Legality of “network law firms” questioned

[Anchor]

There have been reports that a woman paid tens of millions of won to a law firm to have a former high-ranking lawyer handle her case, but she never actually met the lawyer.

Let's take a look at what happened.

Reporter Bae Ji-hyun.

[Report]

Ms. A decided to file a complaint for assault against her former partner.

After seeing an online advertisement, she visited a law firm at the end of last year.

It was a so-called 'network law firm' that claimed to have offices nationwide and recruited clients through online advertisements.

The lawyer who consulted on the case stated that a former high-ranking lawyer would take on the case and quoted a fee of over tens of millions of won.

[Ms. A/Reporter/Voice Altered: "They showed me a price list and said it would be 33 million won because it's a former high-ranking lawyer. I was told I should make the payment today to secure a good lawyer...."]

Ms. A immediately signed the contract and paid the fee of 33 million won.

Afterward, she submitted the complaint to the police through the law firm, but she only saw the former high-ranking lawyer's name on the complaint, and never actually met him.

In fact, the draft of the complaint she received from the law firm contained incorrect charges.

[Ms. A/Reporter: "'They said I would definitely receive a settlement,' so I believed them, but the former high-ranking lawyer only had a 3-minute call with me and that was it..."]

If a lawyer guarantees a win to a client or exaggerates to make it look like a former high-ranking lawyer is handling all the work, they can face disciplinary action from the Korean Bar Association.

However, there have been recent criticisms that such practices are occurring, particularly among 'network law firms.'

In fact, over the past three years, seven 'network law firms' have received about ten disciplinary actions from the Korean Bar Association for violations of advertising regulations and the obligation to submit lists of retired public officials.

[Lee Eun-sung/Korean Bar Association First Policy Director: "If various techniques are used solely to secure clients, it ultimately violates the Lawyers Act and disrupts fair client acquisition order...."]

The lawyer handling the case stated to KBS, "There were no errors in the final complaint submitted to the police, and the overall case response was overseen by the former high-ranking lawyer."

KBS News, Bae Ji-hyun.