Business · Economy · 2 hrs ago
Former Fair Trade Commission lawyers had lower company win rates
A review of cases against South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission found that companies won less often when former commission officials joined their legal teams.
The review covered 271 cases handled by six major law firms from 2022 through September, including 51 with former officials involved.
Companies won 14.8% of cases with former officials, compared with 21.6% of cases without them.
Across all cases, companies represented by the six major firms won 20.3%, compared with 6.8% for other firms.
The lower win rate contrasts with the higher pay former officials received after joining major firms; one firm’s hires saw average monthly pay rise from 8.25 million won to 30.59 million won.
Law firms say the figures do not show each lawyer’s full contribution, because different people may work on a case before it reaches court.
Companies represented by former Fair Trade Commission officials won 14.8% of decided cases handled by six major law firms from 2022 through September 2026.
The win rate was 6.8 percentage points lower than in cases without former commission officials, which had a 21.6% win rate.
The review covered 271 lawsuits against the commission, including 51 in which a former official participated.
Across all cases handled by the six firms, companies had a 20.3% win rate, compared with 6.8% in other cases.
Former officials’ average pay rose after moving to large law firms, with one firm’s former commission hires earning 3.7 times their previous average pay.
A law firm representative said that staff involvement before trial means the former officials’ contribution cannot be judged solely from the initial complaint.
- Who
- Companies suing the Fair Trade Commission, represented by six major law firms; some cases involved former commission officials.
- What
- The companies’ win rate was lower in cases involving former commission officials than in cases without them.
- When
- From 2022 through September 2026.
- Where
- South Korea, in lawsuits against the Fair Trade Commission.
- Why
- Not stated
Companies questioning the value of former officials' participation
Large law firms
Win rates
Companies questioning the value of former officials' participation
Companies won 14.8% of decided cases involving former commission officials, below the 21.6% rate for cases without them.
Large law firms
A law firm representative said multiple staff members work on cases before trial, so the former officials’ contribution cannot be judged solely from the initial complaint.
The review period covered lawsuits against the commission handled by six major law firms.
The Fair Trade Commission reported the figures, according to the article.
Maeil Business published its report.
- Cases reviewed
- 271 lawsuits handled by six major law firms
- Former officials involved
- 51 cases
- Win rate with former officials
- 14.8% of decided cases
- Win rate without former officials
- 21.6%
- Six-firm win rate
- 20.3%
- Kim & Chang pay increase
- Average monthly pay rose from 8.25 million won to 30.59 million won, or 3.7 times the previous amount.
What people are saying
We do not have a separate management system, so we counted former commission lawyers’ participation in lawsuits based on the initial complaint.
Various personnel, including former Fair Trade Commission officials, are involved in cases from the pretrial stage, so it is difficult to judge the contribution of former officials simply based on the initial complaint.