Hwan Kim

Hwan Kim is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group in the firm's Washington, D.C. office and Seoul office.

Areas of Practice

Mr. Kim counsels public and private entities, their shareholders and boards of directors, on a range of corporate matters, including corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private placements, joint ventures and crisis/dispute management. In particular he counsels a wide range of developers as well as construction, heavy industry, renewable energy, and petrochemical companies throughout the world. He has also advised renewable energy companies involved in wind, solar, and wave power generation.

As a member of the firm’s Korea practice, Hwan counsels Korean multinational companies conducting business in the United States and the Middle East. Leveraging his educational background in both law and economics, he has advised clients through a broad array of complex business transactions and sensitive disputes involving governments or state owned enterprises, including investor-state dispute settlement (ICSID arbitration).

A native of Korea, Hwan 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’s Olympic Task Force Team.

Experience

Renewable Energy

• Represented one of the largest multinational utility companies in its global procurement of solar modules from First Solar, Inc.
• Represented several major solar energy developers purchase solar modules from Suntech Power Holding Co., Ltd.
• Represented a large international power company purchase next generation solar modules from Nanosolar, Inc.
• Represented solar developers in purchasing solar power related generation equipment from, inter alia, GE International, Inc.
• Represented enXco Development Corporation in connection with procurement of renewable energy equipment.
• Advised several developers in connection with financing associated with their solar projects.
• Advised developers respond to RFP issued by counties and municipalities for solar projects.
• Advised EPC contractors and developers in connection with solar projects.
• Advised developers in connection with end of warranty issues for solar modules.
• Represented several multinational corporations in connection with procurement of wind equipment from overseas, including turbines, towers, and power generation related equipment.
• Represented developers in connection with financing wind projects.
• Advised a major turbine manufacturing company in connections with all aspects of its supply agreements.
• Advised wind farm developers in connection with negotiations of EPC agreements.
• Advised developers and utilities in connection with O&M agreements.

Represented several clients in merger and acquisition of assets and companies in the wind industry.

Corporate Matters

• Represented several multinational corporations in cross-border mergers and acquisitions and cross-border investments.
• Represented numerous publicly traded companies in their alliances, joint ventures, acquisitions, corporate and financing, and before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) matters.
• Successfully represented certain publicly traded companies in connection with a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) investigation.
• Represented Walter Anderson, accused by prosecutors of the largest tax evasion in America, on corporate matters related to his indictment.
• Represented NTT’s U.S. subsidiary in connection with a roll up acquisition of several information technology companies.
• Represented an oil shale developer in connection with the formation, construction and financing of a refinery in the south west United States.

Korea Practice Matters

• Representing Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. in an ICSID arbitration against the Sultanate of Oman.
• Represented Samsung Group in connection with a certain U.S. Department of Justice investigation.
• Represented Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in connection with its Olympic sponsorship and matters relating to the International Olympic Committee.
• Represented Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. in connection with its disputes with Nippon Steel and Bechtel.
• Represented Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd. in connection with construction disputes in the Middle East and the Americas.
• Represented Samsung SRA Asset Management Co., Ltd. in connection with acquisition of real estate interests.
• Advised Samsung Asset Management Co., Ltd. in connection with certain of its funding from sovereign funds.
• Advised Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd. in connection with several of its alliance agreements.
• Represented Samsung General Chemicals Co., Ltd. in connection with its license with UOP and in construction of several of its petrochemical plants.
• Represented the Export-Import Bank of Korea in connection with a $4.6 billion project financing of a power plant.
• Represented the Export-Import Bank of Korea in connection with a $2.6 billion asset garnishment proceeding in Washington, D.C.
• Advised GS E&C in connection with the negotiations and creation of a joint venture in the Middle East.
• Advised POSCO in connection with its general corporate matters and its investment in the United States, as well as antitrust reviews in connection with its U.S. investments.
• Advised POSCO in connection with its negotiations of supply agreement with GM and Chrysler.
• Represented KT America, Inc. before the Federal Communications Commission on general corporate matters.
• Represented Asiana Airlines before the U.S. Department of Transportation in connection with the crash of Flight 214 to San Francisco International Airport.
• Represented Cheil Worldwide in many of its sports marketing initiatives for Samsung Electronics, including the Olympics.
• Advised the National Pension Service in connection with establishment of its U.S. operations.
• Represented Chosun Ilbo in connection with its joint venture for broadcasting business.
• Represented Korea International Trade Association in its support for the passage of the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement.
• Advised LIG NEX1 in connection with certain M&A activities.
• Represented MPMan.com, the first MP3 player manufacturer in the world on its corporate matters and in its dispute with the Recording Industry Association of America.
• Represented Sea Launch Company LLC, a Boeing company, in relation to satellite launch services agreements with KT and the Ministry of Defense.
• Advised INTL FCStone in connection with certain of its Korea related transactions.

Honors

Real Estate and Construction, Legal 500, 2016

Mergers and Acquisitions, Legal 500, 2016

Media Mentions