Bae, Kim & Lee Adds Senior Arbitration Partner Chris Mainwaring-Taylor

Bae, Kim & Lee Adds Senior Arbitration Partner Chris Mainwaring-Taylor

South Korean law firm Bae, Kim & Lee (BKL) has made a significant move in the arbitration market by recruiting Chris Mainwaring-Taylor, a Senior Partner from A&O Shearman. This marks the first time a partner from a Magic Circle firm has joined the arbitration practice of a Korean law firm.

Mainwaring-Taylor, who has over 23 years of experience at A&O Shearman, including more than 12 years as a partner, joins BKL as a senior foreign attorney. He will be based in BKL's Singapore office, which opened in 2021, and will split his time between Singapore and Seoul, collaborating with both offices.

His extensive experience spans major arbitration hubs such as London, Paris, Dubai, and Singapore, where he has represented clients in high-profile disputes related to large-scale projects, including LNG facilities, power plants, refineries, petrochemical complexes, ports, and commercial buildings across multiple jurisdictions.

In addition to his counsel work, Mainwaring-Taylor is an active arbitrator, serving as the President of an ICC arbitration tribunal in a Singapore-seated case concerning manufacturing equipment in Asia.

BKL anticipates that Mainwaring-Taylor's expertise will significantly enhance its international arbitration practice, addressing the increasing demand for top-tier arbitration services. Founded in 1980, BKL is one of the leading law firms in Korea and Asia, with over 800 professionals and eight overseas offices, making it the second-largest law firm in Korea by revenue.