Jinwon Choi

  • Partner
  • T. +82-2-3404-0944
  • F. +82-2-3404-0006
  • E. jinwon.choi@bkl.co.kr

Overview

Jinwon Choi has accumulated a high degree of expertise and extensive experience while handling high-profile criminal cases drawing social attention. His areas of practice focuses on serious accidents, finance, intellectual property rights, fair trade, criminal cases related to personnel and labor, compliance, internal investigations, and ESG.

After graduating from Seoul National University College of Law and completing the 38th batch of Judicial Research and Training Institute, Mr. Choi worked as a judge advocate at the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutors’ Office, and is serving as a lecturer of the serious accident prevention expert course at the Korea Enterprises Federation, a member of the Investigation Performance Evaluation Committee at the Korean National Police Agency, a member of the Occupational Illness Decision Committee of the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, and a member of Grievance Review Committee on Sexual Violence, Etc. at the Constitutional Court.

Recognized for his expertise by various media and clients, Mr. Choi was selected as a "Stand-out Lawyer (criminal defense)" by Thomson Reuters, a global news provider, a "Leading Lawyer (corporate criminal defense)" by Legal Times, a "Rising Star in Compliance Management and ESG" by JoongAng Ilbo/Korea In-house Lawyers Association, an "Outstanding Lawyer in Serious Accidents" by the Law Times/Korea In-house Lawyers Association, and a "Best Lawyer in Serious Accidents" by the Korea Economic Daily/Korea In-house Lawyers Association.

Representative Experience

2012-Present Bae, Kim & Lee LLC
2009-2012 Judge Advocate for Public Service, Ministry of Justice
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2025-Present Member, Occupational Illness Decision Committee, Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service
2025-Present Member, Grievance Review Committee on Sexual Violence, Etc., Constitutional Court
2020 Member, Investigation Performance Evaluation Committee, National Police Agency

Representative Matters

Advised company A on a major accident case involving fires at an outlet
Advised company B on an accounting fraud case involving its merger
Advised company C on violations of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act in the form of, e.g., fraudulent transactions
Advised company D on a trade secret infringement case involving electric vehicle batteries
Advised company E on its violations of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act involving its unfair supports of its affiliates
Advised clients on their response to major accident cases and compliance matters
Advised company A on a major accident case involving fires at an outlet
Advised company F on a major accident case involving a nitrogen leak at its place of business
Advised company G on a major accident case involving an explosion at its power plant
Advised company H on a major accident case involving falling objects at its shipyard
Advised company I on a major accident case involving falls at its construction site
Advised company J on a case involving humidifier disinfectant
Advised clients on their establishment of safety and health management systems for manufacturing, construction, and distribution companies
Financial and Accounting-related Criminal Cases
Advised company B on an accounting fraud case involving its merger
Advised company C on violations of the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act in the form of, e.g., fraudulent transactions
Advised company K on violations of the Customs Act in the form of invisible trading
Advised company L on a tax evasion case
Trade Secret-related Criminal Cases
Advised company D on a trade secret infringement case involving electric vehicle batteries
Advised company M on a trade secret infringement case involving condensing boilers
Advised company N on a trade secret infringement case involving semiconductor parts
Advised company O on a trade secret infringement case involving black boxes
Fair Trade-related Criminal Cases
Advised company E on its violations of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act involving its unfair supports of its affiliates
Advised company P on its unfair supports of its affiliates in relation to catering services
Advised company Q on unfair trading practices regarding its application for a patent
Advised company R on violations of the Act on Fair Transactions in Large Retail Business involving its shopping centers
Other Corporate Criminal Cases
Advised company S on its violations of the Act on the Protection of Temporary Agency Workers and on unfair labor practices case
Advised company T on its violations of the Food Sanitation Act
Advised company U on its violations of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act regarding rebates
Advised company V on its violations of the Banking Act
Advice on Compliance Management and ESG
Advised company W on its ESG compliance
Advised company X on its establishment of a human rights management-based response system
Advised company Y on its internal investigations into the embezzlement by its representative director
Advised company Z on its establishment of a compliance system

Education

2018 Emory University School of Law (LL.M.)
2009 Judicial Research and Training Institute, Supreme Court of Korea
2007 Seoul National University (LL.B.)

Selected Activities

Activity
Lecturer, Expert Training Course on Serious Industrial Accidents Prevention, Korea Enterprises Federation (2022-Present)
Awards
Korea Economic Daily/Korea In-house Lawyers Association - Best Lawyer in Serious Accidents (2024)
Legal Times - Leading Lawyer (2023)
Joongang Ilbo/Korea In-house Counsel Association - Rising Star, Compliance and ESG (2023)
Thomson Reuters - Stand-out Lawyers (2023)
Law Times/Korea In-house Counsel Association - Outstanding Lawyer, Serious Industrial Accidents (2022)

Qualifications

2009 Korea

Awards and Recognition