[Choi Seokjin's Law & Biz] Korea's First Legal B2B Expo a Success... Major AI-Driven Transformation in the Legal Industry Foreseen

‘Law Expo Seoul 2025’ Concludes Successfully
Pursuing Expansion from a 7 Trillion-Won Market to a 70 Trillion-Won Industry
Top 10 Law Firms and 21 Legal Tech Companies Participate
Distinguished Speakers Deliver Lectures and Career Coaching Sessio

A specialized B2B (business-to-business) expo focused on the legal industry, offering a comprehensive view of the present and future of Korea's legal market, was held. From December 3 to 5, 2025, the "2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo" (Law Expo Seoul 2025, LES 2025), the first and only legal expo of its kind in Asia, was successfully hosted at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

Organized by Legal Times under the theme "Beyond Market Toward Industry," and co-hosted with the In-House Counsel Forum (IHCF) and Messe Esang, the event featured participation from Korea’s top 10 law firms, leading legal tech companies, and various businesses that make up the legal industry ecosystem.

On the morning of the 3rd, at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, the opening ceremony of the "2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo" (LES 2025) took place, where Soo Hyung Lee, CEO of Legal Times (second from the left), and key guests posed for a commemorative photo. Photo by Baek Seonghyun, Legal Times

Lectures and forums led by a distinguished lineup of speakers and panelists explored innovation and growth strategies to expand the domestic legal market from its current 7 trillion won scale to a 70 trillion won industry. The event also offered career coaching for young and aspiring legal professionals, as well as free legal consultations for the general public.

CEO Lee Suhyung: "K-Law Can Become a 70 Trillion Won Industry"

The opening ceremony on the 3rd was attended by prominent figures from the legal community, including Supreme Court Justice Noh Taeak, Korean Commercial Arbitration Board President Shin Hyunyoon, former Constitutional Court President Lee Jongseok, Seoul Family Court Chief Judge Lee Wonhyung, Constitutional Research Institute President Ji Seongsu, Senior Administrative Officer Park Suwan from the Presidential Office’s Legal Secretary’s Office, Managing Partner Mok Youngjun of Kim & Chang, and Managing Partner Kim Hugon of Bae, Kim & Lee.

In his opening address, Soo Hyung Lee, CEO of Legal Times, stated, "When people see the slogan 'From a 7 Trillion Won Market to a 70 Trillion Won Industry,' many ask if it’s possible. If you consider Korea’s domestic market of 50 million people, it may seem impossible, but if you keep in mind the global population of 5 billion, I believe it is achievable."

He continued, "We are entering an era beyond the Rule of Law-a time of the Rule of Code, where technology dominates. I believe LES can develop in the same way as CES. I hope this event will be an opportunity for all of us to share this awareness and explore the direction for future growth."

President Lee Jaemyung, in a written congratulatory message, said, "As a legal professional myself, I have long been a reader of Legal Times. I sincerely congratulate Legal Times on its 75th anniversary and wish for the successful hosting of LES 2025, Asia’s first legal industry expo."

On the morning of the 3rd, at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Lee Suhyung, CEO of Law Times, delivered the opening address at the opening ceremony of the "2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo" (LES 2025). Photo by Baek Seonghyun, Law Times reporter

In his congratulatory remarks, Supreme Court Justice Noh Taeak said, "The theme of this expo, 'Beyond Market Toward Industry,' is both timely and bold. The ambition to expand the legal market, which still largely remains in a traditional analog state, into a vast 70 trillion won industrial ecosystem is a pressing challenge for the legal community as we enter a new digital era."

He added, "I hope LES 2025 will become a crucible for driving the depth of Korea’s legal industry and serve as a starting point for K-Law to advance globally in step with other industries."

From Law Firms and Legal Tech to Interior Design and Fitness Companies

The expo featured booths from the top 10 law firms-Kim & Chang, Bae, Kim & Lee, Pacific, Yulchon, Sejong, Hwa Woo, YK, Jipyung, Barun, and DR & AJU-as well as 21 legal tech companies such as Law&Company, Law&Good, LexisNexis, 15 search firms and branding companies, and over 50 organizations including Shinhan Bank and IHCF.

Each law firm provided brochures introducing their various centers and dedicated teams, with three to five staff members stationed at each booth to explain their unique strengths compared to other firms to visitors.

Legal tech companies also engaged in fierce promotional efforts. At each booth, visitors could watch demonstrations and experience firsthand the latest legal AI service programs, including SuperLawyer (Law&Company), Lexis+ AI (LexisNexis), LBox AI (LBox), Allybee (BHSN), Nepla Wiki (Nepla), Deep Learning Software (ScalarWorks), AiLex legal document analysis service (A2D2), Otran legal translation AI (AI Ringo), and BoostDraft legal document comparison and editing solution (BoostDraft).

On the afternoon of the second day of the "2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo" (LES 2025) held at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, visitors are touring various booths in the exhibition hall guided by a curator. Photo by Baek Sunghyun, Legal Times reporter

A curation tour was also conducted, allowing visitors to be guided through each booth in sequence. The tour was divided into a "Law & Tech" course, which showcased services from law firms and legal tech companies, and a "DX & Marketing" course, which provided insights for those managing law firms.

