Jaewoo Lee
Partner
Jaewoo Lee is a partner in the private equity and M&A departments of Ropes & Gray. Jaewoo concentrates his practice on cross-border corporate transactions involving Korea, particularly private equity and M&A transactions, and has over 15 years of experience in the Korean market. He also has significant experience in private and public M&A deals in Asia, the U.S. and other markets, as well as in global securities offerings.
Jaewoo is currently on assignment in Ropes & Gray's New York office.
Experience
- Advised Bain Capital Credit in its investment in ST Unitas, a leading Korean edu-tech company.
- Advised Bain Capital Credit in its US$320 million investment in Schwan’s Company, an indirect subsidiary of CJ Foods America Corp.
- Advised LG International and Korea Resources Corporation in their US$ multi-million sale of a minority equity stake in the Rosemont Arizona copper mine project.
- 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 Bain Capital in multiple notable deals, including the Bain consortium’s acquisition and subsequent US$2.6 billion sale of Carver Korea Co., Ltd. (named “Exit of the Year: Large Cap” at 2018 AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Capital Awards), and its US$800+ million acquisition of a controlling stake in Hugel Inc., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company.
- Advised Mirae Asset and Naver in their US$150 million investment (through a joint fund, Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth PEF) into Grab Holdings Inc., a Singapore-based ride-hailing company.
- Advised Johnson Electric in its US$ multi-million acquisition of a controlling equity stake in Halla Stackpole, a Korean auto parts manufacturer.
- 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. This is the largest outbound M&A deal to date in South Korea’s mobile game industry and one of the most significant software tech M&A deals for Korea.
- Advised LS-Nikko Copper Inc. in its US$635 million sale of a minority equity stake in Minera Panama S.A. and US$ multi-million exit from a South American mining industry investment.
- Advised Naver Corporation in multiple cross-border JV transactions, including in its proposed establishment of joint ventures in China for various app services.
- Advised LINE Plus Corporation in various cross-border JV transactions, including the establishment of a US$ multi-million cross-border game development joint venture in Hong Kong with a leading Chinese game developer.
- Advised the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (“CPPIB”) in its acquisition of an approximately 20% stake in Homeplus, Tesco’s South Korean business, for US$534 million as part of the consortium led by MBK Partners. Named Deal of the Year in 2015/2016 by multiple publications including the Asian Lawyer, The American Lawyer, Asian-Mena Counsel and Asian Legal Business.
- Advised Korea Investment Corporation, Korea’s sovereign wealth fund, in various equity investments worldwide.
Publications
- Quoted, “South Korea’s PE exits to elevate this year amid macro uncertainty” Mergermarket (February 10, 2020)
- Quoted, “Korean Economics, M&A, and PE Exits: Seller Central” Asian Venture Capital Journal (August 23, 2016)
- Quoted, “Korean outbound M&A: Satisfied partners?” Asian Venture Capital Journal (September 3, 2014)
Education
- JD, New York University School of Law, 2001
- BBA, Seoul National University, 1997
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- Korea, Registered Foreign Legal Consultant for U.S. Law, 2014
- Hong Kong, Solicitor, 2010
- New York, 2004
- California, 2002
Awards
- Chambers Asia-Pacific: Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A in South Korea - Band 1 (2019-2021)
- Chambers Global: Leading Individual for Corporate/M&A in South Korea - Band 1 (2019-2021)
- Legal 500 Asia-Pacific: Leading Individual for “Corporate and M&A: Foreign Firms” in South Korea (2017-2021)
- IFLR1000: “Highly Regarded” for M&A and Private Equity in South Korea (2019-2022)
- Asia Business Law Journal - The A List: Korea’s Top 100 Lawyers (2019)