Skip Navigation
KO EN JP CN
Intellectual Property Careers
Menu
Intellectual Property Careers
Locations Contacts
Close
Search

Youngjin SOHN Foreign Attorney (Admitted in New York)

T.+82-2-3703-1936 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092
Youngjin SOHN Foreign Attorney
pdfvcardprint
Youngjin SOHN Foreign Attorney

Youngjin SOHNForeign Attorney (Admitted in New York)

T.+82-2-3703-1936 F.+82-2-737-9091/9092 E.youngjin.sohn@kimchang.com

PDF Vcard

Areas of Expertise

Bio

Youngjin Sohn is a senior foreign attorney at Kim & Chang. He advises on various corporate matters focusing on international practice, including cross-border mergers & acquisitions, securities offerings and other corporate transactions. He also advises clients on enforcement actions and compliance.

Mr. Sohn has extensive experience with corporate matters involving Korean companies, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions and international capital markets transactions. He worked on a wide variety of innovative and complex transactions and was instrumental in bringing about many first-ever deals in Korea, such as Korea’s first dual-listed initial public offering and first Korea-listed initial public offering with an international tranche. He also worked on both outbound and inbound acquisitions involving Korean companies as well as joint ventures and strategic alliances and investments.

Prior to joining Kim & Chang, Mr. Sohn headed the Seoul office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP for six years. During his 20 years at Simpson Thacher in New York, Hong Kong and Seoul, Mr. Sohn focused on various corporate transactions including securities offerings, mergers & acquisitions involving a variety of instruments and industries, as well as certain other forms of transactions such as joint ventures and strategic investments. He also advised on government enforcement actions and compliance.  Mr. Sohn also worked at Shearman & Sterling LLP in New York. Before his legal career, he also worked at Bain InterConsulting (Bain & Company) in Seoul and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in Seoul. 

Mr. Sohn has been consistently recognized as one of the top practitioners in his practice areas for more than a decade, including “Band 1” in Leading Individuals, International Firms in Korea, by Chambers and Partners for nine consecutive years (2011-2019). Mr. Sohn spoke in many conferences on topics related to his practice areas and also authored “Principal Issues in M&A from Acquirer’s Perspective” (Korean Journal of International Trade and Business Law, 2011) and co-authored “Securities Laws for Korean Issuers: Accessing the International Capital Markets” (Korean Business Law: The Legal Landscape and Beyond, 2010).

Mr. Sohn received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1996 and B.A. in business administration from Seoul National University in 1986. He also received his M.B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles, in 1989. Mr. Sohn is admitted to the New York bar.

View All

Profile

Experience

Kim & Chang (2019-Present) 

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, Hong Kong and Seoul (1998-2018) 

Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York (1996-1998) 

Bain InterConsulting (Bain & Company), Seoul (1992-1993) 

Strategic Planning, Semiconductor Business, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (1989-1992)

Representative Mattersshow

  • Represented a Korean logistics company in its proposed acquisition of a global logistics company based in Singapore. 
  • Represented a Korean life insurance company in its proposed acquisition of Southeast Asian operations of a global life insurance company. 
  • Represented a Korean property and casualty insurance company in its proposed acquisition of a US insurance company. 
  • Represented a Korean retail company in its proposed acquisition of a retail company listed in the US. 
  • Represented a Korean seafood company in its acquisition of a leading US seafood brand and related business. 
  • Represented a private equity arm of a global investment bank in its investment in one of the largest cable companies in Korea. 
  • Represented a Korean IT company in its acquisition of a US online trading site. 
  • Represented a Korean tire manufacturer in sale of a minority interest to a US tire manufacturer. 
  • Represented a Korean financial holding company in its formation. 
  • Represented a Korean telecommunication company in its issuance of bonds with warrants to a global IT company. 
  • Represented a Korean bank in sale of minority interest to a private equity arm of a global investment bank. 
  • Represented a Korean biosimilar company in its IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  • Represented a Korean holding company of global construction equipment operations in its IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  • Represented underwriters in a Korean biosimilar contract manufacturing organization’s IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  • Represented a Korean heavy equipment manufacturer in its IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  • Represented underwriters in a Korean advertising company’s IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  • Represented underwriters in a Korean biosimilar company’s proposed IPO in the US. 
  • Represented underwriters in a US-listed solar company’s proposed SEC-registered American depositary shares offering. 
  • Represented a Korean life insurance company in its IPO on the Korea Exchange (then the largest IPO on the Korea Exchange). 
  • Represented underwriters in a Korean credit card company’s IPO on the Korea Exchange (first IPO on the Korea Exchange with an international tranche). 
  • Represented a Korean tire manufacturer in its dual-listed IPO on the Korea Exchange and the London Stock Exchange (first Korea/London dual-listed IPO). 
  • Represented underwriters in a Korean display company’s IPO on the Korea Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (first dual-listed IPO). 
  • Represented issuers and underwriters in numerous capital markets transactions involving a wide variety of issuers and industries, including the government, government-controlled entities and automotive, steel, power generation, heavy equipment, distribution, telecommunication, chemical, banking and electronics industries.

