South Korean law firm Bae, Kim & Lee has recruited Chris Mainwaring-Taylor, a senior partner at A&O Shearman, in an unprecedented move for the Korean arbitration market.

Mainwaring-Taylor has joined BKL as a senior foreign attorney after spending over 23 years at A&O Shearman, including more than 12 years as a partner. This is the first time that a partner from a Magic Circle firm has joined the arbitration practice of a Korean law firm.

He will be based in BKL's Singapore office, which launched in 2021, but will split his time between Singapore and Seoul, working cohesively with both offices.

Mainwaring-Taylor's experience spans major arbitration hubs, including London, Paris, Dubai, and Singapore. He has represented clients in high-stakes matters involving large-scale projects such as LNG facilities, power plants, refineries, petrochemical complexes, ports, and commercial buildings across global jurisdictions.

In addition to his practice as counsel, Mainwaring-Taylor is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and frequently sits as an arbitrator. He recently served as President of an ICC arbitration tribunal in a Singapore-seated case concerning the supply and installation of manufacturing equipment in Asia.

BKL expects Mainwaring-Taylor's expertise to bolster its international arbitration practice as it continues to expand and address growing demand for world-class arbitration services.

The firm, founded in 1980, is one of the leading law firms in Korea and Asia, with over 800 professionals and eight overseas offices. It is currently the second-largest law firm in Korea in terms of revenue.