Sidley & Austin hires Asian law specialists for Los Angeles office

Sidley & Austin has recruited a team of lawyers with Asian expertise to bolster its Los Angeles practice.

Joon Yong Kim, Allen Kim and David Miyamoto are joining as partners from US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey, which merged with Graham & James earlier in the year.

Yong Kim has experience in corporate, M&A and international trade. He also serves as outside general counsel for the US subsidiaries of several large Korean conglomerates.

Kim handles commercial and intellectual property (IP) litigation for Korean, Japanese and European corporations. He is also responsible for securities and mass tort class actions at trial.

Miyamoto works in commercial litigation, representing multinational clients in court action, international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution in the US and Japan.

His experience includes the high-tech sector, contract disputes, financial transactions, M&A, joint ventures and real estate.

The partners will provide support for the firm's Asian offices as well as working for Asian clients in the US.

Sidley & Austin offers transactional and litigation services to its Korean-based clients.

Managing partner Theodore Miller says the move is a logical extension of the firm's existing service. "We have 35 lawyers practising in Asia and the three new partners have great familiarity with the business community in both Asia and the US."

Los Angeles has developed a close political and economic relationship with Asia during the past 20 years and there is a substantial Asian population in California.

Miller says the geographical proximity is the main reason for the close ties. "Los Angeles is the US' gateway to Korea, Japan and the entire Pacific Rim.

"We are pleased to have these lawyers. They have extensive corporate, transactional, IP and international dispute resolution expertise but also a broad knowledge of the region."