"The Future of Korean Law Firms Depends on Investment in Talent"

Frank W. Ryan, Chairman of DLA Piper

Frank Ryan, Chairman of DLA Piper. DLA Piper

"Major Korean law firms have demonstrated remarkable growth and resilience. To advance to a global scale, it is essential to clearly define core priority areas and boldly invest in top talent within those fields. In particular, building a platform where clients can experience clear value in cross-border transactions is the key to differentiation. DLA Piper has witnessed the success of this model in the US market. In London, the Middle East, and certain parts of Asia, we are achieving sustainable global growth through this 'selection and concentration' strategy."

Global law firm DLA Piper, which ranked third worldwide in revenue in the '2025 Global 100' rankings, has demonstrated overwhelming growth. The Legal Times interviewed Frank W. Ryan, Global Co-Chairman of DLA Piper, to gain insights into Korea's strategic value in the Asian market and perspectives on the intellectual property (IP) sector. The interview was conducted in writing.

- DLA Piper has established bases in seven major areas in Asia (Australia, Singapore, China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, and New Zealand). What is the strategic background for designating these locations as key hubs?

"China, Japan, and Korea are central pillars of our strategy, not only because of the size of their economies but also due to their pivotal roles in global trade and cross-border investment. Hong Kong and Singapore serve as financial hubs connecting capital flows across Asia. The Asian markets where DLA Piper operates are leading the growth of M&A, private equity, and project financing across key industries such as technology, life sciences, energy, and industrials. This perfectly aligns with DLA Piper's strengths in transactional and dispute resolution capabilities."

- Among them, what is the core role and main focus area of the Seoul office?

"The Seoul office is a strategic stronghold within DLA Piper's Asia platform and serves as the gateway to the Korean market. While strengthening relationships with major Korean conglomerates, we have established ourselves as 'Trusted Advisors' to multinational clients who need to address Korea's complex legal and commercial issues. In particular, we have recently focused on supporting the overseas investments (outbound) of rapidly growing Korean companies."

- What qualities do you consider most important when hiring lawyers for your Asia offices? Are there any plans to open new offices in Asia?

"Beyond legal knowledge, we prefer talent who possess 'cultural fluency', global collaboration capabilities, and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing business environments. It is important that candidates, driven by curiosity and adaptability, can provide clients with practical, actionable advice. At this time, we have no plans to open additional offices in Asia."

- DLA Piper held an IP seminar in Korea in February. Recently, there has been international interest in regulations such as mandatory watermarking under the Basic Act on AI. What are your thoughts on this?

"Patent disputes and transactions are increasingly expanding onto the global stage. In order for Korean companies to enhance economic efficiency while maintaining strategic and performance consistency, they will need to collaborate with specialized patent teams capable of leading cases on a global scale.

AI has continuously transformed and advanced the global IP industry. Korea's proactive introduction of AI regulations will have a significant impact on companies' market entry and legal strategies. I expect that many countries around the world will look to Korea's regulatory model as a strategic blueprint for future AI utilization and management."

- In 2025, you achieved revenue of about 6 trillion won and rose to become a 'global top 3' law firm. What is the secret?

"It is the result of thoroughly and rigorously executing a long-term strategy under the vision of becoming a 'unique and outstanding global law firm.' We have invested in the right markets, recruited top-tier talent, and strengthened organic collaboration between global offices. Recently, we have focused on high-growth transactional work such as M&A and private equity, consistently attracting proven star lawyers in these areas.

In fact, DLA Piper has prioritized recruiting influential talent to reinforce its strategic focus areas. In the US, this is exemplified by the addition of M&A partner Viktor Sapezhnikov, named 'Dealmaker of the Year' by American Lawyer, and life sciences and VC specialist partner Josh Seidenfeld, who has advised leading Silicon Valley venture capital firms. In Korea, we have strengthened our platform by bringing on board partners such as Brian Yoon (Kwangsoo Yoon), an expert in project finance and M&A, and Jang Hyuk Yeo. This demonstrates our ongoing commitment to building expertise and excellence in our priority markets."

Kim Jisoo, Legal Times Reporter

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.