Mayer Brown has hired Kwon Lee, the former managing partner of Korean firm Lee International IP & Law Group, as a partner in the U.S. firm’s global real estate group.

Lee is currently based in Mayer Brown’s Hong Kong office, and will relocate to New York at the end of the year.

At a time when Asian companies are increasingly looking abroad for investment opportunities, Lee’s experience will be particularly valuable to Korean clients on their outbound transactions, said Jeff Usow, co-head of Mayer Brown’s global real estate practice.

Lee will work with clients including pension funds, construction companies and financial institutions on their outbound investments and M&A transactions, as well as other real estate matters.

Prior to joining Lee International as the firm’s managing partner, Lee was head of the real estate practice at Kim & Chang in Seoul.