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Joel E. RICHARDSON Foreign Attorney (Admitted in Maryland and District of Columbia)

Joel E. RICHARDSON Foreign Attorney
Joel E. RICHARDSON Foreign Attorney

Joel E. RICHARDSONForeign Attorney (Admitted in Maryland and District of Columbia)

T.+82-2-3703-1452 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092 E.jerichardson@kimchang.com

Areas of Expertise

Bio

Joel Richardson is a senior member of the International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation Practice of Kim & Chang and leads Kim & Chang’s North American Arbitration Desk. 

Mr. Richardson has extensive experience representing clients in arbitrations administered by a wide variety of institutions including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, KCAB, AAA and CAS as well as ad hoc arbitrations, and seated in a diverse range of jurisdictions, including Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, Geneva, New York, Zurich and Lausanne. Mr. Richardson’s arbitration experience has covered a broad range of fields, including mergers and acquisitions, pharmaceuticals, energy, construction and engineering, outbound investment, joint ventures, sales of goods and intellectual property licensing.

Mr. Richardson regularly speaks at seminars and international conferences on international arbitration topics, and has published numerous articles on issues in international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution in Korea. Mr. Richardson also regularly advises Korean parties regarding litigation in the United States and advises foreign clients regarding Korean court litigation in conjunction with Kim & Chang’s Korean licensed attorneys. 

Prior to joining Kim & Chang, Mr. Richardson served as a judicial clerk to Judge William D. Stiehl of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, and practiced commercial litigation with Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. and New York, where he gained extensive experience in all phases of litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts.

Profile

Experience

International Mediator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board International Mediation Panel (2024-Present)

Co-chair, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB) NEXT (2021-Present)

Specialist Mediator, Singapore International Mediation Centre (2018-Present)

International Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (2017-Present)

Kim & Chang (2006-Present)

Adjunct Professor, Korean Judicial Research and Training Institute (2007-2017)

Arnold & Porter, Washington, DC, U.S.A. (2002-2006)

Judicial Clerk Extern to Judge William D. Stiehl, United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois, East Saint Louis, IL, U.S.A (2001)

Representative Mattersshow

  • Represented a Saudi Arabian subcontractor in a dispute with the foreign general contractor regarding a large scale construction project in Saudi Arabia under a subcontract calling for ICC arbitration seated in London and governed by English law. 
  • Represented a United States contractor in KCAB International Arbitration Rules arbitration seated in Seoul against a Korean government-owned corporation regarding a contract for the supply of safety rated cable for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Korean governed by Korean law and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). 
  • Represented a United States subsidiary of a Korean conglomerate in a dispute with a consortium of Korean construction companies regarding a subcontract relating to a construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Iraq under a subcontract calling for ICC arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law. 
  • Represented a Korean conglomerate in ICC arbitration seated in Geneva and governed by Swiss law, including Emergency Arbitrator proceedings, against our client’s Italian counterparty in a contract for the joint development of new turbine technology for the natural gas energy supply industry. 
  • Represented a Korean subsidiary of a French industrial gas supplier in an ICC arbitration seated in Seoul governed by Korean law against our client’s Korean steel manufacturer customer regarding the Korean party’s purported early termination of a long term contract for the supply of industrial gas. 
  • Represented a Chinese distributor of Korean cosmetics in arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law under the KCAB International Rules regarding the Korean manufacturer’s purported termination of the exclusive distribution agreement. 
  • Represented an internationally recognized sporting official in multistage proceedings against an international sporting federation regarding alleged ethical violations by our client in which the international federation sought an approximately 20-year ban of our client. 
  • Represented a Korean steel company in ad hoc arbitration in Hong Kong regarding disputes arising under tax indemnification provisions in the share purchase agreement through which our client acquired the largest steel manufacturing company in Thailand. 
  • Represented a French automobile parts manufacturer in a joint venture dispute with a Korean automobile parts manufacture in ICC arbitration seated in Tokyo and governed by Korean law. 
  • Represented a leading United States nuclear power company in a KCAB domestic rules arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law regarding delay, design change and acceleration claims under a contract for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Korea. 
  • Represented a Korean investor in ICC arbitration seated in Paris governed by Kazakh law regarding an investment in oil and gas development rights in Kazakhstan. 
  • Represented an international consortium led by one of the largest international rail and aviation companies against a Korean municipal government in an ICC arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law in a dispute relating to the construction of a railway system. The total value of the claims was in excess of USD 1 billion. 
  • Represented a Japanese company against a claim by a Korean major electronics manufacturer for breach under a patent purchase agreement in an ICC arbitration governed by Japanese law with the seat of arbitration in Seoul. 
  • Represented two internationally-ranked, Korean badminton athletes in proceedings before the Badminton World Federation and in CAS arbitration regarding charges of anti-doping rules violations arising from alleged whereabouts violations. 
  • Represented a Korean shipbuilding and trading company against its supplier and sub-buyer in parallel ad hoc arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong and Singapore respectively. 
  • Represented a Korean company in ICC arbitration in Singapore in a dispute concerning a contract for the manufacture and installation of steel processing equipment by a United States company. 
  • Represented a Korean automobile manufacturer acquired by a major United States automotive company in ICC arbitration in Paris obtaining an award valued at approximately USD 30 million, including costs, on an indemnification claim for pre-acquisition recall-related damages. 
  • Represented a United States pharmaceuticals company against its Korean distributor in ICC arbitration seated in Seoul regarding claims arising from alleged product defects. 
  • In one of the largest international arbitration involving a Korean party conducted under the auspice of the ICC to date, with a value in excess of USD 3 billion, successfully represented one of Korea's leading conglomerates, along with two foreign consortium members, against a Korean government-affiliated agency in a dispute concerning the sale and control of a Korean financial services company. 
  • Represented a Japanese steel-manufacturing corporation in standby letter of credit disputes in Korean as well as US courts, which resulted in favorable global settlement for the client. 

