Sungjin is one of the leading employment lawyers for multinational companies in the UK including major South Korean multinationals, with a particular sector focus on Technology and Financial Services.
He advises employers on a broad spectrum of issues such as termination, redundancy, restrictive covenants and TUPE. Sungjin’s particular strength lies in conducting successful cases in Employment Tribunals on issues comprising discrimination, whistleblowing and employee status as well as negotiating settlements for employers.
Sungjin also has a broad advisory practice in acting for senior executives on their employment issues such as negotiating exit and financial settlement as well as mediating disputes. He is particularly experienced in advising on employment contract, discrimination and whistleblowing issues for senior executives and employers.
Business immigration is another dynamic practice area for Sungjin. He frequently advises international businesses in various sectors on their business immigration needs with a particular focus on sponsor licence application, visa application and sponsorship management system (SMS).
Some of Sungjin’s major clients include:
- Cheil Europe
- GIIR t/a HS Ad
- Hyundai Engineering & Construction
- Hyundai Heavy Industries
- IBK Bank
- Innocean
- Kookmin Bank
- Korean Air (KAL)
- Korean Reinsurance Company
- KOTRA
- LG Electronics UK
- Medimab Biotherapeutics
- SK Energy
- SK Lubricants
- SK Shipping Europe
- Swidch
- True World Foods (UK)
- Woori Bank
Sungjin acts as legal counsel for the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UK.
Sungjin speaks English and Korean.
Please click here to receive Sungjin’s employment law newsletter, or the Keystone monthly round up, please click here.
Sung is an exceptionally commercial and astute advisor and we have benefited greatly from his experience and problem-solving skills.
CFO of LG Electronics UK
Sung consistently provides commercial, thoughtful and timely advice.
Seungha Yoo – Managing Director of HS Ad UK
(Marketing Subsidiary for LG Electronics UK)Sung advised us on a major re-organisation with diligence, compassion and commercial acumen.
Jae Woong Lee – Financial Manager of Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI)
Sung assisted us with our internal contractual documentation and his advice was very pragmatic and commercial. His strength lies in simplifying complicated issues.
Chan Beom Park – General Manager of KEB Hana Bank
Sung helped us with a desperately needed restructuring work. He made what was a complicated undertaking look easy by taking a commercial and practical approach to the issues that needed resolving. He got to the bottom of the core issues quickly.
Joonho Chung – General Manager of Hyundai Engineering & Construction (HEC)
Expertise
- Employment contracts and staff handbooks
- Consultancy agreements
- Employment Tribunal disputes
- Disciplinaries, grievances and dismissals
- Redundancies
- Restrictive covenants
- Settlement agreements
- Whistleblowing and discrimination disputes
- TUPE
- Corporate support
- Business Immigration
- Skilled Worker/Global Business Mobility
- Sponsor Licence Application
- Visa Application
- Sponsor Compliance Audit
Experience
Technology
- Advised on a major reorganisation for a major international Korean technology company
- Advised on senior employee exits for a major international Korean technology company
- Advised on HR/employment matters for a major international Korean technology company
- Advised on an Employment Tribunal case for a Korean fintech company, successfully striking out the claim
- Advised on HR/employment matters for a Korean fintech company
Financial Services
- Advised on HR/employment issues for major Korean commercial banks
- Advised on a major disciplinary and dismissal of an employee for a major Korean commercial bank
- Advised on a major redundancy for a large Korean commercial bank
- Advised on an employment contract issue for a major Korean commercial bank
- Advised on Covid-19-related issues for a major Korean commercial bank
Energy
- Advised on a major redundancy for a large Korean energy company
- Advised on modern slavery obligations for a large Korean energy company
- Advised on negotiating a senior employee exit for a large Korean energy company
- Advised on an employee fraud issue for a large Korean lubricants company
- Advised on a senior employee service contract for a Korean lubricants company
Media
- Advised on various senior employee exits for a Korean marketing company
- Advised on an Employment Tribunal dispute for a Korean marketing company, leading to successful settlement
- Advised on business immigration issues for a Korean marketing company
- Advised and drafted employment contracts and staff handbook for a Korean marketing company
- Advised on a data protection matter for a Korean marketing company
Immigration
- Advised a major international technology client on their sponsorship compliance issues and processes, and helped to ensure their compliance with Home Office rules and guidance.
- Advised a major manufacturing client on their sponsorship duties.
- Advised an international energy client with immigration compliance steps following mergers and acquisitions activities.
- Advised a fintech client on successfully obtaining a sponsor licence to kick start their recruitment drive.
- Advised a major food supplier company in re-obtaining their sponsor licence following its expiry.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Member of Employment Lawyers Association (ELA)
Career
Sungjin qualified as a solicitor in 2013. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2021, he worked at Addleshaw Goddard as a solicitor advocate and was the Senior Director of the Korea Business Group.