2021 Conference

The 28th Annual IAKL Conference was held virtually on September 30, 2021.

2020 Conference

The 28th Annual IAKL Conference was postponed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

2019 Seoul Conference

The 27th Annual IAKL Conference was held on September 19-22, 2019 at Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea.

2018 Atlanta

The 26th Annual IAKL Conference was held on September 13-16, 2018 at Grand Hyatt in Atlanta, Georgia.

2016 Washington, D.C.

The 24th Annual IAKL Conference was held on September 29-October 2, 2016, at JW Marriott in Washington, DC.

2015 Seoul Conference

The 23rd Annual IAKL Conference was held on September 17-20, 2015, at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.

2014 New York City

The 22rd Annaual IAKL Conference was held on October 2-5, 2014, at Fordham Law School in New York City.

2013 Seoul Conference

The 21st Annual IAKL Conference was held in Seoul, Korea. The theme of the conference was: Crossing Borders: The New Legal Landscape.

2012 LA Conference

The 20th Annual IAKL Conference was held in Los Angeles, California. This was the largest IAKL Conference ever, with approximately 400 attendees from all over the globe, including 55 from Korea, and other overseas Korean attorneys from Europe, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. In addition to CLE panels and a mentoring session for law students, the Conference featured keynote speakers such as Mr. Young Moo Shin, President of the Korean Bar Association of Korea, and a Korean-American film director, Christine Yoo, whose movie The Wedding Palace will be released in select theatres across the nation ( http://iamkoream.com/march-cover-story-say-i-do-to-wedding-palace/ ). The IAKL Closing Banquet was held at the historic and ritzy Park Plaza Hotel (also a popular wedding venue for L.A. celebrities), where the Honorable Jacqueline Nguyen of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals gave the keynote address, and guests were entertained by Korean-American comedian Danny Cho.

2011 Seoul Conference

The 19th Annual IAKL Conference was held at Ewha Womans University Law School in central Seoul, with record breaking attendance of 350 attorneys and guests. Participants enjoyed a wide variety of substantive legal presentations on a wide variety of topics. There were well-attended Dinners, at the Seoul Museum of History on Friday and the National Museum of Korea on Saturday. The IAKL Band made an appearance on Friday night, and the individual talents of some IAKL members were featured on Saturday! And the memorable DMZ tour concluded the conference on Sunday. Mr. Phillip Shinn was elected and installed as the IAKL Overseas President.

2010 Chicago Conference

The 18th Annual IAKL Conference was held at the glittering Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, Illinois. The theme of the 2010 Conference was "Strengthening Our Connections Throughout The World," and it featured a stellar lineup of international speakers, including the President of the International Bar Association, Fernando Pelez-Pier; the President of the American Bar Association, Stephen N. Zack; the Honorable Young B. Kim of the U.S. District Court in Chicago; and Professor Byung Chul Koh, a North Korea scholar from the University of Illinois, Chicago.

For the first time ever, the conference featured a panel session, International Arbitration and Investor-State Disputes, that was co-organized by the International Bar Association, and that featured leading practitioners from the IBA's deep roster on international arbitration. Participants also enjoyed substantive panels on Trade Secrets Law, Monetizing Intellectual Property, Corporate Governance, Labor & Employment, Women in the Legal Profession, The Role of In-House Counsel, International Criminal Law, Discovery and e-Discovery, Pro Bono, and the Judiciary.

Another innovation of the 2010 Conference was a well-received Mix & Match Mentoring program that allowed law students and junior attorneys to receive one-on-one advice and mentoring from multiple senior lawyers in a single session.

The Conference included an informal lunch at Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse (a Chicago institution), an elaborate nine-course meal at the Phoenix Restaurant in Chinatown, and an architectural boat cruise along the river and Lake Michigan. The Conference concluded with a joint IAKL-KABA Closing Banquet at the Art Institute of Chicago, which was enlivened by the youthful voices of the Chicago Children's Choir singing "Arirang" and other popular songs.

Mr. Moon Hyun Cho was elected and installed as the IAKL Korea President.

2009 Seoul Conference

The 17th Annual IAKL Conference was held on the beautiful and historic campus of Sungkyunkwan University in central Seoul, with nearly 300 attorneys and guests in attendance. Participants enjoyed a wide variety of substantive legal presentations on Patent and Copyright Law, Corporate Law, Labor Law, International Arbitration, North Korea, Human Rights, Chinese Legal Issues, Women in the Legal Profession, Tax, The Role of In-House Counsel, The Role of Lawyers in the Global Society, and an Update on the Laws of Germany, France, Brazil, and the Middle East.

