Haley (Hak) Kim advises clients on international trade, economic sanctions, export controls, customs and import regulations, and cross-border investments. She works with multinational corporations, start-ups, and non-profit organizations across sectors, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, life sciences, logistics, apparel, and media.
Her experience includes counseling clients on U.S. economic sanctions and export controls involving Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Cuba. She has conducted internal investigations, prepared voluntary disclosures to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that resulted in no penalties, and assisted clients in responding to OFAC subpoenas. She represented U.S. importers in forced labor enforcement matters before U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), securing the release of shipments detained under Withhold Release Orders. She has also advised high-technology companies on regulatory requirements and risk considerations under the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
Earlier in her career, Ms. Kim served as corporate counsel for Korea Line Corporation in Seoul, where she managed mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy proceedings, and cross-border commercial disputes.
She earned her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Economic Law, Business & Policy from Stanford Law School and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Ewha Womans University Law School. She is admitted to practice in both California and South Korea. *Not licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia.
-
Advised multinational clients on navigating U.S. economic sanctions and export controls (EAR/ITAR) on Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Cuba.
Conducted investigations and audits on potential violations of U.S. sanctions and export controls; filed voluntary disclosures with OFAC, which resulted in zero penalties for clients.
Represented clients in investigations by OFAC, including preparing responses to subpoenas and OFAC inquiries.
Applied for and secured OFAC licenses on behalf of non-profit organizations and global news media outlets.
Prepared a comparative analysis on the EU and the Republic of Korea’s sanctions against Russia/Belarus for the European External Action Service (EEAS).
Represented and counseled software companies, exporters and humanitarian organizations on U.S. sanctions law matters including North Korea, Iran, China, etc.
Represented and advised clients on licensing and regulatory responses with OFAC including responses to subpoenas and OFAC inquiries.
Represented and advised clients on obtaining sanctions exemptions from the UN Security Council for humanitarian assistance.
-
Represented U.S. importers facing Withhold Release Orders (WROs) related to forced labor allegations; successfully achieved rare release of detained shipments from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) by conducting targeted supply chain due diligence and submitting persuasive reports.
Represented and advised importers on U.S. customs law including detentions and responses to withhold release orders for goods from China.
-
Advised clients in high-tech industries, including artificial intelligence, autonomous driving technologies, life sciences, biotechnology, semiconductors, and other sectors, on the CFIUS regulations.
-
Provided clients with regular updates on evolving international trade laws and regulations, offering insights to ensure proactive compliance.
Advised U.S. importers and non-U.S. suppliers on compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act; developed compliance manuals for clients.
Strengthened clients' global trade compliance program through end-to-end solutions: developed tailored compliance programs, validated program effectiveness through on-site facility audits, and delivered strategic assessments that identified and mitigated potential regulatory risks.
Advised client on licensing and registration requirements for international ocean freight forwarding in the U.S., Japan, China, and the UK.
-
Counseled creditor in Samsung Logix Corporation bankruptcy in Korean Bankruptcy Court.
Counseled potential purchaser of assets from bankruptcy estate of Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.
Areas of Focus
Export Controls
Economic Sanctions
CFIUS & National Security
Customs & Imports
Logistics & E-Commerce
Education
Stanford Law School
LL.M.
Ewha Womans University, School of Law, Seoul, Republic of Korea
J.D.
Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
B.S.
Previous Experience
LimNexus LLP, Associate
Admissions
California
U.S. District Court Central District of California
Republic of Korea
Languages
English
Korean
Chinese (basic)