ASTON LAW
KO
Jaehoon Lee

Jaehoon Lee

Managing Attorney

jl@aston-law.com

Introduction

Jaehoon Lee is qualified in Korea and Illinois. He practiced as an associate and partner at Yoon & Yang LLC, handling corporate advice, litigation, corporate and economic crime, intellectual property, trade secrets, real estate and contract disputes.

He completed the International Trade Law program at Columbia Law School and received an LL.M. in European and International Business Law from the University of Vienna. He later operated JL Law Group PLLC in Chicago and Dallas, working on business contracts, investment, operations, commercial disputes and cross-border matters. His practice includes corporate advice, civil and commercial litigation, criminal matters, Korea-U.S. disputes, inheritance and overseas assets.

Qualifications

  • Attorney, Korea, 49th Korean Judicial Examination
  • Attorney, Illinois

Career

  • Managing Attorney, JL Law Group PLLC
  • Partner, Yoon & Yang LLC
  • Associate, Yoon & Yang LLC
  • Former Legal Adviser, Yongsan-gu Council

Education

  • University of Vienna, LL.M. in European and International Business Law
  • Columbia Law School, International Trade Law program
  • Judicial Research and Training Institute, 39th class
  • Yonsei University, Law

Selected Experience

Selected experience of Jaehoon Lee, including work performed at previous firms.

Corporate, major disputes and regulatory matters

  • Audi-Volkswagen Korea dieselgate matter
  • BMW vehicle fire matter
  • McDonald’s hamburger patty matter
  • MAN Truck recall matter
  • Hyundai Steel collusion matter
  • SK Innovation electric vehicle battery trade secret matter
  • E-World amusement park industrial accident matter

Corporate, economic crime and capital markets

  • Samsung Electronics M&A-related capital markets matter
  • Accounting firm misconduct in the Daewoo Shipbuilding accounting fraud matter
  • S Bank illegal lending matter
  • Sangsangin Savings Bank capital markets matter
  • KT unfair hiring and abuse of authority matter
  • H Company and L Company embezzlement and breach of trust matters
  • J Company and K Company stock price manipulation matters
  • YTT tax evasion matter
  • Hyundai Construction slush fund matter
  • 21st Century Consulting resort development investment fraud matter

Public official and criminal matters

  • Coercion charges related to the presidential influence-peddling matter
  • Political Funds Act and election law matters involving a National Assembly member
  • Bribery matter involving a senior public official
  • Bribery matter involving a judge
  • Defense contractor bribery matter
  • Bribery and election law matters involving a local government head

Corporate advisory experience

  • KEPCO contract payment advice
  • SPC (Paris Croissant) trademark and breach of trust advice
  • Meritz real estate project finance loan contract advice
  • Venture company joint venture agreement
  • Stericycle compliance advice
  • CrystalGenomics M&A advice
  • MAN Truck internal disciplinary and compliance advice
  • Industrial accident and corporate damages advice

U.S. business and cross-border experience

  • Korean major company’s U.S. subsidiary: contract review, negotiation and risk advice for transactions with a major U.S. company
  • Korean major company’s U.S. subsidiary: large commercial lease review and negotiation
  • Korean major company’s U.S. subsidiary: construction contract review and legal advice
  • Korean major company’s U.S. subsidiary: internal investigation and response advice on employment issues
  • Korean-owned restaurant business: advice from formation and operation through sale
  • U.S. startup: online platform business model, formation and operating advice
  • Korean major company’s U.S. subsidiary: commercial lease security deposit dispute
  • Korean major company’s U.S. subsidiary: breach of contract and unpaid receivables dispute
  • Korean-owned business: partner equity and management control dispute advice
  • Employee of a Korean company: termination and retirement dispute advice

Related work is set out under Practice areas, and U.S. entry and investment work under the U.S. Entry & Investment Center.

Publications

A Study on Korea’s Experience in WTO - with Focus on Dispute Settlement - Master Thesis

Related Cases

Representative MattersInvestment fraud case: acquittal confirmed after the Supreme Court reversed and remanded

After guilty verdicts at trial and on appeal, intent to defraud was contested before the Supreme Court, leading to reversal, remand and a final acquittal.

Representative MattersWill held invalid in a high-value real estate inheritance dispute

An inheritance dispute in which lack of testamentary capacity was proven through witness testimony and other evidence.

Representative MattersReviewing and negotiating the contract for a U.S. project worth over USD 10 million

Acceptance, payment and intellectual property provisions of a large U.S. project services agreement were reviewed and negotiated, and the main comments were reflected in the final contract.

Representative MattersNon-referral for insufficient evidence in an imitative rape complaint against a foreign corporate executive

Points of inquiry to test the truth of the complaint were proposed to investigators, and the case against a foreign executive was closed without referral for insufficient evidence.

Representative MattersLegal advice for a Korean business owner's U.S. restaurant, from market entry through operation and sale

Legal advice across the key stages of a U.S. restaurant business: LLC formation, lease and contract review, an employment issue and the sale of the business.

Representative MattersInvestigating Korean estate assets and negotiating a division agreement for an heir long resident in the U.S.

For a U.S. citizen heir, omitted assets and lifetime gifts were identified and the estate was divided by agreement without litigation.

Legal Insights

U.S. contracts: why you should check again what you already agreed

U.S. contracts: why you should check again what you already agreed

Why terms agreed in negotiation must appear in the final U.S. contract, in light of entire agreement clauses and the parol evidence rule.

“Does At-Will Employment Mean You Can Terminate Anytime?”

“Does At-Will Employment Mean You Can Terminate Anytime?”

An overview of at-will employment, its exceptions, and practical considerations for termination records, employment contracts and workplace policies.

Korean Commercial Act Amendment Passed on March 13, 2025

Korean Commercial Act Amendment Passed on March 13, 2025

A discussion of directors’ duties, shareholder protection and electronic shareholder meetings, with considerations for corporate governance and internal policies.

Announcement of Inheritance Tax Amendment and Response Strategies

Announcement of Inheritance Tax Amendment and Response Strategies

An introduction to deductions and taxation approaches discussed in inheritance tax reform, with considerations for reviewing inheritance and gift planning.

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