Stephenson Harwood has announced its intention to enter the South Korean market with the hire of Michael Kim as a partner in the marine and international trade practice from DLA Piper, where he was the chief representative of it’s Seoul office.

Kim, who has experience in shipping, ship finance, shipbuilding and offshore and general commercial litigation and arbitration matters, will initially be based in Stephenson Harwood's London office. The firm plans to apply to open an office in South Korea, of which Kim will become managing partner.

"There are significant synergies between Michael's work and that of the marine and international trade and finance practices of Stephenson Harwood both in London and in Asia,” said Mike Phillips, head of the marine and international trade practice at Stephenson Harwood, in a statement. “We both work for most of the biggest names in Korean shipping, ship building, finance and trade sectors and Michael's arrival here will take the firm's leading reputation to the next level.”

Stephenson Harwood has represented a number of Korean conglomerates across the shipping, ship-building and ship finance work, banking, and trade sectors.

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