[Edaily Marketin JI YEONG-EUI Reporters Baek Ju-ah and Park So-young] Five attorneys have thrown their hats into the ring for the position of next managing partner at Taepyeongyang Law Firm, a major domestic law firm. With former managing partner Choi Seung-jin joining current managing partners Kim Seong-su and Beom Hyun, observers are predicting a three-way race centered on these three candidates.
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Five Candidates in the Running… Three-Way Race Centered on Current and Former Executive Leadership

According to sources in the investment banking (IB) and legal communities on the 2nd, Pacific Law Firm has formed a Representative Nomination Committee to select the next managing partner and is currently proceeding with the candidate selection process. The candidates are identified as attorneys Kim Seong-su (24th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute), Beom Hyun (30th class), Choi Seung-jin (28th class), Noh Mi-eun (31st class), and Kim Mok-hong (33rd class), for a total of five.

Pacific is reviewing candidates for the next CEO through a 20-member CEO Nomination Committee. The process involves presenting candidates who have received the approval of at least two-thirds of the committee members to the partners’ meeting. With the current CEO’s term set to end at the end of this year, Pacific is expected to finalize the list of candidates for the next CEO within this month and confirm the appointment at the partners’ meeting in December.

Industry insiders cite attorneys Kim Seong-su, Beom Hyun, and Choi Seung-jin as the leading candidates. The race is widely viewed as a three-way contest. Attorneys Kim Seong-su and Beom Hyun currently hold management positions in the current executive board, while Attorney Choi Seung-jin served as an executive attorney in the previous executive board. The election appears to be shaping up as a contest between candidates representing continuity with the current leadership and those with past management experience.

A legal industry source stated, “Discussions will likely center on these three candidates.” However, with five candidates in the running, the competitive landscape could still shift as the field is narrowed down.

Amid competition between

current and former top executives… Junior partners with proven expertise also throw their hats into the ring for a “generational shift”

Attorney Kim Seong-su joined Pacific in 2017 after serving as a presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court, among other positions. A litigation expert who served as a judge for approximately 19 years, he currently serves as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Management Committee. He has handled a wide range of cases, including major litigation and advisory work in the field of labor and employment, as well as corporate criminal cases and management control disputes.

Attorney Beom Hyun is a construction and real estate expert who joined Pacific in 2001. He has handled advisory work and litigation related to reconstruction and redevelopment, energy and infrastructure projects, and public contracts. Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO), he has worked alongside Attorney Kim Seong-su to support the leadership of CEO Lee Jun-ki.

Attorney Choi Seung-jin joined Pacific in 2002 and has handled corporate restructuring, reorganization and bankruptcy, related M&A transactions, and management control disputes. He has also gained experience in investment and divestiture transactions arising from corporate workouts and reorganization proceedings. Having served as a managing attorney in the previous executive leadership, Attorney Choi is regarded as a candidate with proven experience in law firm management.

The other two candidates are also figures who have established their expertise and standing in their respective fields. Attorney Noh Mi-eun joined the firm in 2002 and currently heads the Financial Regulation Team. She specializes in internal controls at financial institutions, financial regulation, and M&A and initial public offerings (IPOs). She previously served as a dedicated attorney for the National Pension Service’s fund division and as a private-sector member of the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s Pension Fund Investment Pool Steering Committee.

Attorney Kim Mok-hong is a corporate transactions expert who joined Pacific in 2007. He has provided advisory services on corporate acquisitions, divestitures, and foreign investment for private equity funds (PEFs) and large corporations. He has solidified his position in the advisory market by handling major M&A transactions, including the acquisition of eBay Korea, the sale of Yogiyo, and the acquisition of SK Rent-a-Car.