The Chief Justice of the Republic of Korea, the Honorable Yong-hun Lee, delivered opening remarks for the Conference, and the President of the Constitutional Court, the Honorable Kang-Kook Lee, also addressed participants. Later in the Conference, participants heard a keynote speech, followed by a lively question-and-answer session, from the Honorable Sang Hyun Song, President of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands.

The Conference concluded with a lovely dinner and cocktail hour on Saturday night at the Residence of Yoon Boseon, former President of the Republic of Korea, as well as a heartfelt musical performance by saxophone recording artist Danny Jung.

Mr. Frederick S. Chung was elected and installed as the IAKL Overseas President.

2008 Philadelphia Conference

The 2008 conference was a spectacular success, featuring an unprecedented array of star speakers:

Don H. Liu, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Xerox Corp.

Michael Pratt, Chancellor, Philadelphia Bar Association

Jun Choi, Mayor, Edison Township, New Jersey

Grace Chung Becker, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice

Harold Koh, Dean of Yale Law School (currently Legal Adviser of the Department of State)

Sam Yoon, Councilor-at-Large, Boston City Council, and Candidate for Mayor of Boston

Michael Kang, Award-winning filmmaker

Panel discussions were held on the following subjects: The In-House Counsel Perspective, Investment in Asia, M & A in Korea and the U.S., Intellectual Property Litigation, Constitutional Law, Employment Law, Immigration Compliance, IP Licensing, Recent Changes in Securities and Banking Laws, Perspectives from the Bench, Pro Bono and Community Service, Ethics and Professional Responsibility, and Women in the Law.

Participants enjoyed a reception at historic City Hall, dinner at the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel (the venue for the conference), as well as dinner on the deck of Moshulu at Penn’s Landing. In addition, a number of attendees took advantage of multiple evenings of Karaoke at Yakitori Boy, as well as a final night of bowling at Lucky Strike on Chestnut Street.

Mr. Dae-Yun Cho was elected and installed as the IAKL Korea President.

2007 Seoul Conference

The 15th Annual IAKL Conference took place at Konkuk University College of Law. Substantive seminars covered a variety of subjects: Changes to the Korean Legal Education System, Labor and Employment Law, Patents and Licensing, Immigration Law, Oral Advocacy and Jury Trials, Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions, Liberalization of the Korean Legal Market, International Criminal Law, Trademarks and Copyrights, Pro Bono Legal Services, Overseas Investment, and Issues from Corporate Counsel.

In addition to these educational seminars, attendees had the opportunity to experience a scenic dinner cruise along the Han River, a performance of “NANTA", and a serene and lavish dinner at Samcheongkak. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Woong Shik Shin, former IAKL President.

Ms. Catharina Y. Min was elected IAKL Overseas President.

2006 Seattle Conference

The 2006 conference was organized and hosted by the Korean American Bar Association of Washington. The IAKL kicked off the conference with a pro bono legal counseling session by participating attorneys from Korea, in conjunction with the Seattle-Washington Korean Association. Thus began a tradition of providing pro bono legal advice to local Koreans at each IAKL conference in the U.S.

Panel presentations covered a wide array of topics, including Technology in the Courtroom, Advising Emerging Companies, Corporate Governance and Securities Law, ADR, Patent Law, International Criminal Law, Employment Law, Pro Bono Legal Services, Copyright and Trademark Law, and North Korea. The keynote speakers were Nancy Anderson, Deputy General Counsel at Microsoft, and Professor Margaret Chon of Seattle University Law School.

Throughout the conference, participants were treated to spectacular views at a reception in the Columbia Tower Club in downtown Seattle, at a dinner hosted by the Consul General of Korea in his home in Woodway, Washington, and at a final dinner in the Sheraton Hotel, the site of the conference proceedings.

Mr. Hong Oo Baak was elected and installed as the new IAKL Korea President.

2005 Osaka & Seoul Conference

The 2005 conference was held in both Osaka, Japan and Seoul, Korea. The bulk of the conference took place at the Hotel Ambient Dohjima in Osaka and was hosted by the Korean-Japanese Bar Association. Panel discussions in Osaka included the following subjects: Cross-Border Investments, International Arbitration, Intellectual Property, Constitutional Law and Human Rights, Corporate Governance, Immigration, White Collar Crime, Class Actions. At the Grand Intercontinental Hotel in Seoul, additional presentations were given on U.S. Litigation, Class Actions, White Collar Crime, U.S. Immigration Laws, and Intellectual Property.

