Young corporate and financial law boutique firm LAB Partners hit the ground running when it opened three years ago, offering sophisticated advice in all core areas of law. Its panoply of founding partners were already recognised by the market as leaders in their areas, having honed their expertise at other leading Korean firms. The firm has been characterised by local media as ‘the Avengers of corporate legal practice’. Managing partner and structured finance and securitisation doyenne Young-Hee Jo helms a leadership team that includes Jinho Ahn, Jinho Kim, Youngju Kim and Kwangbok Kim. The firm clearly demonstrates strengths in the finance space, particularly in banking, securities and asset management. Jo is a go-to name for securitisation matters. The firm’s finance practice is further supported by partner Alex Lee, who is experienced in general banking, corporate matters and regulatory compliance.
Work highlights
Advised Ilshin Holdings on its sale of existing shares of Cleantech, representing 82.11% shares of the company, to E&F II private equity fund, managed by E&F Private Equity as the general manager.
Advised Smart Innovation Holdings on its strategic acquisition of a controlling stake in M2I Corporation, purchasing 57.55% of the company's issued and outstanding shares. The transaction involved acquiring existing shares from COMES 2018-1 M&A Fund, a private equity fund managed by Comes Investment, marking a significant shift in M2I Corporation's ownership structure.
Key clients
ALS, KD 5 Investment, Orchestra Private Equity, SK Energy, Smart Innovation Holdings
Work highlights
Advised the Singapore branch of ING Bank and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking on Hyundai Card's cross-border issuance of €186.5 million ($207.6 million) and $200 million in asset-backed securities based on credit card receivables. The complex transaction involved multiple entities, including a Korean special purpose company and a Bermuda-incorporated issuer, structured through a trust mechanism.
Advised MUFG Bank and DBS Bank on Hyundai Capital Services’ cross-border issuance of $600 million in asset-backed securities based on auto loan receivables. The complex transaction involved multiple entities, including a Korean special purpose company and a Cayman Islands-incorporated issuer, structured through a trust mechanism.
Key clients
BNP Paribas, Kyobo Securities, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
