news

Johneth Chongseo Park, former managing partner of U.S. law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton’s Seoul office, has returned to co-lead the office in the South Korean capital.

Park was managing partner of Sheppard Mullin’s Seoul office between 2015 and 2020, leaving the firm to take on in-house roles at Doosan Corporation, then HyAxiom. Earlier in his career, Park spent more than 11 years at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in its Seoul and Hong Kong offices.

He returns to co-lead the office with  Wonsun Jung, who joined the firm earlier this month from White & Case.

Park advises corporate, financial and government-affiliated clients on capital markets, M&A and private equity transactions. His clients include the South Korean government, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Korea Hydro-Nuclear Power, Korea Gas Corporation and Samsung Life Insurance. Among his notable deals are the sale of a controlling stake in a subsidiary by STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, investments by Goldman Sachs PIA, private equity investments into Yingli Green Energy, and acquisition of MSK Corporation by Suntech.

His return means Sheppard Mullin now has four partners in Seoul.

TO CONTACT EDITORIAL TEAM, PLEASE EMAIL ALBEDITOR@THOMSONREUTERS.COM

Related Articles

ALB Conversations: Elizabeth Kong, 3M

Elizabeth Kong, Asia general counsel for three of 3M's largest business verticals, talks about how her days are as unpredictable as Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, why thinking like a business leader who "happens to have a solid grounding in law" is crucial, and what makes 3M a place where you might hit a 40-year veteran if you throw a stone.

MIDDLE EAST: ‘Law firms offer very little innovation’

by Nimitt Dixit |

Mohammed Jamil is the group general counsel of Saudi Arabian lubricant maker Petromin Corporation. Jamil has over 20 years of in-house experience working as an attorney across multiple jurisdictions. In the Middle East, he has worked in the legal teams of Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), Kuwait Finance House, and TRW.

RANKINGS: ALB Asia Top 15 GCs 2024

In the fast-paced world of Asian business, general counsel are emerging as key players in shaping corporate strategy. Gone are the days when these legal experts were confined to the sidelines of compliance and risk management. Today, they're at the forefront of innovation, building trust, and driving their organisations forward.