The keynote address was delivered in Osaka by Kenichi Takagi, a prominent Japanese lawyer who has worked tirelessly on victim compensation issues for Korean, Filipino, and Chinese victims of World War II.

At the conclusion of the Osaka portion of the conference, attendees experienced an organized tour of Kyoto, which included a fashion show, a trip to Kinkaku-ji (the Temple of the Golden Pavilion) and Kiyomizu Temple, as well as an elaborate Kaiseki dinner.

Mr. Kenneth Cho was elected IAKL Overseas President.

2004 San Francisco Conference

Co-sponsored by the Korean American Bar Association of Northern California, the 2004 conference was held at the Pan Pacific Hotel in historic Union Square. Substantive panels were held on various topics, including Corporate Governance, International Dispute Resolution, U.S. Antiterrorism Laws, Labor and Employment, International Trade, and the Judiciary. In addition, a large audience enjoyed a patent mock trial that was put on by several intellectual property trial lawyers.

Keynote speakers were the Honorable Edmund G. ("Jerry") Brown, Mayor of Oakland and former two-term Governor of California, and the Honorable Sang-Hee Kim, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice in Korea.

New IAKL Korea President, Mr. Chang Rok Woo, was elected and installed at the meeting.

2003 Seoul Conference

The 2003 Conference was co-sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Court Administration, the Ministry of Justice, the Korean Bar Association, the Seoul Bar Association, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korean Air, and the law firms Lee & Ko, Kim & Chang, Shin & Kim, Yulchon, Hwang Mok Park, Bae, Kim & Lee, Yoon & Yang, and Latham & Watkins LLP. The Seoul High Court graciously offered their facilities, and the Honorable Ronald Moon of the Hawaii Supreme Court and the Honorable Sang- Hyun Song of the International Criminal Court delivered memorable keynote speeches.

Mr. Charles Myungsik Yoon of New York, NY was elected IAKL Overseas President for a two-year term.

In addition to various seminars and panel discussions, conference participants were afforded the opportunity to meet with attorneys working at the Blue House and to see the interior of the Blue House, which is generally closed to the public. The conference ended with a dinner and reception at the Marriott Hotel, and golf at the Suwon Country Club.

2002 Hawaii Conference

The IAKL held its 2002 “Korean Lawyers at a Crossroads" conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, co-hosted by the Korean American Bar Association Hawaii, at the Hawaii Prince Hotel near Waikiki beach. It featured two days of seminars and presentations on various topics, including a special presentation about the hundred years of immigration to the United States. Hawaii, the crossroads between East and West, was a particularly appropriate (not to mention warm and picturesque) venue for this conference, as Hawaii was preparing at the time for centennial celebrations of Korean immigration to Hawaii, which began in 1903.

Keynote speakers included Mr. John Trasvina, former Special Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Dr. Edward J. Schultz, Professor of History and Director of the Center for Korean Studies at the University of Hawaii, and Mr. Dalton Tanonaka, award-winning journalist. Numerous participants had the opportunity to tour the Hawaii Supreme Court and U.S. District Court, as well as enjoy sightseeing tours of Oahu.

Mr. Bong Soo Kang of Seoul, Korea was elected IAKL Korean President for a two-year term.

2001 Seoul Conference

The IAKL 2001 “Law and Business" Conference brought together lawyers and business persons from around the world for stimulating presentations and discussions at the Judicial Research and Training Institute in Seoul, Korea on October 12 and 13, 2001. The conference was co-hosted by the Korea Ministry of Justice and the Korea International Trade Association. Special speakers included Mr. Tong Soo (“T.S.") Chung, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce; the Honorable Kyung-Won Choi, Korea Minister of Justice; and Mr. Jae-Chul Kim, President of the Korea International Trade Association.

Panel discussions were held on a wide range of subjects, including How to Choose and Work with Overseas Counsel; Legal Problems Facing Venture Companies; North Korean Legal Structure in Comparative Perspective; International Trade Law; Civil and Criminal Liability under Securities and Finance Laws; The Internet and Intellectual Property; Recent Developments in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law; Studying Law Overseas; Comparative Immigration Law; and Law and Business in Emerging Economies. In addition, there was a special series of English-language presentations about Korea criminal, civil, and intellectual property law, as well as a series of Korean-language presentations about U.S. litigation.

Samuel S. Chung was elected as the IAKL Overseas President for a two-year term.