Representative Activitiesshow

Awards

  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2024)
  • Expert Guides: Commercial Arbitration (Expert Guides, 2021)
  • Future Leader, Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2021-2023)
  • Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2020-2023)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Commercial Mediation (Who’s Who Legal, 2019-2023)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2019-2023)
  • Dispute Resolution Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2019)
  • Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders - Arbitration (Legal Business Research, 2018-2019)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2017-2024)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2017-2024)
  • Admitted to the Order of the Coif

Publications/Activities
    • Understanding the Cultural Challenges of Arbitrating in the Middle East, The Plurality and Synergies of Legal Traditions in International Arbitration: Looking Beyond the Common and Civil Law Divide (Co-author, Kluwer Law International, 2024)
    • Lexology Panoramic - Arbitration 2024: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2024)
    • Admissibility of New Evidence When Seeking Set-Aside, Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards Guide, Third Edition (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2023)
    • Lexology Getting the Deal Through - Arbitration: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2020-2022)
    • Understanding Cultural Challenges in the Cross-Examination of Asian Witnesses, Take the Witness: Cross-Examination in International Arbitration (JurisNet, LLC, 2019)
    • The International Arbitration Review: Korea chapter (8th-10th edition) (Co-author, The Law Reviews, 2017-2019)
    • Getting the Deal Through - Arbitration: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2017-2019)
    • Understanding the Culture Challenge of Representing Korean Parties in International Arbitration, Dispute Resolution Journal, Vol. 72, No. 1 (Co-author, Juris, 2017)
    • The 2016 Seoul Arbitration Lecture on 10 November, Korean Arbitration Review, Seventh Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2017.3.)
    • Rush to Judgment: Speed v Fairness in Emergency Arbitration, Asian Dispute Review (Co-author, HKIAC, 2016.10.)
    • 50 Years Since Inception: The Recent Trends of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, Korean Arbitration Review, Sixth Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2016.7.)
    • The Korean Badminton Case; Lessons in Managing International Drug Testing in Sport, Recent Trends of Law & Regulation in Korea, Vol. 23 (Ministry of Justice, Summer 2016)
    • Key Provisions of the 2015 Amendments to the KCAB International Arbitration Rules, Korean Arbitration Review, Fifth Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2015.12.)
    • The Legal System for International Arbitration of Korea, Korean Arbitration Review, Fourth Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2014.10.)
    • European Lawyer Reference - Construction Law & Practice, First Edition 2012: Korea chapter (Co-author, Thomson Reuters, 2012)
    • Successful Dispute Resolution in Korea: Litigation and Arbitration, AmericanLawyer.com, Webinar (Originally Presented on March 4, 2010)
    • Discovery in Investment Arbitration Involving Republic of Korea, Asian International Arbitration Journal, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Co-author, Kluwer Law International, 2008)
    • Legal Privilege in Korea, Asialaw, Vol. 5, Issue 2 (Co-author, Asia Law & Practice, 2007.6.)

Education

    Washington University School of Law (J.D., Order of the Coif, 2002) 

    Augustana College (B.A., cum laude, Economics and Accounting, 1998)

Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, Maryland, 2002; District of Columbia, 2003; United States District Court for the District of Maryland, 2005

Languages

English

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Joel E. RICHARDSON
Foreign Attorney (Admitted in Maryland and District of Columbia)


T. +82-2-3703-1452      
F. +82-2-737-9091/9092
     


  




Joel Richardson is a senior member of the International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation Practice of Kim & Chang and leads Kim & Chang’s North American Arbitration Desk. 

