Shedding In-Group Mentality and Embracing a 'Winning Mindset': Sejong Transforms [Invest&Law]

Oh Jonghan, 38-Year Sejong Veteran
Raised Revenue by 93% in Just Five Years
Achieved 436.3 Billion Won Last Year, Soaring to Third Place
Bold Recruitment of “Star Lawyers” in Each Field
Simply Increasing Headcount Does Not Make a Firm Strong
“One-Team Synergy” with Existing Talent Is Crucial

O Jonghan, Representative Lawyer of Sejong Law Firm, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily on the 30th at Sejong Law Firm in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

This year, among the major law firms, Sejong Law Firm is undoubtedly leading the most dynamic upheaval. Over the past five years, it has increased its revenue by an impressive 93%, shaking up the previously stagnant ranking order among law firms in terms of sales. After breaking through the so-called “3 trillion won barrier” with revenue of 319.6 billion won in 2023, the firm posted a record 436.3 billion won last year, catapulting itself from fifth place (based on 2024 revenue) to third in the industry, trailing only Kim & Chang and Bae, Kim & Lee.

At the center of this remarkable growth is Chief Attorney Oh Jonghan, who has been with Sejong for 38 years since joining in 1989. Since taking office in 2021, he has shattered Sejong’s tradition of hiring only from within and has aggressively recruited “star lawyers” from various fields, drawing them in like a black hole. As a result, the firm has successfully handled mega-deals worth trillions of won and secured high-profile, large-scale cases. Sejong has consecutively closed headline-making big deals, such as advising on the merger of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Mipo (combined market capitalization of 65 trillion won), supporting the establishment of a joint online platform venture between Aliexpress and Shinsegae Group (6 trillion won), and the sale of SK Ecoplant’s environmental subsidiaries including Renewus (1.78 trillion won). Ongoing cases handled by Sejong include the transfer of SK Innovation’s renewable energy division to KKR (1 trillion won), the acquisition of Blue Bottle, and advisory on the sale of Kakao Games.

Sejong’s presence is also unrivaled when it comes to disputes that determine the fate of corporations and responses to new industry regulations. In personal information protection, the firm handled cases for SK Telecom and KT, and most recently took on the high-profile Coupang data breach. In the most talked-about management rights dispute in the industry—Korea Zinc—Sejong is representing the Youngpoong-MBK alliance. We met with Chief Attorney Oh, who is now drawing up a new blueprint as “the overwhelming second challenging for first place,” at the firm’s Gwanghwamun office. The following is a Q&A.

-Sejong’s sales have grown dramatically over the past five years. What was the key factor behind this?

▲In the past, Sejong was an organization with a strong in-group mentality. However, over the past few years, we have boldly invested in external talent deemed essential for the firm’s future, and as these new hires worked alongside existing team members, they generated synergy and transformed Sejong into a more open and dynamic organization. Significant internal changes also took place. A sense of confidence—a kind of “winning mindset”—took root among our members, with the belief that “we can do it too.” In the recent Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026 evaluation, the tax, litigation, and international dispute areas that we focused on nurturing were newly elevated to Band 1. It is especially rewarding to receive feedback from clients that the firm’s capabilities have become noticeably stronger.

-You emphasized qualitative change and organizational reform to surpass 500 billion won in sales this year. Have there been achievements in the first half?

▲It is critical to quickly detect changes in industry and market trends and proactively develop client demand. We are also focusing on differentiating our services based on client feedback. Since 2024, Sejong has been operating a client feedback listening system in earnest. Whereas in the past, client opinions were heard through individual cases or attorneys, we have now established regular and systematic communication channels. Through “one-team” collaboration, we will enhance our integrated consulting capabilities and focus on organizational improvement.

-When a firm grows rapidly, it is common to experience growing pains. What efforts have you made to strengthen organizational cohesion?

▲Simply increasing headcount does not automatically create a strong organization. If people work independently or young lawyers do not get growth opportunities, the structure can crumble like a sandcastle. We pay close attention to “onboarding and building collaborative systems.” Recruiting outstanding talent is only the starting point. From the initial stage, Sejong has established systems so that relevant specialist groups, client-facing teams, and various departments can combine as a single team to carry out projects. By focusing on expanding the capabilities of the entire firm, rather than individual performance, “cross-selling” is naturally taking off, resulting in a genuine leap in quality.

Seo Jonghan, representative lawyer of the law firm Sejong, is giving an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the law firm Sejong in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 30th. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

-You set the goal of being “the overwhelming second challenging for first place.” Which areas are you focusing on especially in the second half of the year?

▲The crises clients face today cannot be solved with knowledge from a single legal field. Issues in regulation, criminal law, fair trade, labor, and intellectual property are all intricately intertwined. In other words, “how seamlessly and quickly experts from various fields can come together and move as a single team” determines success or failure. As proven in the first half, we will further solidify our dominance in our traditional strengths such as M&A and large-scale litigation in the second half as well. In addition, we will maximize our “integrated consulting” capabilities to proactively defend against corporate risks and help generate revenue, focusing on areas such as cybersecurity, the newly established AI & Digital Competition Law Team, the Trade & Industry Policy Center, and the Defense & National Security Team.

-As you approach the end of your second term, how would you like Sejong to be remembered as a law firm?

▲Rather than being satisfied with past achievements, our task is to strengthen our foundation and complete our qualitative growth. We will ensure a “standardized elevation of service quality,” guaranteeing the highest level of quality no matter who or which team at Sejong handles a matter. Sejong aims to be more than just a legal advisor, but a “strategic partner” who solves clients’ complex risks together. Based on outstanding competence and a strong sense of ethics, we intend to be remembered in society as a professional organization that is a “partner of integrity” and truly earns the trust of our clients.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.