Participants came from diverse places such as Uzbekistan, Brazil, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, and Canada, as well as from the United States and Korea. As always, there were ample opportunities for participants to meet with each other informally before, during, and after the conference. There were visits to the Seoul District Court, Seoul High Court, and Korean Supreme Court before the conference, and a golf tournament after the conference. The conference concluded with a marvelous dinner cruise along the Han River, with a sumptuous buffet and a live band.

2000 New York Conference

The IAKL 2000 Conference in New York was a great success, with lawyers and distinguished jurists and guests coming in to participate from around the world. The Conference was co-organized and hosted by the Korean American Lawyers Association of Greater New York (KALAGNY) and was held on July 28 - 30 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Manhattan. Distinguished guest speakers included the Honorable Danny Chun, Justice of the New York Supreme Court; the Honorable Mr. Ri Hoon Hur, Korean Consul General of New York; Mr. Jin Kang Lee, President of the Seoul Bar Association; Mr. Ki-Yong Chung, Director of International Legal Affairs of the Korea Ministry of Justice; Mr. Paul Igasaki, Vice Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission of the United States; and Mr. Sung Nam Kim of Se Il Law Firm of Seoul, who spoke about ongoing anti-corruption efforts in the Korean government.

The Conference featured a fun and informative field of panel discussions on various topics of international interest. Discussion topics included Cross-Border Transactions involving Korean Institutions; Employment Relations; International Arbitration; White Collar Crime and Internal Investigation; the Role of In-House Corporate Counsels; The Role of Intellectual Property in the New Economy of the 21st Century; Legal Redress for War Crimes and Victims of War and Demystifying the Complexities of a Specialized Solo Practice. Also featured was a memorable mock criminal jury trial, presided over by New York's first and only Korean-American judge, the Honorable Danny Chun.

There were also many occasions throughout the conference for people to enjoy more leisurely activities, such as dinner parties, impromptu karaoke get-togethers, a tour of the United Nations Building in New York, a visit to the permanent Korean Mission to the United Nations hosted by Mr. Hyun Soo Shin, Legal Advisor to the South Korean Permanent Mission, and a day of golf at the Great George Country Club.

1999 Seoul Conference

The 1999 Seoul conference was very successful, attracting one of the largest and most diverse ranges of participants to date, including attorneys from China, Japan, Germany, England, Spain, Hong Kong, and Singapore, as well as Korea, the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil. The Korea Ministry of Justice hosted the conference on October 8 and 9, with the sponsorship of the Korea Judicial Research and Training Institute ("JRTI"), the Seoul High Court, the Korea Bar Association, and the Seoul Bar Association. The JRTI graciously provided its facilities for the conference, and participants were also treated to wonderful dinners at the Seoul High Court dining hall and in the Seoul High Court's "Secret Garden."

The 1999 Seoul conference featured special presentations by a number of distinguished speakers, including representatives of the Korea Ministry of Justice, the Korea Supreme Court, the Korea Bar Association, and the U.S. Embassy. Panel discussions were held regarding How Lawyers Can Effectively Serve Our Communities; Litigation in Comparative Perspective; Human Rights; Perspective of In-House Counsel; Legal Education; Corporate Governance and the Lawyer's Role; International Trade; Recent Developments in Intellectual Property Law; Electronic Commerce; International Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution; the Legal Profession and Ethics, and Mergers & Acquisitions and Restructuring. Mr. Pyung Woo Kim of Seoul, Korea was elected IAKL Korean President for two years beginning at the next year's conference, with Dr. Woong Shik Shin to continue to serve as IAKL Korean President until then. Mr. Grant L. Kim was elected IAKL Overseas President for two years, succeeding Mr. Ken Kwangho Lee.

There was a tour of the Korean courts, as well as a golf tournament and a trip to the Korea Folk Village. A marvelous time was had by all.

1998 Los Angeles Conference

The 1998 Los Angeles conference was hosted by the Korean American Bar Association of Southern California on August 14 and 15, 1998. The conference featured keynote presenters from both sides of the Pacific, including Korean Assemblyman Jay Kun Yoon, Mr. Joon Gyu Kim of the Korea Ministry of Justice, California Supreme Court Justice Ming Chin, Washington State Senator Dr. Paull Shin, and Mr. Tong Soo Chung, Director of the Advocacy Center of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Prominent trial attorneys presented a lively mock trial, presided over by the Honorable Lance Ito. There were also panel discussions concerning international investment, employment law, environmental law, women and the legal profession, international litigation, venture capital financing, civil rights law, trade secrets, campaign finance laws, and commercial misappropriation of celebrity names and likeness. The conference was capped off by a dinner party featuring a yacht cruise, as well as a golf tournament.

