Michael Kim in Law360: On the Firm’s Past, Present and Future

July 30, 2020

Publication: Law360

Kobre & Kim founding partner Michael Kim sat down with Law360 as part of their ongoing “Law Firm Leaders” series to discuss topics such as the firm’s past and future, the lawyers the firm looks for and the effects of the pandemic on business.

Throughout the past seventeen years, when the firm evolved from a two-person operation to having a global presence, and continuing into the future, Kim says the firm’s goal is to gain deeper specialization and knowledge on fraud and misconduct topics “where clients have trouble finding lawyers with deep expertise.” Unlike many other law firms, Kim prioritizes maximizing expertise rather than growth in order to further develop a niche and better serve clients. As such, the firm seeks out like-minded lawyers looking to develop their own niche and possessing the emotional intelligence to best understand the client’s needs.

Kim also discussed how the disputes and investigations business “has not been significantly impacted” by the pandemic. In fact, cross-border disputes and investigations continue to be on the rise as globalization reverses and governments adopt increasingly protectionist trade measures. Still, Kim cautions against “patting ourselves on the back” – the focus is still on acquiring new business and remaining “as hungry as possible.”

Click here to read the full interview (subscription required).