Hwan Kim Joins Sheppard Mullin

WASHINGTON, DC, June 8, 2015 — Hwan Kim has joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP as a partner in the firm's Corporate practice group, based in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.  Kim will also be regularly spending time in Sheppard Mullin’s Seoul office.

Kim counsels public and private entities, their shareholders and boards of directors on a range of corporate matters, including corporate governance issues, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, joint ventures and crisis/dispute management.  His clients include Korean multinational companies conducting business in the United States and the Middle East.  Leveraging his educational background in both law and economics, Kim has advised clients through a broad array of complex business transactions and sensitive disputes.

Kim advises a wide range of construction companies, developers, utilities, private equity companies, and equipment manufacturers in the energy industry.  He has negotiated and drafted agreements relating to the formation of, and corporate governance for, energy companies; merger and acquisition of energy companies and divesture of their assets; global procurement agreements for energy equipment and systems; EPC (engineering, procurement & construction) contracts; and operations & maintenance agreements for energy projects.  He is also advising companies in their multibillion dollar construction litigations in the energy industry.

A native of Korea, Kim has previously served as the Assistant General Counsel for Samsung Group in charge of international legal affairs, General Counsel for Samsung Chemical Group, and the Chief Legal Counsel for Samsung Olympic Task Force Team.

"We are thrilled to welcome Hwan to our Washington, D.C. office.  His deep roots in Samsung and the Korean and international business communities dovetail well with our longstanding client Samsung and our Seoul office.  Hwan brings a mix of strong knowledge and valuable expertise in the energy and construction sectors, which complement and supplement our current international and domestic capabilities across our firm’s footprint and in Washington, D.C.," said Guy N. Halgren, chairman of Sheppard Mullin.

"I am excited to join Sheppard Mullin.  The strength and breadth of the firm’s corporate and dispute resolution practice, coupled with the firm’s Seoul presence and existing Samsung relationships, were very attractive to me.  I was also impressed by the firm’s collegial culture and its impressive growth, especially in the Washington, D.C. office," Kim commented.

Kim’s recent significant Korean matters include representing Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. in connection with construction disputes in the Middle East and the Americas, representing Samsung SRA Asset Management Co., Ltd. in connection with the acquisition of real estate interests in the U.S., advising Samsung Asset Management Co., Ltd. in connection with financing from sovereign funds.

Kim received a J.D., from Georgetown University Law Center in 1989, a M.A.E.P. from Boston University in 1987 and a B.A. from Yonsei University in 1984.

Sheppard Mullin has more than 60 attorneys based in its Washington, D.C. office.  The firm’s Corporate practice group includes 150 attorneys firmwide and the firm’s Energy practice is comprised of over 30 attorneys firmwide.

In April, Sheppard Mullin’s Corporate practice group added partners Mike McKinnon in Orange County and Adam Ettinger in Century City.  McKinnon joined from Greenberg Traurig and Ettinger joined from Strategic Counsel Corp. where he was managing partner.  In March, Sheppard Mullin added Corporate partner Andy Felner in New York.  Felner joined Sheppard Mullin from FDX Capital LLC/FDX Offshore LLC, where he was co-founder and managing partner of the financial advisory firm and affiliated merchant bank, and where he will remain as a board member.

About Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

Sheppard Mullin is a full service Global 100 firm with 700 attorneys in 15 offices located in the United States, Europe and Asia.  Since 1927, companies have turned to Sheppard Mullin to handle corporate and technology matters, high stakes litigation and complex financial transactions.  In the U.S., the firm's clients include more than half of the Fortune 100.  For more information, please visit www.sheppardmullin.com.