Jaewoo Lee

Partner

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  • JD, New York University School of Law, 2001
  • BBA, Seoul National University, 1997

Qualifications

  • Korea, Registered Foreign Legal Consultant for U.S. Law, 2014
  • Hong Kong, Solicitor, 2010
  • New York, 2004
  • California, 2002
  • Korean
  • Chambers Asia-Pacific: Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A in South Korea - Band 1 (2019-2023)
  • Chambers Global: Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A in South Korea - Band 1 (2019-2023)
  • Legal 500 Asia-Pacific: Leading Individual for “Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms” in South Korea (2017-2023)
  • IFLR1000: “Highly Regarded” for M&A and Private Equity in South Korea (2019-2023)
  • Asian Legal Business: Dealmaker of Asia (2021-2022)
  • Asia Business Law Journal - The A List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers (2019)

Jaewoo Lee

Partner

Jaewoo Lee is managing partner of Ropes & Gray’s Seoul office and a partner in the firm’s private equity / M&A practice groups. Jaewoo guides sophisticated investors, companies and financial institutions in cross-border private equity and M&A transactions with a connection to Korea. He regularly works with the world’s leading private equity sponsors on their inbound investments, and advises Korean clients on key outbound M&A and other transactions.

Clients seek out Jaewoo for his practical, business-minded advice and tireless commitment to delivering high-quality results. Jaewoo’s perspective is shaped by more than 15 years of experience in Korea-related M&A dealmaking on the ground in Asia. He has been called “one of the best M&A lawyers in the Korean market” and “a remarkable M&A deal attorney” by clients in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and Chambers Global, respectively. Jaewoo is ranked Band 1 in both Chambers Global and Chambers Asia-Pacific

Experience

  • Advised Bain Capital in its acquisition of a majority stake in Classys, a South Korea-based skincare device maker.
  • Advised Bain Capital in multiple notable deals, including the Bain consortium’s acquisition and subsequent US$2.6 billion sale of Carver Korea Co., Ltd., and its acquisition and subsequent US$1 billion+ sale of a controlling stake in Hugel Inc., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company.
  • Advised TPG Capital in multiple notable deals, including its US$400+ million investment in Kakao Corporation’s transport / taxi app business, Kakao Mobility and its investment in Moleem Corporation, a Korean building materials company.
  • Advised E-Mart, Inc. in its US$3 billion acquisition of eBay’s businesses in South Korea and its acquisition of Shafer Vineyards, a U.S. winery.
  • Advised Bain Capital Special Situations in its co-investment in the advanced materials business of Hanwha Solutions, alongside Glenwood Credit.
  • Advised Bain Capital Credit in its mezzanine loan and warrant investment in INSPIRE Integrated Resort Co., Ltd. as part of a greenfield casino & resort development project in South Korea.
  • Advised Bain Capital Credit in its minority investments in K-Bank, South Korea's first online-only bank and Douzone Bizon, a leading enterprise resource planning (ERP) software developer in South Korea. 
  • Advised Bain Capital Credit in its investment in ST Unitas, a leading Korean edu-tech company.
  • Advised KKR in its minority equity investment in Hyundai Global Service, a marine services firm in South Korea.
  • Advised Mirae Asset and Naver in their US$150 million investment (through a joint fund, Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth PEF) into Grab Holdings Inc., a Singapore-based ride-hailing company.
  • Advised Netmarble Games Corporation in its US$ multi-million acquisition of a 100% stake of the Vancouver Studio business of Kabam Inc., a mobile game company headquartered in San Francisco.
  • Advised Naver Corporation in multiple cross-border JV transactions, including in its proposed establishment of joint ventures in China for various app services.
  • Advised Korea Investment Corporation, Korea’s sovereign wealth fund, in various equity investments worldwide.

Publications

  • JD, New York University School of Law, 2001
  • BBA, Seoul National University, 1997

Qualifications

  • Korea, Registered Foreign Legal Consultant for U.S. Law, 2014
  • Hong Kong, Solicitor, 2010
  • New York, 2004
  • California, 2002
  • Chambers Asia-Pacific: Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A in South Korea - Band 1 (2019-2023)
  • Chambers Global: Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A in South Korea - Band 1 (2019-2023)
  • Legal 500 Asia-Pacific: Leading Individual for “Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms” in South Korea (2017-2023)
  • IFLR1000: “Highly Regarded” for M&A and Private Equity in South Korea (2019-2023)
  • Asian Legal Business: Dealmaker of Asia (2021-2022)
  • Asia Business Law Journal - The A List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers (2019)
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