Representative Activitiesshow

Awards

  • Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Capital Markets (Chambers and Partners, 2024-2025)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Capital Markets (Chambers and Partners, 2024-2025)
  • Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 (Delinian, 2023-2024)
  • Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 (Edition 32) (Euromoney, 2022)
  • Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 (Euromoney, 2021-2022)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Capital Markets: International Firms - South Korea (Chambers and Partners, 2008-2019)
  • Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Capital Markets: International Firms - South Korea (Chambers and Partners, 2007)

Publications/Activities
    • Speaker, “Mergers & Acquisitions: Overview of Process and Agreement Provisions Focusing on International Targets” (Seoul Bar Association, 2017)
    • Speaker, “Hedge Fund as Activism Shareholder,” Towards a New Model of Business Regulation, The Global State of Regulation of Business and Finance, The Bell Global Conference: “The Next” (2015) 
    • Speaker, “Client Expectations and Regulatory Changes as Drivers for New Approaches of Law Firms: Korea,” Managing Change in Challenging Times, International Bar Association Law Firm Management Conference (IBA, 2015) 
    • Principal Issues in M&A from Acquirer’s Perspective, Korean Journal of International Trade and Business Law, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Korean International Trade Law Association, 2011) 
    • Securities Laws for Korean Issuers: Accessing the International Capital Markets, Korean Business Law: The Legal Landscape and Beyond (Co-author, Carolina Academic Press, 2010)

Education

    Columbia University School of Law (J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 1996)

    University of California, Los Angeles (M.B.A., 1989)

    Seoul National University (B.A., magna cum laude, Business Administration, 1986)

Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, New York, 1997; Hong Kong SAR (solicitor), 2011

Languages

Korean and English

Insights

View More

Search Professionals

EXPERTISE RESET SEARCH

EXPERTISE

Close

EXPERTISE

Regulatory & Compliance Close

Advisory & Transaction show

Dispute Resolution show

레이어 닫기

Share

Close
  

Youngjin SOHN
Foreign Attorney (Admitted in New York)


T. +82-2-3703-1936      
F. +82-2-737-9091/9092      
  




Youngjin Sohn is a senior foreign attorney at Kim & Chang. He advises on various corporate matters focusing on international practice, including cross-border mergers & acquisitions, securities offerings and other corporate transactions. He also advises clients on enforcement actions and compliance.

Mr. Sohn has extensive experience with corporate matters involving Korean companies, including cross-border mergers and acquisitions and international capital markets transactions. He worked on a wide variety of innovative and complex transactions and was instrumental in bringing about many first-ever deals in Korea, such as Korea’s first dual-listed initial public offering and first Korea-listed initial public offering with an international tranche. He also worked on both outbound and inbound acquisitions involving Korean companies as well as joint ventures and strategic alliances and investments.

Prior to joining Kim & Chang, Mr. Sohn headed the Seoul office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP for six years. During his 20 years at Simpson Thacher in New York, Hong Kong and Seoul, Mr. Sohn focused on various corporate transactions including securities offerings, mergers & acquisitions involving a variety of instruments and industries, as well as certain other forms of transactions such as joint ventures and strategic investments. He also advised on government enforcement actions and compliance.  Mr. Sohn also worked at Shearman & Sterling LLP in New York. Before his legal career, he also worked at Bain InterConsulting (Bain & Company) in Seoul and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. in Seoul. 

Mr. Sohn has been consistently recognized as one of the top practitioners in his practice areas for more than a decade, including “Band 1” in Leading Individuals, International Firms in Korea, by Chambers and Partners for nine consecutive years (2011-2019). Mr. Sohn spoke in many conferences on topics related to his practice areas and also authored “Principal Issues in M&A from Acquirer’s Perspective” (Korean Journal of International Trade and Business Law, 2011) and co-authored “Securities Laws for Korean Issuers: Accessing the International Capital Markets” (Korean Business Law: The Legal Landscape and Beyond, 2010).

Mr. Sohn received his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law in 1996 and B.A. in business administration from Seoul National University in 1986. He also received his M.B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles, in 1989. Mr. Sohn is admitted to the New York bar.






