Daeryuk Aju and Lin Sign Merger MOU, Aim to Launch Unified Firm in October

"Targeting 500 Million Won in Revenue Per Attorney Next Year
200 Billion Won in Total Sales Within Reach"

DaeryukAju (Representative Lawyer Lee Kyucheol) and Lin (Representative Lawyer Lim Jinseok) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a merger at 2 p.m. on the 29th at the DaeryukAju main conference room in Donghun Tower, Yeoksam-dong, Seoul. DaeryukAju

Law firm Daeryuk Aju and law firm Lin have officially begun the merger process, aiming to register the unified corporation by October. Their combination is expected to trigger a major realignment in the domestic legal market rankings.

Daeryuk Aju (Representative Lawyer Lee Kyucheol) and Lin (Representative Lawyer Lim Jinseok) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a merger at 2 p.m. on the 29th in the Daeryuk Aju main conference room at Donghun Tower, Yeoksam-dong, Seoul. Beginning with this agreement, both law firms will initiate the integration process and plan to officially launch the unified corporation within October.

To ensure a smooth merger, the two firms have established a 'Merger Promotion Committee' (Merger Committee). The committee will operate from today until the merger registration is complete, serving as a platform to discuss key issues such as the merger method, the establishment of decision-making bodies, and the selection of the unified corporation's name. The committee will be formed with an equal number of members from each firm, including one representative partner from each, adhering to the principle of an 'equal merger.' All decisions will be made unanimously.

This integration is expected to significantly reshape the landscape of the law firm industry. Based on last year's National Tax Service reported revenues, the combined sales of Daeryuk Aju (102.7 billion won) and Lin (41 billion won) would amount to approximately 143.7 billion won, surpassing Jipyung (132.7 billion won), which is currently ranked 8th in the industry. In terms of attorney headcount, the combined total of 384 lawyers (Daeryuk Aju with 247 and Lin with 137) would exceed that of Hwa Woo (369), placing the new entity among the top six in Korea.

The market is paying close attention to the union of these two firms, each with strong expertise in litigation and advisory services. Since its merger in 2009, Daeryuk Aju has built outstanding competitiveness in both traditional litigation fields such as fair trade, serious industrial accidents, and nuclear energy, as well as in emerging industries, achieving over 100 billion won in annual revenue for the first time last year. Lin, established in 2017 primarily by former Kim & Chang attorneys, has shown rapid growth in advisory areas such as M&A, finance, and AI·technology, and last year further strengthened its expertise by integrating the real estate specialist law firm Daeji.

Their capacity for overseas market expansion is also expected to be significantly enhanced. Daeryuk Aju has established networks in emerging markets, including Africa. Lin has leveraged global law firm networks such as Interlaw and has recently boosted its advisory and dispute resolution capabilities in Asia, particularly through its Japan and China teams.

Both sides have set a target of achieving 500 million won in revenue per attorney and have expressed their ambition to enter the 200 billion won annual revenue era next year.

Lee Kyucheol, Representative Lawyer of Daeryuk Aju, stated, "Our goal goes beyond simple expansion; we aim to establish a new model of a comprehensive law firm capable of responding to the global environment." Lim Jinseok, Representative Lawyer of Lin, emphasized, "By combining the innovative DNA of both firms, we will become a market-leading law firm."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.