Criminal Defense Litigation

"It was a complex and difficult case to prove, but BKL found all the relevant facts, analysed the matter and argued persuasively for us in court."

- Chambers & Partners Asia-Pacific

Overview

BKL’s Criminal Defense Litigation Group, bolstered by the extensive expertise of former judges and prosecutors in criminal litigation, has successfully represented clients in a wide spectrum of criminal matters through a collaborative system across various specialized fields. Leveraging their deep knowledge and passion, the group has consistently delivered outstanding results in some of the most complex and high-stakes criminal cases.

Extensive Experience in Handling High-Profile Cases

BKL has successfully handled numerous large-scale, challenging criminal cases that hold national and social significance. These cases have involved leading corporate executives and prominent political figures facing serious indictments. The team employs a meticulous approach that goes beyond reliance on established legal principles. By conducting in-depth legal analysis including comprehensive research on domestic and foreign legislative frameworks and judicial precedents and actively discovering and presenting evidence, we have obtained acquittals and precedent-setting rulings. Through these efforts, we have not only achieved favorable outcomes for our clients but also contributed to shaping the legal landscape in criminal defense, driving meaningful social and legal changes. As a result, the firm has been highly recognized for its criminal defense by domestic and international clients and media outlets such as Chambers & Partners, Benchmark Litigation, and Legal Times.

One-Stop Legal Services Through Seamless Collaboration

Corporations today face increasingly diverse and specialized criminal issues, often involving areas such as securities, finance, tax, real estate, election, fair trade, patent and M&A. In response, we have developed a comprehensive, collaborative approach that combines the expertise of attorneys and specialists from multiple legal disciplines to achieve the best possible outcomes in criminal cases. This collaboration extends to related areas, such as administrative and civil disputes, allowing the firm to provide seamless, one-stop legal services that address all aspects of a client’s needs.

A Deep Talent Pool of Distinguished Legal Professionals

Criminal Defense Litigation Group boasts a rich and experienced talent pool that is second to none. Notably, our group includes former Supreme Court justices, former chief judges and former presiding judges of district courts, and former research judges of the Supreme Court, former prosecutors general, former directors of the Institute of Justice, and former chief prosecutors and former deputy prosecutors general of high and district prosecutors’ offices.

BKL is deeply committed to maintaining open and honest communications with clients throughout the legal process. The attorneys are not only focused on achieving the best legal outcomes but are also attuned to the emotional challenges faced by clients and their families during difficult times.
 

Key Services

Breach of trust and embezzlement by corporate executives and employees
Corporate fraudulent accounting, violation of the Act on External Audit of Stock Companies
Tax crimes including tax evasion
Unfair trade practices under the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act
Criminal cases involving virtual assets
Violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act
Bribery cases including receiving or giving a bribe in breach of trust
Violation of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act, including bid-rigging
Violation of the Public Official Election Act, including illegal election campaigns

Representative Cases

Secured a groundbreaking en banc Supreme Court decision in a case involving the violation of the Public Official Election Act, successfully overturning established precedents. By vigorously arguing that the physical evidence, consistent with the facts charged, was not listed in the warrant and that the warrant presentation procedure has been omitted, we proved the evidence in violation of the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Act, rendering it inadmissible as evidence of guilt.
Obtained a judgment of acquittal in the second and third instances of a bribery case involving senior officials. Through fierce legal arguments and meticulous proof, we successfully overturned the first instance judgment of conviction.
Obtained a judgment of acquittal in the first trial of the tax evasion case against group executives and major shareholders' family members. This success was achieved through an in-depth review of specialized legal principles and precedents in the fields of taxation and the FSCMA, coupled with a meticulous analysis of transaction patterns and relevant facts.
Secured a groundbreaking en banc Supreme Court decision in a case involving the violation of the Public Official Election Act, successfully overturning established precedents. By vigorously arguing that the physical evidence, consistent with the facts charged, was not listed in the warrant and that the warrant presentation procedure has been omitted, we proved the evidence in violation of the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure Act, rendering it inadmissible as evidence of guilt.
Obtained a judgment of acquittal in the second and third instances of a bribery case involving senior officials. Through fierce legal arguments and meticulous proof, we successfully overturned the first instance judgment of conviction.
Obtained a judgment of acquittal in the first and second instances of a case where certain representatives of securities companies were indicted on suspicion of violating the FSCMA for providing information in the interest of scalpers in connection with the distribution of equity-linked warrants.
Obtained a judgment of acquittal in the first trial of the tax evasion case against group executives and major shareholders' family members. This success was achieved through an in-depth review of specialized legal principles and precedents in the fields of taxation and the FSCMA, coupled with a meticulous analysis of transaction patterns and relevant facts.
Successfully represented clients in a number of high-profile cases, including matters involving the head of a large corporate group, allegations of stock price manipulation tied to overseas investment resources, violation of the FSCMA, and economic crimes such as embezzlement and breach of trust.