Questions that reveal fit
Find out who will actually handle the case day to day, not only who appears in the proposal, and how the work will be divided between senior and junior lawyers. Ask whether the firm has handled matters under the rules and at the seat named in your clause, and how familiar it is with the institution involved. If documents and witnesses are in Korean or another language, ask how translation and witness preparation will be handled, since this affects both cost and accuracy. A firm's account of its experience should be specific enough for you to judge it. Statements that sound like predictions of the outcome are a reason for caution rather than comfort.
Conflicts, cost, and funding
The international arbitration community is small, so check early for conflicts with the counterparty, its affiliates, and potential arbitrators. Fee arrangements vary: hourly billing is common, but some firms discuss capped fees, phased budgets, or partial contingency arrangements, and third-party funding is used in some cases and may have to be disclosed to the tribunal under some rules. Ask for a budget broken down by phase, since document production and the hearing are often the costliest stages, and ask how the firm will tell you when costs are moving away from the estimate. Keep in mind that the tribunal's and the institution's fees come on top of legal fees.
How SJKP approaches a first meeting
SJKP LAW FIRM LLP is a New York firm, and New York is a frequently chosen seat for international arbitration. In a first conversation we review your clause, the dispute, and where the counterparty's assets are located, and we tell you plainly which parts of the matter we would handle and where counsel in another country may be needed. We explain how we would staff the case and what we expect the early phases to cost, and we check for conflicts before discussing substance in depth. If another firm would be a better fit for your matter, we would rather say so at the beginning than partway through.
