US tech-driven distributed law firm Rimon has launched in Seoul, its fourth global office opening this year. 

The Seoul office is being fronted by new hire Jungwoo Chang, who joins as a corporate partner from Korean firm Accelsior Partners where he was co-founder and managing partner. The opening in Seoul takes Rimon’s global office count to 42, adding to its new international outposts in London, Paris and Montreal.  

Michael Moradzadeh, CEO and founding partner, said: “We are very excited that we have an office in one of the world’s most important technology centres, Seoul. The city’s embrace of technology and entrepreneurialism are a great match for our firm culture, helping to serve our clients’ global needs. Jungwoo’s record of excellence and innovation made him the ideal fit for opening this office for Rimon.”

Chang’s practice focuses on M&A transactions, private company financings, regulation and general corporate governance, advising startups and public companies with a particular focus on the technology sector. Before co-founding Accelsior, Chang was an in-house lawyer, spending three years as general counsel at tech unicorn Yello Mobile and having spells as legal counsel at STIC Investments and LG International.

He said: “The traditional Korean law firm business model was adopted from the US by great pioneers in the 1960s and 1970s. It was considered very innovative at that time. Nowadays, advancement in the technology sector has changed the way we work, but law firms are still a long way behind. I am very excited to join Rimon and change the way we offer legal services here in South Korea.”

Chang added that the firm is planning to hire additional Korean partners in the near future.

Rimon has been rapidly expanding its global footprint this year, opening in Montreal in May with the arrival of a pair of entertainment industry lawyers – Saverio Coppola and Jon Mechanic – from Canadian firm Gascon & Associates. It also opened in London in March with the arrival of former Reed Smith lawyer Roger Parker, who joined as director of strategic operations in Europe, with a particular focus on the UK. And in February, Rimon opened in Paris, headed by M&A and private equity lawyer Olivia Le Horovitz, who joined from Simon Associes. 

In May, Clifford Chance announced it was closing its Seoul office nine years after becoming one of the first international law firms to set up shop in South Korea. The UK Magic Circle firm said the decision had followed a detailed review of the office – home to one counsel and four other staff – which led to a decision to ‘unwind’ its operations.