“Behind an incident, there is always a person’s life” A glimpse into the morning of Daeryun Law Firm

Daeryun Law Firm’s main office located in Park One, Yeouido, Seoul. Just past 8 a.m., the conference room door opens and lawyers from Daeryun branch offices located throughout Seoul take their seats one by one. Each person holds a case record in their hands.

Attorneys Woo Jin-gyu, Chae Won-hyeop, and Park Jeong-gu attended the meeting. The person leading them is Chief Attorney Ahn Kwon-seop. After leading the prosecution practice in the special, violent, and general criminal fields for 25 years, he has been directly leading cases received from all over the country since joining Daeryun.

The case on the table that day was a group sexual crime case that occurred in a local area. In Daeryun, where offices across the country are connected through a single network, ‘local incidents’ do not remain ‘local affairs’. In this case as well, four lawyers with extensive experience in sexual crime cases gathered together.

“In this case, since the key evidence was secured early, we need to set a clear direction in the first investigation,” Attorney Ahn said, and Attorney Woo nodded and agreed, “The client is also psychologically sensitive because he is a suspect. I think the explanation process needs to be designed more carefully.”

Attorney Ahn, who is in charge of general practice, is famous for carefully examining case records within the company. Even on days when there is no trial scheduled, there is always a thick record file piled up at his desk.

At the meeting that day, Attorney Ahn said, "There is always a person's life behind a case. Understanding and empathy for people are ahead of the law. What is as important as winning a case is trust. This is because the trust you build with your client becomes a lifelong asset."

What Attorney Ahn considers most important is communication with clients. The belief is that since clients involved in lawsuits are bound to feel anxious every day, it is important for the lawyer in charge to clearly explain the flow of the case first.

He said, "I think it's basic to explain things before the client asks. If communication is cut off, trust will be lost no matter how faithfully the writing is written." He said he feels most rewarded when clients do not forget to contact him even after the case is over, and he emphasized several times that trust is built through the process, not the result.

Even after the meeting is over, the lines at the national offices are busy. Case records are shared in real time through an integrated management system, and regional lawyers frequently access online meetings.

Daeryun's case handling process is the force that makes 36 offices across the country operate as one organization.

Attorney Ahn's philosophy that “trust is built in the process, not the result” ultimately encapsulates the direction Daeryun pursues in one word.

Reporter Kwon Byeong-seok (bsk730@fnnews.com)

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"Behind an incident, there is always a person's life" A morning peek at Daeryun Law Firm (Shortcut)