[Law Firm Now] Law Firm I& S Specializing in Labor Litigation and Labor-Management Relations Improvement Consulting

Judge and Kim & Chang alumnus Representative Lawyer Jo Young-gil
Legal Times Selected 'Tier 1' Law Firm in Labor Field

From the front row left: Lawyer Im Dong-chae of Law Firm I&NS, Chief Lawyer Jo Young-gil, Lawyer Jung Hee-sun; from the back row left: Lawyer Lee Dong-san, Lawyer Lee Ro-woon, Dr. Kim Jun-geun.
[Photo by Law Firm I&NS]

Law firm I&NS is recognized in the legal community as the "Labor Boutique Law Firm No. 1," possessing high expertise in the field of labor law. Established in 2000, it is now in its 24th year. The firm is led by Chief Attorney Cho Young-gil (Judicial Research and Training Institute Class 24), who gained experience as a judge at the Seoul District Court and in the labor team at Kim & Chang. Other active members include Attorneys Lim Dong-chae (Class 34), Jung Hee-sun (Class 38), Lee Dong-san (2nd Bar Exam), Kim Mi-ji (8th Bar Exam), Lee Ro-woon (11th Bar Exam), and Dr. Kim Jun-geun (Labor Law).

Although the number of attorneys is not as large as in major law firms, I&NS boasts strong competitiveness and high expertise in labor law, having been ranked as a Tier 1 law firm alongside large firms such as Kim & Chang, Bae, Kim & Lee, and Kwangjang in the labor sector league table evaluated by the legal professional magazine "Legal Times" last year.

The unique competitive edge of law firm I&NS comes from its comprehensive labor-management relations advisory services, which cover not only individual litigation but also policy consultation on current issues. The firm participates in all aspects of labor-management relations, including the establishment of personnel and labor systems, decision-making, training, publicity, and negotiations, providing legal and policy advice. I&NS attorneys engage in critical corporate discussions to advise on legal risks during decision-making and implementation processes. Attorney Cho Young-gil stated, "In the past, there were quite a few consultations involving legal risks such as bribery or threats against the employer side, but now it must shift to a lawful approach that complies with the law while responding effectively. We find fulfillment in playing this role and contributing to this change."

I&NS has represented employers successfully in various labor cases, including lawsuits on ordinary wages, in-house subcontracting cases where employees of partner companies demand recognition of worker status, worker dispatch, dismissal, worker status determination, and eligibility for severance pay. The firm also led landmark rulings such as the "bus driver waiting time" case, which held that bus drivers' waiting time cannot be considered working hours, and the Supreme Court plenary session ruling that welfare points do not constitute ordinary wages.

Although law firm I&NS has predominantly represented employers such as corporations, government agencies, and local governments, it has also represented employees and labor unions in numerous cases, including one where the worker status of a native English instructor was recognized. Following Chief Attorney Cho, Attorney Lim Dong-chae, who has worked at I&NS the longest, has been leading junior attorneys for 19 years. Attorney Lim particularly advises clients that "even if immediate inconvenience or loss occurs, adhering to laws and principles from a long-term perspective often leads to much better outcomes."

Recent major labor cases handled by I&NS include ▲a case where the first and second instance courts ruled that dismissal based on a mandatory retirement clause for low performers was justified, but the Supreme Court overturned the lower court rulings in September last year ▲a case in February last year where the firm represented a public enterprise in an illegal dispatch lawsuit and, contrary to previous rulings, persuaded the court that if there are no similar workers among the primary contractor’s employees, all wage claims by subcontractor employees should be dismissed ▲a case where the CEO of a public enterprise was indicted for violating the Labor Standards Act regarding working hours, and from the first trial, the firm represented the company, logically arguing through on-site investigations and thorough fact-finding that working hours and break times are distinct, resulting in a Supreme Court acquittal.

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