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South Korea

South Korea
South Korea

South Korea has risen to become one of the major Asian economies and a centre for business throughout Asia. An intimate understanding of the business, culture and legal system is a key aspect of establishing relationships with the Korean business, financial and legal communities and offering legal services that assist clients move a deal from the negotiation stage to closing.
 
Blakes is comprised of lawyers knowledgeable about Korean businesses, skilled in representing Korean clients and fluent in Korean. We represent Korean clients in connection with a wide range of multi-jurisdictional transactions and business expansion into Canada. As one of very few full-service, national Canadian law firms, Blakes has the experience and resources to provide fully integrated legal services.

Clients retain Blakes because they know they can rely on our recognized expertise and leading practices. They also benefit from our strategic business advice and guidance through Canada’s legislative and regulatory framework, including foreign investment regulations and disclosure requirements.
 
We work closely with contacts at top Korean law firms to assist our Canadian and international clients with their Korean business relationships and investments. We are the Canadian law firm of choice for Korean clients seeking representation and advice on their outbound investments and cross-border M&A transactions.

Recent Experience

We have advised on a variety of Korea-Canada transactions including:

  • TCA Energy Ltd. on its C$240-million joint venture partnership with Bellatrix Exploration Ltd. TCA is a special purpose vehicle for Troika Resources Private Equity Fund, which is based in Seoul, Korea.

  • Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. in respect of various class proceedings.

  • Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. succeeded in both its defence of non-infringement and its counterclaim to invalidate two patents in a Federal Court case brought against it.

  • Mirae Asset Global Investments in connection with its acquisition of BetaPro Management Inc., the third-largest provider of exchange-traded funds in Canada. This transaction represents the largest foreign acquisition to date of an asset management company by a South Korean company.

  • LG Display in connection with its acquisition of a Waterloo, Ontario-based technology company.

  • SK Planet on its contemplated transaction with a TSX Venture Exchange Capital Pool Company.

  • LG International Corp. in connection with its investment in a Canadian-based mining company.

  • LG Household & Healthcare Ltd. on its US$15.4-million acquisition of Fruits & Passion, Inc. from S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

  • Korea Development Bank in connection with multi-jurisdictional transactions involving securitization of airline ticket receivables.

  • Capstone Mining in connection with its C$710-million acquisition of Far West Mining and its simultaneous strategic alliance with Korea Resources.

  • A Korean conglomerate in connection with its corporate restructuring in Canada.

  • STX Offshore & Shipping on its sale of a 100-per-cent interest in STX Canada to Vard Holdings.

  • Fission Energy Corp. in establishing a limited partnership with a Korean consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corporation for the joint development of the Waterbury Lake property in Saskatchewan.

  • Denison Mines Corp. on its C$82-million public offering of common shares and C$95-million offering of common shares by way of private placement to Korea Electric Power Corporation and other subscribers.

  • Strathmore Minerals Corp. on forming a joint venture with Korea Electric Power Corporation for exploration and development of the Gas Hills Beaver Rim area.

Awards & Recognition

Members of the Korea group have consistently been recognized as leaders in most recent editions of the following publications: 

  •  ​Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business

  • ​The Best Lawyers in Canada

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 

  • The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada 

  • The Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-border Corporate Lawyers in Canada

  • Who's Who Legal

  • Who's Who Legal: Energy

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