Board of Directors of one of the world’s largest display manufacturers and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities, corporations and trade associations on subjects related to effective international negotiations and cross-border transactions.Experience
Bill's recent assignments for Korean clients include a sale of a $2.2 billion company in the electronics industry; purchases of U.S. high-tech companies; forming strategic alliances with U.S. high-tech companies; $1.62 billion project development and project financing for oil refineries project in Mexico; $1.522 billion project development and project financing for oil refineries project in Mexico; $350 million project development and project financing for oil refineries project in Mexico; $300 million import and inventory financing; introduction of Korean automobiles in the U.S.; and establishment and obtaining broker-dealer licenses for securities firms.
Bill also represents many technology-oriented Korean clients in technology transfers and complex licensing arrangements. In patent litigation cases, he has represented many of the largest companies in Korea, including among others, LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Kia Motor, and Hyundai Heavy Industries. Bill also oversees complex business litigation, antitrust, mediation and arbitration cases as they relate to Korean clients.
From 1993 to 1997, Bill served as General Counsel and Managing Director of the Daewoo Group of Companies in its Chairman's Office in Seoul Korea and, in that capacity, participated in numerous projects, transactions and cases around the world.