Profile
Ryul Kim, Esq. has served as a general civil practitioner, corporate general counsel, and ADR professional since 1984. In addition to handling domestic legal matters, he has handled numerous international legal matters between the United States and Korea. His assistance has helped many U.S. and Korean clients ranging from individuals, companies, and churches in legal disputes valued from a few thousand dollars to multi-millions of dollars.
For five years, Mr. Kim served as Vice President and General Counsel for a large technology company specializing in the production of high-performance computer systems and monitors. During this time, he was responsible for overseeing the company’s legal matters, especially in the areas of business and commercial contracts, employment, intellectual property, and real estate.
Mr. Kim is fluent in both English and Korean and has a thorough understanding of the interplay between U.S. and Korean law. He is considered a preeminent scholar on Korean law and is a popular choice for any cases with Korean elements, including Korean parties, legal issues, or business customs which could significantly affect the outcome of a case. He is the current chair of the U.S.-Korea Law Foundation and a former President of the Orange County Korean-American Bar Association.
View Ryul Kim’s Korean bio
Areas of Practice
- Business & Commercial Contracts
- Employment
- Intellectual Property
- Personal Injury
- Probate, Estates & Trusts
- Real Estate
Education
- Western State University, College of Law – Juris Doctorate 1983 University of
- California, Los Angeles – Bachelor of Arts in Economics 1980
Teaching Experience
- Trinity Law School
- Adjunct Professor, “ADR” and “Mediation Clinic” courses – 2013-Present
- University of California, Irvine, School of Law
- Founder and Executive Co-Chair, Korea Law Center – 2009-2012
- Special Academic Faculty, “Survey of the U.S. and Korean Law and Legal System” and “Jurist-in-Residence” courses – 2009-2012
Languages
- Fluent in English and Korean
- Studied Mandarin Chinese and German
Professional Associations & Memberships (Former/Present)
- U.S. Korea Law Foundation, Chair
- American Bar Association
- American Trial Lawyers Association
- California State Bar Association, Section Executive Committee Member 2001-2002
- California Trial Lawyers Association
- Korean American Bar Association
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Intellectual Property/Entertainment Section
- Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association
- Maritime Law Association of the United States
- Orange County Amicus Publico
- Orange County Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section, International Law Section
- Orange County Korean-American Bar Association, President 2005-2006
- Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
- Transportation Lawyers Association
Awards
- Alliance Defense Fund (Honor Guard) 2005
- The Wiley Manuel Award for Pro Bono Services 1993
- The State Bar of California – Board of Governors Award for Pro Bono Services 1989
Publications
- U.S.-Korea Law Journal, Author and Editor-in-Chief 2012, 2013, 2014
- Laws of Korea, Author 2013
- “Enforcement of U.S. Arbitral Awards in Korea” – U.S.-Korea Law Journal 2012
- “Enforcement of Foreign Judgment in Korea” – California State Bar Association 2000
Speaking Engagements
Mr. Kim is a frequent speaker in both English and Korean on a wide variety of legal topics with U.S. and Korea cross-border implications, including alternative dispute resolution and discovery issues. A few of his topics are listed below:
- “Alternative Dispute Resolution in the United States”
- “How Much Does Litigation Cost You?”
- “Korean Law Practice in the United States”
- “Legal Developments Affecting the Conduct of U.S.-Korea Business Transactions”
- “Mediation for Intellectual Property Dispute Resolution”
- “U.S. vs. Korean Judges”
- “Working With Korean Clients: The Nuances to Watch”