Mr. Richardson has extensive experience representing clients in arbitrations administered by a wide variety of institutions including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, KCAB, AAA and CAS as well as ad hoc arbitrations, and seated in a diverse range of jurisdictions, including Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris, Geneva, New York, Zurich and Lausanne. Mr. Richardson’s arbitration experience has covered a broad range of fields, including mergers and acquisitions, pharmaceuticals, energy, construction and engineering, outbound investment, joint ventures, sales of goods and intellectual property licensing.

Mr. Richardson regularly speaks at seminars and international conferences on international arbitration topics, and has published numerous articles on issues in international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution in Korea. Mr. Richardson also regularly advises Korean parties regarding litigation in the United States and advises foreign clients regarding Korean court litigation in conjunction with Kim & Chang’s Korean licensed attorneys. 

Prior to joining Kim & Chang, Mr. Richardson served as a judicial clerk to Judge William D. Stiehl of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, and practiced commercial litigation with Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C. and New York, where he gained extensive experience in all phases of litigation in federal and state trial and appellate courts.






    International Mediator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board International Mediation Panel (2024-Present)

    Co-chair, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board(KCAB) NEXT (2021-Present)

    Specialist Mediator, Singapore International Mediation Centre (2018-Present)

    International Arbitrator, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board (2017-Present)

    Kim & Chang (2006-Present)

    Adjunct Professor, Korean Judicial Research and Training Institute (2007-2017)

    Arnold & Porter, Washington, DC, U.S.A. (2002-2006)

    Judicial Clerk Extern to Judge William D. Stiehl, United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois, East Saint Louis, IL, U.S.A (2001)






  •   Represented a Saudi Arabian subcontractor in a dispute with the foreign general contractor regarding a large scale construction project in Saudi Arabia under a subcontract calling for ICC arbitration seated in London and governed by English law. 
  •   Represented a United States contractor in KCAB International Arbitration Rules arbitration seated in Seoul against a Korean government-owned corporation regarding a contract for the supply of safety rated cable for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Korean governed by Korean law and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). 
  •   Represented a United States subsidiary of a Korean conglomerate in a dispute with a consortium of Korean construction companies regarding a subcontract relating to a construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Iraq under a subcontract calling for ICC arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law. 
  •   Represented a Korean conglomerate in ICC arbitration seated in Geneva and governed by Swiss law, including Emergency Arbitrator proceedings, against our client’s Italian counterparty in a contract for the joint development of new turbine technology for the natural gas energy supply industry. 
  •   Represented a Korean subsidiary of a French industrial gas supplier in an ICC arbitration seated in Seoul governed by Korean law against our client’s Korean steel manufacturer customer regarding the Korean party’s purported early termination of a long term contract for the supply of industrial gas. 
  •   Represented a Chinese distributor of Korean cosmetics in arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law under the KCAB International Rules regarding the Korean manufacturer’s purported termination of the exclusive distribution agreement. 
  •   Represented an internationally recognized sporting official in multistage proceedings against an international sporting federation regarding alleged ethical violations by our client in which the international federation sought an approximately 20-year ban of our client. 
  •   Represented a Korean steel company in ad hoc arbitration in Hong Kong regarding disputes arising under tax indemnification provisions in the share purchase agreement through which our client acquired the largest steel manufacturing company in Thailand. 
  •   Represented a French automobile parts manufacturer in a joint venture dispute with a Korean automobile parts manufacture in ICC arbitration seated in Tokyo and governed by Korean law. 
  •   Represented a leading United States nuclear power company in a KCAB domestic rules arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law regarding delay, design change and acceleration claims under a contract for the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Korea. 
  •   Represented a Korean investor in ICC arbitration seated in Paris governed by Kazakh law regarding an investment in oil and gas development rights in Kazakhstan. 
  •   Represented an international consortium led by one of the largest international rail and aviation companies against a Korean municipal government in an ICC arbitration seated in Seoul and governed by Korean law in a dispute relating to the construction of a railway system. The total value of the claims was in excess of USD 1 billion. 
  •   Represented a Japanese company against a claim by a Korean major electronics manufacturer for breach under a patent purchase agreement in an ICC arbitration governed by Japanese law with the seat of arbitration in Seoul. 
  •   Represented two internationally-ranked, Korean badminton athletes in proceedings before the Badminton World Federation and in CAS arbitration regarding charges of anti-doping rules violations arising from alleged whereabouts violations. 
  •   Represented a Korean shipbuilding and trading company against its supplier and sub-buyer in parallel ad hoc arbitration proceedings in Hong Kong and Singapore respectively. 
  •   Represented a Korean company in ICC arbitration in Singapore in a dispute concerning a contract for the manufacture and installation of steel processing equipment by a United States company. 
  •   Represented a Korean automobile manufacturer acquired by a major United States automotive company in ICC arbitration in Paris obtaining an award valued at approximately USD 30 million, including costs, on an indemnification claim for pre-acquisition recall-related damages. 
  •   Represented a United States pharmaceuticals company against its Korean distributor in ICC arbitration seated in Seoul regarding claims arising from alleged product defects. 
  •   In one of the largest international arbitration involving a Korean party conducted under the auspice of the ICC to date, with a value in excess of USD 3 billion, successfully represented one of Korea's leading conglomerates, along with two foreign consortium members, against a Korean government-affiliated agency in a dispute concerning the sale and control of a Korean financial services company. 
  •   Represented a Japanese steel-manufacturing corporation in standby letter of credit disputes in Korean as well as US courts, which resulted in favorable global settlement for the client. 





