Authorization/Registration Procedure

• Prior to filing registration of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office to the Korean Bar Association, authorization for establishment of a Foreign Legal Consultant Office from the Ministry of Justice is required.
• In order to obtain authorization to establish a Foreign Legal Consultant Office, a Foreign Legal Consultant who will be the representative of the office shall file a written application accompanied by evidentiary documents as prescribed by the Presidential Decree.
• Evidentiary document shall be an original or certified copy, and shall be accompanied by a notarized Korean translation if it is not prepared in the Korean language
• For more information, visit the MOJ website: http://www.moj.go.kr/HP/ENG/index.do

Obtaining authorization for establishment from the Ministry of Justice

FOREIGN LEGAL CONSULTANT ACT - [ENG]

Article 16 (Authorization for Establishment)

• (1) The Minister of Justice may grant authorization to establish a Foreign Legal Consultant Office, if the office fulfills requirements prescribed in each of the following subparagraphs: (Amended by Act No. 14056, Mar. 2, 2016)
  • 1. Where a Principal Office is duly established in a contracting party to a Free Trade Agreement, etc. in accordance with the statutes of the country and has operated normally for more than five years;
  • 2. Where a Principal Office passes a resolution or decides to establish a representative office to provide Foreign Legal Services in the Republic of Korea;
  • 3. Where a Foreign Legal Consultant, who will be the representative of a Foreign Legal Consultant Office, has at least five years of work experience in providing legal services including more than three years of work experience in the Country of Original License after obtaining a license as a Foreign Licensed Lawyer;
  • 4. Where a Principal Office guarantees the payment arising from civil and commercial liabilities in relation to the business of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office.
• (2) When there are law office, local law office, local legal entity, branch office, suboffice, etc. established with primary purpose of providing legal services in numerous countries, the office where highest decisions are made shall be considered as the Principal Office.
• (3) When the representative position becomes vacant, such vacancy shall be rectified within three months therefrom.

Registration to the Korean Bar Association

Article 18 (Registration of Foreign Legal Consultant Offices)

• (1) A representative of a Foreign Legal Consultant Office authorized for establishment shall apply for registration of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office to the Korean Bar Association within three months from the date on which its authorization is publicly announced.
• (2) Matters that shall be registered under paragraph (1) are prescribed in each of the following subparagraphs:
  • 1. Purpose, name and location of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office;
  • 2. Names and addresses of partners, and the address of the representative of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office;
  • 3. Matters about the representative of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office;
  • 4. Date(Year, month and day) of authorization to establish the Foreign Legal Consultant Office;
  • 5. Name and location of the Principal Office.
• (3) When an application referred to in paragraph (1) is filed, the Korean Bar Association, except for special circumstances, shall promptly register the office at the registry of Foreign Legal Consultant Offices and issue the certificate of registration of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office to the applicant.
• (4) If there are changes with regard to registered matters, the representative of the Foreign Legal Consultant Office shall report such changes in writing to the Korean Bar Association within a month from the date of such change.
• (5) The Korean Bar Association shall keep documents referred to in each of the following subparagraphs and make them available for public viewing: (Amended by Act No. 10542, Apr. 5, 2011)
  • 1. A document stating matters in paragraph (2);
  • 2. A document for authorization for establishment or revocation prescribed in Article 16;
  • 3. A document which proves that a Foreign Legal Consultant Office subscribes to the insurance or the mutual aid fund prescribed in Article 21;
  • 4. A document regarding registration prescribed in Article 34-3 or revocation prescribed in Article 34-4.
• (6) Where the Korean Bar Association completes registration under paragraph (3), it shall give a written notice about its intent to the Minister of Justice. (Newly Inserted by Act No. 10542, Apr. 5, 2011)
• (7) Other matters necessary for the registration of Foreign Legal Consultant Offices shall be determined by the Korean Bar Association. (Amended by Act No. 10542, Apr. 5, 2011)

• Submit one copy of each forms required as below to the Korean Bar Association for registration of a Foreign Legal Consultant Office.
• The documents should be submitted in person or sent via post.
• Postal Address: 2~3 Fl. 20, Seocho-daero 45-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06595, Republic of Korea [06595]
• Phone: (+82)-2-2087-7743
• Email: member@koreanbar.or.kr

Application Documents required for Foreign Legal Consultant Office Registration

• Forms :   no. 7  /   no. 10  /  

Forms and Fees

Foreign Legal Consultant Regulations

• Foreign Legal Consultant Act - [English]
• Enforcement Decree of the Foreign Legal Consultant Act - [English]
• Association Rules of the Korean Bar Association - [Korean]
• Code of Ethics for Foreign Legal Consultant - [Korean]
• Registration Regulations for Foreign Legal Consultant - [Korean]
• Disciplinary Regulations for Foreign Legal Consultant - [Korean]
• Advertisement Regulations for Foreign Legal Consultant - [Korean]
• Registration Bylaws for Foreign Legal Consultant - [Korean]
• Regulation for Joint Handling of Cases for Foreign Legal Consultant - [Korean]