Law firm Yoon & Yang said on the 21st that attorney Kim Dae-yeon has been named one of the "40 Under 40" rising legal stars in Asia for 2026 by Asian Legal Business, a legal trade publication owned by Thomson Reuters. The firm said it has now produced a winner for three consecutive years.
ALB selects 40 standout lawyers each year from among those under 40 working at law firms and companies across the Asia-Pacific region. The evaluation weighs their main practice areas, the significance of the cases they handle, recommendations from colleagues, supervisors and clients, and their potential for future growth. Only two lawyers at Korean law firms made this year's list.
Yoon & Yang said Kim was recognized for his expertise in responding to serious industrial accidents and in corporate labor litigation. Kim graduated from Korea University's law department and its law school, and completed a master of laws (LL.M.) at the University of Melbourne in Australia. He joined Yoon & Yang in 2015 and works in the firm's labor practice group, where he specializes in serious accident response as well as labor-related legal advisory and litigation work. Kim handled an engagement for Samsung Electronics' Device Solutions division in 2021 and this year worked on reviewing the establishment and implementation of SK hynix's safety and health management system. According to Yoon & Yang, clients have praised Kim as having "extensive knowledge and precise advisory capabilities across a broad range of areas, including industrial accidents and responses to labor union law."
"With Kim's selection, Yoon & Yang has now produced an ALB 40 Under 40 honoree for three straight years," said Lee Myung-soo, Yoon & Yang's managing partner. "In particular, lawyers were selected from a number of our groups, including labor, international arbitration, litigation, finance and intellectual property, which shows the solid strength of our junior partners."
"I will continue to think from the client's perspective, respond a step ahead of what clients need, and work tirelessly to deliver the best legal services based on expertise and a sense of responsibility," Kim said.