Expertise

Private Equity

overview

The Private Equity practice of Shin & Kim, with abundant professional expertise and experience, has been nationally and internationally recognized for its outstanding services. Shin & Kim became the first Korean law firm to be awarded the “Private Equity Law Firm of the Year” by Asian Legal Business (ALB) in the ALB Korea Law Awards in 2016. Our Private Equity team has a deep understanding of the private equity industry and the characteristics of M&A deals involving private equity firms, which differ from ordinary corporate M&A transactions. Our Private Equity team provides tailored and sophisticated advice on all issues that may arise in matters affecting private equity or venture capital funds, including offerings of equity interests to investors, establishment of funds, due diligence investigations on target companies, structuring and implementation of investments, acquisition financings, operation of portfolio companies, exits (divestitures) and liquidation of funds.

Advising private equity funds requires a deep understanding of target industries, extensive experience in a variety of deal structures and legal expertise as well as sensitivity to the business of private equity funds. Shin & Kim has helped leading Korean and foreign private equity funds to successfully consummate transactions utilizing such qualities. In addition to transactions, our Private Equity team also provides advice on the registration of funds and preparation of terms and materials for the alignment of interests between general partners and limited partners.

Key Services

Shin & Kim provides services with respect to the following areas related to private equity:

  • Establishment and registration of various types funds, including private placement collective investment vehicles under the Capital Market and Financial Investment Services Act, and representation of general partners and limited partners with respect to articles of incorporation and partnership agreements
  • Buy-outs, investments for the purchase of equity interests, joint investments with Korean and foreign strategic investors for the purchase of equity interests in target companies in Korea and abroad and other acquisition transactions
  • Business combination filings, structuring of acquisition financings and exits (divestiture)
  • Corporate governance, operation and management of portfolio companies
Experience
  • Hahn & Company, in its acquisition of SsangYong Cement Industrial (Korea's largest cement producer)
  • Blackstone, in its investment in Simone ACC (ODM business)
  • IMM PE, in its co-acquisition of Mars Entertainment (Turkey’s largest cinema operator)
  • IMM PE, in its acquisition of Taihan Electric Wire
  • Stic Investment, Q Capital and Wonik Investment Partners, in its sale of Dongbu Farm Hannong (Korea's largest processor of agricultural materials) to LG Household & Health Care
  • Mirae Asset PE-Fila Korea, in their acquisition of Acushnet Company from Fortune Brands, Inc.
  • Mirae Asset Financial Group, in its acquisition of (together with Advent International Corporation and CDIB Capital) International Coffee & Tea (The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf)
  • KKR Asia and Affinity, in their acquisition bid for Homeplus
  • Brookside Capital, in its investment in Socar
  • Hahn & Company, in its acquisition of Posfine (Korea’s largest slag powder manufacturer; now Daehan Slag)
  • H&Q PE, in its sale of shares in Himart and Blue Bird
  • Standard Chartered PE, in its acquisition and sale of shares in Doosan Industrial Vehicle (forklift business) to Doosan Corporation
  • Morgan Stanley PE and Shinhan PE, in their acquisition of Norske Skog Korea (Korea’s largest manufacture of newsprint paper; now Jeonju Paper)
Awards and Rankings
Award's signature
  • Ranked Band 1 Law Firm for M&A
    Chambers Global / Chambers Asia 2013-2016, 2020-2024
  • Ranked Tier 1 Law Firm for M&A
    IFLR 1000, 2006-2023
  • Ranked Tier 1 Law Firm for M&A
    Asia Pacific Legal500 2013-2018, 2020-2021
  • Private Equity Law Firm of the Year
    ALB Korea Law Awards 2016
  • M&A Deal of the Year : Acquisition of Momentive
    ALB Korea Law Awards 2019
  • Corporate/M&A Firm of the Year
    Asialaw Asia-Pacific Legal Practice Awards 2017