In addition, a wide variety of companies with direct or indirect links to the legal industry attracted visitors’ attention, including Trust Tax Accounting, which specializes in legal and attorney tax bookkeeping and tax-saving consulting; Roting, a legal marketing company specializing in law firm advertising; Klim, a law firm launch agency; Pakyoungsa, a publisher renowned for legal books; PLY Project, specializing in interior design and branding; Fermob, an eco-friendly furniture brand; Algocare, an AI-based personalized nutrition healthcare company; and Heidi House, a wellness club offering luxury fitness, spa, and swimming facilities.

Distinguished Lectures and Forums: The Dominant Theme Is 'AI'

Over the three-day event, two seminar rooms in the exhibition hall hosted lectures and forums by renowned figures, providing insights into the overall trends and developments in the legal industry, from law firm growth cases to legal tech and policy trends.

In Seminar Room 1, under the main theme "Shaping the Legal Future," lectures were delivered by Lance A. Etcheverry, partner at global law firm Skadden Arps; Jaeheon Jung, CEO of SK Telecom; Inseon Cho, partner at YK; Shin Hyunyoon, President of the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board; and Moonchul Han, CEO of Suseuro.com. In Seminar Room 2, under the title "Growing Together," lectures were given by Jaesung Jeong, Vice President of Law&Company; former Minister of SMEs and Startups Youngsun Park; and Jinhui Kang, CEO of Trust Tax Accounting.

At the '2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo' (LES 2025) held on the 3rd at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, forum attendees are attentively listening to the lecture by Jaeheon Jung, CEO of SK Telecom. Photo by Baek Seonghyun, Legal Times

In his keynote speech on opening day, attorney Etcheverry shared the growth story of global big law firm Skadden Arps, outlining five pillars: company culture, advocating like a champion (quality of legal services), becoming indispensable to clients, implementing prudent long-term strategies, and the importance of key member Joe Flom.

Inseon Cho, who lectured on "YK, Game Changer in the Legal Industry," vividly described YK’s rapid ascent to the top seven law firms, growing from 15 billion won in revenue in 2022 to 180 billion won as of the end of October this year. President Shin Hyunyoon, in his lecture "From Litigation to Arbitration," cited examples from Hong Kong, Singapore, and London, emphasizing that "arbitration is no longer just a means of dispute resolution but a matter of national competitiveness."

Attorney Moonchul Han shared how he became a specialist in traffic accident cases and has dedicated himself to this field for 30 years. With 1.83 million subscribers, he noted, "Although YouTube revenue has declined since the introduction of premium services, I continue to upload videos because of the value of accumulated data. I have 110,000 black box videos that are cleared for use with prior consent, and I still receive about 80 accident videos every day."

The most prominent topic at the various lectures and forums during the expo was undoubtedly "artificial intelligence (AI)."

Jaeheon Jung, the first legal professional to become CEO of SK Telecom, predicted, "As AI development increases the supply of legal services, demand will rise among those who previously lacked access to such services. The AI era is not a crisis but an opportunity for legal professionals to expand their fields of activity."

On the afternoon of the 4th, the second day of the "2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo" (LES 2025) held at aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, former Minister of SMEs and Startups Youngsun Park is giving a lecture on the theme of "The Three Major AI Powers." Photo by Baek Seonghyun, Legal Times

Former Minister Park Youngsun, in her lecture on "The Three Major AI Powers," referenced the case of Britain, which, despite pioneering the automobile industry, lost its leadership to the United States by enacting the "Red Flag Act" to protect the horse-drawn carriage industry. She stressed, "We have already entered a world where nothing can be achieved without AI."

Vice President Jaesung Jeong began and concluded his lecture by quoting the late former Minister of Culture Lee Eoryeong: "Humans cannot win against AI in a fight. Humans do not race against horses. It is important to become one with the horse by riding it." He explained, "Just as a person expands their abilities by riding a horse, humans should choose strategies that enhance their unique capabilities by utilizing AI."

Attorney Inseon Cho introduced YK’s proprietary AI attorney work support system "YKOS" and explained the internal verification process designed to prevent errors during AI use.

Career Counseling and Mentoring Lunch: Enthusiastic Response

Programs were also provided for lawyers to receive one-on-one career coaching and for junior lawyers to network with senior attorneys.

At the "Lawyer Recruitment Expo," practicing attorneys obtained hiring information for more than 25 companies, including global conglomerates and pharmaceutical/biotech firms, through seven search firms such as Robert Walters Korea, and received on-site career counseling. At the "Career Growth and Expansion Roadmap" conference, 10 legal professionals who had pioneered new fields shared their career design experiences and insights with participants.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, applicants for the 'Mentoring Lunch' program at the '2025 Korea Legal Industry Expo' (LES 2025), held at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, are having lunch and conversations with senior lawyers. Photo by Baek Sunghyun, Legal Times reporter

At the "Mentoring Lunch," modeled after the lunch with Warren Buffett, about 100 non-law school students, corporate legal team managers, and in-house counsel applicants shared meals and vivid experiences with senior lawyers from major law firms and global companies. One participant commented, "I only knew the names of some law firms, but my perspective broadened after speaking with mentors who had diverse experiences in the National Assembly and non-profit organizations."

During the event, one-on-one legal consultations for the general public were offered, along with a litigation funding support event by Law&Good, a company specializing in litigation finance.

An LES 2025 official stated, "LES 2025 will provide networking and business opportunities for legal industry professionals and lower the barriers to legal services for the general public. We aim to establish ourselves as Asia’s leading legal industry platform."