Lee & Ko appoints new co-head for international arbitration

The Korean firm Lee & Ko has expanded its international arbitration division by hiring former Jones Day partner Zachary Sharpe as a senior foreign attorney, who will manage additional arbitration cases in Singapore.

Sharpe, former head of the Singapore office at Jones Day, will jointly lead the international arbitration team at Lee & Ko alongside Eun Young Park, who also chairs the global disputes group.

Park informed Asia Business Law Journal that the firm brought Sharpe on board to enhance its emphasis on Singapore as a hub for arbitration, and his presence would strengthen its expertise in Singapore’s legal framework, standards, practices, and cultural context.

“International arbitration is a glocal thing,” said Park. “This is because in order to achieve good results, it is important to have a strong understanding of global practices as well as the local rules and customs of the arbitration seat.”

Sharpe became part of Jones Day in 2016 and advanced to partner status in 2019. While at Jones Day, Sharpe managed international arbitration cases governed by all significant institutional rules across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, particularly emphasizing energy, construction, and shipbuilding issues.

Prior to joining Jones Day, Sharpe served as a senior in-house counsel at Hyundai Heavy Industries, a prominent Korean heavy machinery producer, for four years beginning in 2012.

Although Singapore serves as a prominent arbitration center in Asia, an increasing number of major Korean law firms are recruiting senior foreign lawyers with Singaporean experience from international law firms.

In January, Bae, Kim & Lee, a competitor of Lee & Ko, brought on board former A&O Shearman partner Chris Mainwaring-Taylor for its international arbitration team. Mainwaring-Taylor operates from the firm's Singapore office, offering additional services related to international disputes often governed by English law.