Sang Hoon Lee

Practice Areas

Partner and the head of Lee & Ko's Employment and Labor Practice Group, and consistently recognized as leading labour expert in Korea by renowned international legal publications such as Chambers Asia, Legal 500, Asian Law and Who's Who Legal.

He has a proven track record of providing effective and practical advice to clients regarding the full range of matters involving the Korean employment and labor laws. He has advised clients on matters regarding both individual employment relationships (e.g., employment agreements, termination, wages, etc.) and collective labor relationships (e.g., collective bargaining agreements, strikes, crisis management, etc.). He has also successfully represented many multinational and domestic clients in matters pertaining to employment agreements, work rules, workplace and sexual harassment investigations, employment discrimination litigations, general compliance matters, employee discipline and terminations, layoffs, wage and hours, leaves, severance pay, pension and benefit, non-competition, employee privacy, temporary or dispatched worker, unjust labor practice, labor unions relations, employee transfers, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate restructuring.

Career

1992-Present Lee & Ko

2016-Present Advisory Attorney - the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea

2005-Present Member and Editor- the Labor Law Practice Study Institute, Supreme Court of Korea,

2005 Commissioner- Corporate Environment Improvement Practice Commission, Ministry of Justice of Korea

1997-1998 Visiting Attorney- Kelly, Drye & Warren, LLP, New York

1990-1992 Judicial Research & Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea

Professional Memberships

Korean Bar Association

Seoul Bar Association

New York Bar Association

Labor Law Practice Study Institute of the Supreme Court

Publications

Korea Contributor/Co-Author (2022, 2023) – Herbert Smith Global Comparative Guide (Employment Law) (2023 – to be published)

Korea Contributor/Co-Author (2021, 2022, 2023) – Chambers Global Practice Guide (2023 – to be published)

Chambers Trend & Development (2021, 2022, 2023)

“Greater Reforms for Promoting Work-Life Balance Changes to the Gender Equal Employment” in Legal 500 Asia Pacific Article

'Commentaries on the Labor Union and Labor Relation Coordination Act I, II, III' (2015)

'Commentaries to Labor Standards Act, I, II, III' (2010)

'Recent changes to employment law affect business operations' in the International Law Office Publication, July 2018

'Occupational Safety and Health Act amendments' in the International Law Office Publication, May 2018

'Changes to Labour Standards Act : National Assembly Passes New bill to curb working hours: in the International Law Office Publication, March 2018

'Termination for Personal Uses of Corporate Cards held as wrongful termination' in the International Law Office Publication, March 2018

'President Moon's Labor Policies-Employee Protection and Termination/Merit Pay System'- Speaker at AMCHAM Human Resources Committee Meeting, July 2017

'Breaking the Just-Cause Barrier: Termination of Poor Performance under Korean law' in the KBLA's Value Chain Magazine, April 2017

'Underperforming Employees: Changes to Management Measures & the Disadvantageous Changes to the Rules of Employment,' Nodong-Bup-Yul, Vol. 307, December 2016

'Whistle-Blowing and Employment Discipline,' (Korea Listed Companies Association, January 2011)

'Understanding the difference between Representative Directors and Employees', Speaker at International Association of Korean Lawyers(2010)

'Comparative Legal Study on Non-Competition Clause in Employment Agreement in U.S., Japan, and Korea,' (Submitted to Asian Law Program, University of Washington School of Law, 1997)