    Kim & Chang (2019-Present) 

    Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, Hong Kong and Seoul (1998-2018) 

    Shearman & Sterling LLP, New York (1996-1998) 

    Bain InterConsulting (Bain & Company), Seoul (1992-1993) 

    Strategic Planning, Semiconductor Business, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (1989-1992)






  •   Represented a Korean logistics company in its proposed acquisition of a global logistics company based in Singapore. 
  •   Represented a Korean life insurance company in its proposed acquisition of Southeast Asian operations of a global life insurance company. 
  •   Represented a Korean property and casualty insurance company in its proposed acquisition of a US insurance company. 
  •   Represented a Korean retail company in its proposed acquisition of a retail company listed in the US. 
  •   Represented a Korean seafood company in its acquisition of a leading US seafood brand and related business. 
  •   Represented a private equity arm of a global investment bank in its investment in one of the largest cable companies in Korea. 
  •   Represented a Korean IT company in its acquisition of a US online trading site. 
  •   Represented a Korean tire manufacturer in sale of a minority interest to a US tire manufacturer. 
  •   Represented a Korean financial holding company in its formation. 
  •   Represented a Korean telecommunication company in its issuance of bonds with warrants to a global IT company. 
  •   Represented a Korean bank in sale of minority interest to a private equity arm of a global investment bank. 
  •   Represented a Korean biosimilar company in its IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  •   Represented a Korean holding company of global construction equipment operations in its IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  •   Represented underwriters in a Korean biosimilar contract manufacturing organization’s IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  •   Represented a Korean heavy equipment manufacturer in its IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  •   Represented underwriters in a Korean advertising company’s IPO on the Korea Exchange. 
  •   Represented underwriters in a Korean biosimilar company’s proposed IPO in the US. 
  •   Represented underwriters in a US-listed solar company’s proposed SEC-registered American depositary shares offering. 
  •   Represented a Korean life insurance company in its IPO on the Korea Exchange (then the largest IPO on the Korea Exchange). 
  •   Represented underwriters in a Korean credit card company’s IPO on the Korea Exchange (first IPO on the Korea Exchange with an international tranche). 
  •   Represented a Korean tire manufacturer in its dual-listed IPO on the Korea Exchange and the London Stock Exchange (first Korea/London dual-listed IPO). 
  •   Represented underwriters in a Korean display company’s IPO on the Korea Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (first dual-listed IPO). 
  •   Represented issuers and underwriters in numerous capital markets transactions involving a wide variety of issuers and industries, including the government, government-controlled entities and automotive, steel, power generation, heavy equipment, distribution, telecommunication, chemical, banking and electronics industries.





Awards

  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Capital Markets (Chambers and Partners, 2024-2025)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Capital Markets (Chambers and Partners, 2024-2025)
  •   Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 (Delinian, 2023-2024)
  •   Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 (Edition 32) (Euromoney, 2022)
  •   Highly Regarded, IFLR1000 (Euromoney, 2021-2022)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Asia-Pacific, Capital Markets: International Firms - South Korea (Chambers and Partners, 2008-2019)
  •   Leading Individual, Chambers Global, Capital Markets: International Firms - South Korea (Chambers and Partners, 2007)

Publications/Activities

  •   Speaker, “Mergers & Acquisitions: Overview of Process and Agreement Provisions Focusing on International Targets” (Seoul Bar Association, 2017)
  •   Speaker, “Hedge Fund as Activism Shareholder,” Towards a New Model of Business Regulation, The Global State of Regulation of Business and Finance, The Bell Global Conference: “The Next” (2015) 
  •   Speaker, “Client Expectations and Regulatory Changes as Drivers for New Approaches of Law Firms: Korea,” Managing Change in Challenging Times, International Bar Association Law Firm Management Conference (IBA, 2015) 
  •   Principal Issues in M&A from Acquirer’s Perspective, Korean Journal of International Trade and Business Law, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Korean International Trade Law Association, 2011) 
  •   Securities Laws for Korean Issuers: Accessing the International Capital Markets, Korean Business Law: The Legal Landscape and Beyond (Co-author, Carolina Academic Press, 2010)





Education

    Columbia University School of Law (J.D., Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 1996)

    University of California, Los Angeles (M.B.A., 1989)

    Seoul National University (B.A., magna cum laude, Business Administration, 1986)


Qualifications

    Admitted to bar, New York, 1997; Hong Kong SAR (solicitor), 2011


Languages
  •    Korean and English





Capital Markets ,  Mergers & Acquisitions ,  International Practice ,  Corporate Governance & Shareholder Disputes ,  Anti-Corruption & Corporate Compliance ,  Antitrust & Competition ,  ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance)