Seoul-based Lee & Ko is teaming up with Indonesian law firm Adnan Kelana Haryanto & Hermanto (AKHH) to launch its Indonesia desk in Jakarta in October.
Lee & Ko partner Beomsang Lim will serve as the initial resident lawyer at AKHH’s Jakarta office.
“With investment sectors diversifying and local operations scaling up, we have seen rising client demand for lawyers on the ground who can navigate both local law and market practice to offer immediate guidance,” Ho Joon Moon, managing partner at Lee & Ko, told Asia Business Law Journal.
As head of the Indonesia desk, Lim will be the primary point of contact for clients operating in the country and co-ordinating matters between the two firms, while AKHH’s lawyers will advise on Indonesian law, including reviewing local legislation and regulations, and handling matters before regulatory authorities and the courts.
“The collaboration is equally important in the other direction,” Hendry Hendrawan, managing partner at AKHH, told ABLJ.
“Indonesian businesses looking to invest in Korea or work with Korean companies can benefit from AKHH’s relationship with Lee & Ko and its extensive capabilities in Korea.”
Moon said the Indonesia desk would cover all sectors that South Korean firms operate in, with initial demand expected to be particularly strong in natural resources and agribusiness, including nickel and palm oil, as well as finance, fintech, IT, infrastructure and manufacturing.
“In addition to traditional market-entry advisory — such as investment assessments, M&As, joint ventures and shareholder agreements — the desk will focus on post-entry operational challenges, including labour, compliance and dispute resolution. Moving beyond initial entry counsel, we aim to deliver full-lifecycle legal support to help clients establish a sustainable presence in Indonesia,” said Moon.
Hendrawan said both firms would bring their own jurisdictional expertise, commercial understanding and local judgement to client matters.
“For clients, this means that Korean and Indonesian counsel are not brought together only after an issue arises; we can work as a co-ordinated team from the outset,” he said.
An opening ceremony will be held at AKHH’s Jakarta office to mark the launch of the Indonesia desk.
