They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Dohyun Kim of Skadden

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.
In my first year as partner, I closed on the largest-ever deal in the luxury retail sector, advising LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E. in its $15.9 billion acquisition of Tiffany & Co., which successfully brought together two iconic (and personally loved) global brands. This was a multifaceted deal, involving litigation in the midst of a global pandemic, a settlement and revised transaction, with a multi-office/practice group Skadden team seamlessly navigating all of the different workstreams around the clock.

Another recent highlight and milestone in my career was advising E*TRADE on its $13 billion acquisition by Morgan Stanley, the largest acquisition by a global systemically important financial institution since the financial crisis (ranked first in financial institutions M&A deals 2019 – 2020).

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?
Take ownership. As a first year, I think the best way to grow as an attorney and to differentiate yourself is to become the “go to” person for the particular workstream that you have been assigned, so that your team members and clients know that you are the person who is the closest and most knowledgeable on that matter. To achieve this, you need to be invested in the workstream and share a sense of responsibility for it.

When you have that mindset, the rest will come naturally—you will be thinking ahead, asking the right questions and proactively engaging with and solving issues. This is still a fundamental pillar for how I practice on a daily basis, and as I have become more senior, I have realized how important it is for senior practitioners to try to nurture this mindset in more junior attorneys by setting an example, mentoring and providing a safety net. Despite the years that have passed, I still vividly remember what it was like to be a junior associate, so I try my best to foster this mindset in the more junior attorneys who work with me.

How do you define success in your practice?
Becoming a long-term trusted adviser to your clients. I feel the most successful when the Skadden deal team has partnered closely with our clients to effectively and efficiently achieve their business objectives, which is more an art than science and is a truly human process. There is nothing more rewarding than being a part of that journey with clients that trust and rely on you, and your deal team colleagues who have your back at all times, no matter how many curveballs come your way and sleepless nights you may need to endure.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer?
I am proud of carving my own, unconventional path to where I am and being part of an incredible firm that has enabled me to remain uniquely me throughout that process. I am proud of being able to partner with and advise our amazing clients on a diverse range of high stakes and complex transactions, and am proud of the talented and inspiring attorneys that I get to call my partners, colleagues, mentors, and mentees who I work with on a daily basis to successfully structure and execute these transactions.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?
I have been tremendously blessed to have many significant mentors in my legal career; I would not be here without them and I cannot do justice to any one of them within the word limit! I have been fortunate to have benefited from the mentorship and support of many Skadden attorneys at different points in my career, who taught me how to be a good technical attorney, an effective negotiator, made me feel part of the team, helped me navigate my path and went to bat for me. Out of the wealth of wisdom that I have received in my career, the advice that resonates with me the most right now is to be authentic in how I practice the law and that my legal career is a marathon, not a sprint. So pace yourself and don’t forget to stay hydrated!

Just for fun, tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.
“Titanium” by Sia— This song always gives me an energy boost, especially on a hot summer day.

“White Gloves” by Khruangbin—Khruangbin’s music, and this song in particular, makes me feel like I am on the beach on a breezy summer day.

Dohyun Kim advises public and private companies in US and cross-border corporate matters worth billions. She returned to her birthplace of Seoul to attend Ewha Womans University before starting her legal career in New York. She serves as pro bono counsel for the Commission on Judicial Nomination for the New York Court of Appeals.