Awards

  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2024)
  •   Expert Guides: Commercial Arbitration (Expert Guides, 2021)
  •   Future Leader, Who’s Who Legal: Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2021-2023)
  •   Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2020-2023)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Commercial Mediation (Who’s Who Legal, 2019-2023)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Korea, Arbitration (Who’s Who Legal, 2019-2023)
  •   Dispute Resolution Star, Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific: International Arbitration (Euromoney, 2019)
  •   Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal: Future Leaders - Arbitration (Legal Business Research, 2018-2019)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2017-2024)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Dispute Resolution: Arbitration (Chambers and Partners, 2017-2024)
  •   Admitted to the Order of the Coif

Publications/Activities

  •   Understanding the Cultural Challenges of Arbitrating in the Middle East, The Plurality and Synergies of Legal Traditions in International Arbitration: Looking Beyond the Common and Civil Law Divide (Co-author, Kluwer Law International, 2024)
  •   Lexology Panoramic - Arbitration 2024: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2024)
  •   Admissibility of New Evidence When Seeking Set-Aside, Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards Guide, Third Edition (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2023)
  •   Lexology Getting the Deal Through - Arbitration: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2020-2022)
  •   Understanding Cultural Challenges in the Cross-Examination of Asian Witnesses, Take the Witness: Cross-Examination in International Arbitration (JurisNet, LLC, 2019)
  •   The International Arbitration Review: Korea chapter (8th-10th edition) (Co-author, The Law Reviews, 2017-2019)
  •   Getting the Deal Through - Arbitration: Korea Chapter (Co-author, Law Business Research, 2017-2019)
  •   Understanding the Culture Challenge of Representing Korean Parties in International Arbitration, Dispute Resolution Journal, Vol. 72, No. 1 (Co-author, Juris, 2017)
  •   The 2016 Seoul Arbitration Lecture on 10 November, Korean Arbitration Review, Seventh Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2017.3.)
  •   Rush to Judgment: Speed v Fairness in Emergency Arbitration, Asian Dispute Review (Co-author, HKIAC, 2016.10.)
  •   50 Years Since Inception: The Recent Trends of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board, Korean Arbitration Review, Sixth Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2016.7.)
  •   The Korean Badminton Case; Lessons in Managing International Drug Testing in Sport, Recent Trends of Law & Regulation in Korea, Vol. 23 (Ministry of Justice, Summer 2016)
  •   Key Provisions of the 2015 Amendments to the KCAB International Arbitration Rules, Korean Arbitration Review, Fifth Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2015.12.)
  •   The Legal System for International Arbitration of Korea, Korean Arbitration Review, Fourth Issue (Co-author, KCAB, 2014.10.)
  •   European Lawyer Reference - Construction Law & Practice, First Edition 2012: Korea chapter (Co-author, Thomson Reuters, 2012)
  •   Successful Dispute Resolution in Korea: Litigation and Arbitration, AmericanLawyer.com, Webinar (Originally Presented on March 4, 2010)
  •   Discovery in Investment Arbitration Involving Republic of Korea, Asian International Arbitration Journal, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Co-author, Kluwer Law International, 2008)
  •   Legal Privilege in Korea, Asialaw, Vol. 5, Issue 2 (Co-author, Asia Law & Practice, 2007.6.)





Education

    Washington University School of Law (J.D., Order of the Coif, 2002) 

    Augustana College (B.A., cum laude, Economics and Accounting, 1998)


Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, Maryland, 2002; District of Columbia, 2003; United States District Court for the District of Maryland, 2005


Languages
  •    English





International Arbitration & Cross-Border Litigation