Shin & Kim’s James Kang Named to ALB Asia 40 Under 40 2026

Shin & Kim is pleased to announce that James Kang, a Senior Foreign Attorney in the firm’s Corporate/M&A Group, has been named to Asian Legal Business’ Asia 40 Under 40 2026 list. Published annually by ALB, a Thomson Reuters publication, the list recognizes 40 of the most outstanding legal professionals under the age of 40 across the Asia-Pacific region.

This year’s honorees were chosen from more than 400 nominees based on the quality of their work, recommendations from clients and colleagues, and their potential for future growth. James is one of only two lawyers from Korean law firms to be recognized.  Earlier this year, he was also named a 2026 M&A Rising Star by The Herald Business, a leading Korean business daily.

A graduate of the University of Sydney Law School, James began his career in Sydney at Slater and Gordon Lawyers and McCabes Lawyers, and later practiced at Yulchon LLC before joining Shin & Kim in 2022 as a partner of its M&A Group.  He advises Korean and international clients on cross-border M&A and investments, handling matters at every stage of a deal, from structuring and initial negotiations through regulatory approvals, acquisition financing, documentation and closing.  As a native speaker of both Korean and English, he also helps bridge communication among international clients, Korean deal teams and international counsel.

James has advised on a number of significant domestic and cross-border transactions.  On the domestic front, he advised the MBK Partners–Youngpoong consortium on its tender offer for Korea Zinc and the ensuing contest for control, SK Discovery on the sale of SK eternix to KKR, Kyobo Life on its acquisition of SBI Savings Bank, and KRAFTON on its investment in THEBLACKLABEL.  His recent cross-border work includes advising Boryung on its acquisition of the global rights to Sanofi’s oncology drug Taxotere, Centurium Capital on its acquisition of Blue Bottle Coffee, Asia Pulp & Paper on its acquisition of MSS Holdings, and Clarios on its acquisition of UCAP Power, the parent company of Maxwell Technologies Korea.

He has also advised Korean companies on outbound investments in listed companies, including LG Innotek’s strategic investment in U.S. LiDAR company Aeva; EcoPro Innovation’s investment in Australian lithium developer Green Technology Metals; Meritz Securities’ investment in Lotus Technology in connection with the company’s Nasdaq listing; and KakaoPay’s investment in Siebert Financial, from the initial acquisition of an equity stake through to the subsequent termination agreement.

James also has particular expertise in warranty and indemnity (W&I) insurance, which allows parties to an M&A transaction to transfer the risk of breaches of representations and warranties to an insurer.  He advises both buyers and insurers on W&I matters ranging from coverage negotiations to claims, and most recently advised on what is believed to be the largest W&I insurance payout in Korea.

A client of James, an M&A executive at a multinational company, said: "James has demonstrated a high level of professionalism, technical expertise, and commercial awareness, and has consistently delivered clear and practical advice.  He has the ability to anticipate potential risks early and propose mitigation strategies, which has added significant value to our decision-making process."

"I am honored and humbled by this recognition," said James. "I owe it to the clients who have placed their trust in me, and to the many colleagues at Shin & Kim from whom I continue to learn every day.  I believe an M&A lawyer’s role goes beyond identifying legal risk.  It is about working alongside clients to find practical solutions that help them achieve their business goals, and that will remain my focus."

The full Asia 40 Under 40 2026 list is available in the October 2026 issue of ALB