1997 Seattle Conference

The 1997 conference in Seattle, Washington, was a huge success. The keynote speakers were two leading Korean-American attorneys, Angela Oh, a criminal defense attorney and community activist who is served on the Advisory Board for the President’s Initiative on Race, and Tong Soo Chung, Director of the Advocacy Center of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Stimulating panel discussions were held on “Protecting Intellectual Property Rights,” “International Dispute Resolution and Enforcement of Judgments,” “Law and Politics in Korea,” “Lawyers as Social Reformers in Ethnic Communities,” “What Every Foreign Lawyer Should Know About Advising Clients Doing Business in Korea,” “Opening the Legal Market in Korea,” “Advancement of Women in the Legal Profession, ” and “Technology in the Courtroom.”

Dr. Woong Shik Shin of Seoul, Korea was elected IAKL Korean President for two years, and Mr. Ken Kwangho Lee of Santa Clara, California was elected IAKL Overseas President for two years. The host Korean American Bar Association of Washington State sponsored some spectacular events, including an idyllic dinner cruise to “Fantasy Island,” as well as a golf tournament.

1995 Chicago Conference

The Korean American Bar Association of Illinois hosted the 1995 IAKL conference in Chicago on August 4 to 5. The conference featured a keynote presentation by His Excellency Soo Gil Park, the Korean Ambassador to the United Nations, as well as panel discussions on “Globalization of Markets: Legal and Practical Problems of Opening Markets”; “How to Protect One’s Intellectual Property Rights: Issues Facing Businesses and Individuals”; and “Reformation of the Judicial System – How Will Globalization Affect the Legal Field.” Mr. Young Wook Lee of Seoul, Korea was reelected the IAKL Korean President, and Mr. Kie- Young Shim of Chicago was elected the IAKL Overseas President for two year terms. Attendees and their family also enjoyed sightseeing and golfing before and after the conference.

1993 San Francisco Conference

The Korean American Bar Association of Northern California hosted the 1993 IAKL conference in San Francisco on July 30 to 31, 1993. The conference featured a keynote presentation by the Honorable Ronald T.Y. Moon, Chief Justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court, as well as a special presentation by Dr. Moon In Koo, founder of the IAKL and former President of the Korea and Seoul Bar Associations. The conference also included panel discussions on “Doing Business Overseas”; “Representing Individual Korean Clients”; “Korea-Related Trade Issues”; “The Woman Attorney"; and “Racial Conflict and Discrimination: Issues Facing Koreans In a Multicultural World.”

A decision was made at the 1993 conference to have two co- presidents, one for Korea and one for overseas. Mr. Young Wook Lee of Seoul, Korea was elected the IAKL Korean President, and Dr. Hong Ki Kim of Sao Paulo, Brazil was elected the IAKL Overseas President for two year terms. Following the conference, a number of participants and spouses braved one of the hottest days of the century (over 112 degrees Fahrenheit or 44 degrees Celsius) to participate in a golf tournament which, despite the heat, was enjoyed by all.

1991 Los Angeles Conference

The Korean American Bar Association of Southern California hosted the 1991 IAKL conference in Los Angeles on July 7 to 8. The conference featured a keynote address by George Kimball, director of the Center for International Arbitration and greetings from Albert Golbert, Advisor to the International Section of the California State Bar. The conference also included a panel discussion of “The Uruguay Round of the GATT Negotiations and Its Impact on Korea, Japan, Canada, the US, and Latin America.” There was plenty of Korean food and golf after the conference. Mr. Jung Ho Ham was elected IAKL President for a two year term. Mr. Ham is a prominent Korean attorney who subsequently served as President of the Seoul and Korea Bar Associations.

1988 New York Conference

The World Association of Korean Lawyers Organizing Committee, chaired by two New York lawyers, Mr. Tai Young Cho and Mr. Ben Q. Limb, hosted the first IAKL conference in New York on June 24 to 25, 1988. Originally, the organization was to be called World Association of Korean Lawyers. However, after a long debate at the conference, the organization’s name was changed to the International Association of Korean Lawyers, and the IAKL was born. The conference featured a keynote presentation by the Honorable Edward D. Re, Chief Judge of the United States Court of International Trade and included panel discussions on “U.N. Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods”; and “Transfer of Technology to and from Korea: Trends and Practice Opportunities.” Mr. Chang Wook Kim of Seoul, Korea was elected the first IAKL president for a two year term.