U.S. firm Milbank has hired David K. Cho as a partner from Dechert, where he was head of the firm’s Hong Kong office and co-managing partner for Asia.

Cho will be temporarily based in Los Angeles before relocating to Seoul, where he will lead that office as managing partner. Joining Cho at Milbank are three other lawyers from Dechert: Special counsel Spencer Park and associates Amos Yoo and Susan Yoon.

Their arrivals will more than double the size of Milbank’s Seoul office, which opened in 2015. It currently has David Gartside, who joined the firm from Sidley Austin in 2019, and special counsel Brian Youn.  

Cho’s practice focuses on cross-border M&A, corporate finance and capital market transactions including public offerings registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He joined Dechert in 2012 from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, and was previously at Debevoise & Plimpton and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

David Zemans, managing partner of Milbank’s Asia practice and the firm’s Singapore office, said: “As one of the first international firms to have an office in Seoul, we are very proud of our commitment to the South Korean market. David’s wide range of experience and prominent presence in South Korea and across Asia make him the perfect addition to Milbank.”